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Home » Main Dishes » Slow Cooker Lentil Curry.

Slow Cooker Lentil Curry.

Sep 18, 2015 · Modified: Dec 29, 2022 by Kelly Roenicke · 89 Comments

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Lentils slow cooked in a rich coconut cream sauce - this simple recipe is perfect for chilly days!

This flavorful slow cooker lentil curry is easily made with simple ingredients. This hearty vegan dish is a crowd pleaser! You’re sure to love the rich, creamy, dairy free sauce – it’s full of flavor.

slow cooker lentil curry

When you’re learning how to cook for food allergies, it can be hard to find recipes that you love.

You might get stuck in a rut making simple, safe meals at first. Things like grilled chicken and vegetables, or safe noodles and pasta sauce.

Then you might venture out a bit, and start experimenting with new recipes and new ingredients. And you might be surprised at what you can come up with! I really believe that you can enjoy amazing food even when you have multiple food allergies.

This slow cooker lentil curry is one of those recipes that I just kind of threw together one day that turned into one of our favorite family dinners. It’s hearty, because of the lentils, and full of flavor from the tomato paste, coconut milk, and spices.

When I made this for the first time, it was one of those situations where you can’t stop eating…just a little more, and a little more, just a spoonful of sauce…it’s hard to walk away from. I think you’re going to love this easy curry recipe!

Jump to:
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Substitutions
  • Serving Suggestions
  • More Vegan Recipes
  • Recipe
french green lentils in a jar

Ingredient Notes

  • Lentils – I used half regular green lentils and half French green lentils because that’s what I had in the pantry. You could use just green lentils, or just French green lentils, or even black (Beluga) lentils. If you use black lentils it may take a little bit longer to cook. I would not recommend using red lentils in this slow cooker recipe, because they will just turn to mush.
  • Coconut Milk – You need to use full-fat coconut milk – the kind that comes in a can. The richness of the coconut milk is what gives this sauce it’s amazing texture.
  • Tomato Paste – Tomato paste is really concentrated, and it adds a nice flavor to the sauce. If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use tomato sauce instead.
  • Spices – Cumin, curry powder, ground ginger, and garam masala add a ton of flavor to this dish. This curry is very flavorful, but it’s not hot and spicy, so if you’re not a fan of spicy dishes, this just might be the dish for you!

Substitutions

Feel free to customize this lentil curry – it’s a very forgiving recipe.

  • If you don’t have a red onion, try a sweet onion or white onion.
  • No fresh garlic? Add some garlic powder or refrigerated minced garlic.
  • Add different vegetables if you like – try carrots or potatoes.
dairy free lentil curry in a white bowl

Serving Suggestions

Serve this curry over Jasmine or Basmati rice or quinoa. It’s also delicious with homemade vegan naan or fresh bread sticks. If you’d like to make a few types of curry, you could also try this spinach aloo palak or this cauliflower coconut curry.

    dairy free lentil curry in white bowl

    More Vegan Recipes

    • Delicious Vegan Banana Waffles.
    • Gluten Free Apple Muffins (Vegan, Nut Free).
    • The Best Homemade Dairy Free Ranch Dressing.
    • Potato Leek Casserole (Dairy Free, Gluten Free).

    Watch the video below to see how easy it is to make this vegan dinner:

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

    Recipe

    vegan slow cooker lentil curry
    4.96 from 23 votes
    Print

    Slow Cooker Lentil Curry.

    Hearty lentils, peppers, and onions are cooked in a rich coconut cream curry sauce – this slow cooker lentil curry is a comforting dish for chilly nights!

    Course Entree
    Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, vegan., Vegetarian
    Keyword easy, slow cooker
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 5 hours
    Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 376 kcal
    Author Kelly Roenicke

    Ingredients

    • 1 red onion diced – you could also use a yellow onion
    • 3 garlic cloves minced
    • 1 yellow pepper diced
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 ½ cups green lentils or French green lentils
    • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste or â…“ cup tomato sauce
    • 1 can full fat coconut milk
    • 3 teaspoons curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 2 teaspoons garam masala
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • 2 ½ cups water
    • cooked Jasmine rice for serving or Brown Basmati Rice
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    1. Place the red onion, minced garlic, diced pepper, and olive oil in the slow cooker.
    2. Pick over and rinse the lentils and add to the slow cooker.

    3. Add all the other ingredients and stir.
    4. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 ½ – 5 hours. Check periodically and add more liquid if needed.
    5. Serve over cooked Jasmine rice.

    Recipe Notes

    Since models of slow cookers vary, your cooking time may be longer or shorter.

    Nutrition facts are for the curry only, not the rice.

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for about 4 days.

    Nutrition Facts
    Slow Cooker Lentil Curry.
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    376
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    20
    g
    31
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    14
    g
    88
    %
    Sodium
     
    664
    mg
    29
    %
    Potassium
     
    768
    mg
    22
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    36
    g
    12
    %
    Fiber
     
    15
    g
    63
    %
    Sugar
     
    4
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    14
    g
    28
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    190
    IU
    4
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    42.7
    mg
    52
    %
    Calcium
     
    61
    mg
    6
    %
    Iron
     
    6.6
    mg
    37
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Filed Under: Dairy Free, food, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Nut Free, Recipes, Vegan Tagged With: Dairy Free, easy recipe, Egg Free, Fish Free, Gluten Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Shellfish Free, Soy Free, top 8 allergy free recipe, Tree Nut Free

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Kelly Roenicke
    Kelly Roenicke
    Mom to two boys with food allergies and sensitivities, Kelly is passionate about allergy friendly cooking and baking. She believes that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.
    Kelly Roenicke
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lizzie Adelman

      November 20, 2019 at 9:29 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe! I make it all of the time, and I’ve recommended it to many friends/family members. It is easy to prepare and always tastes delicious. :)

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        November 25, 2019 at 12:08 pm

        Yay! So happy to hear that!

        Reply
    2. Claudia

      March 15, 2019 at 3:26 am

      5 stars
      Made this before and loved it!
      I only have red split lentils in the cupboard today will these work the same?

      Reply
      • Cienega

        January 11, 2020 at 4:22 pm

        My question too! Did it work?

        Reply
    3. Kailin

      February 27, 2019 at 7:27 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe! Can it be made as is in an instant pot?

      Reply
    4. Michelle

      January 30, 2019 at 7:03 am

      I would like to make this, but my children don’t like any spicy food (the best they will eat is butter chicken).
      Could you tell me how spicy this is? and can the amount of spices be reduced?

      Reply
      • GrammaB

        February 17, 2019 at 6:37 pm

        5 stars
        This is actually pretty mild, depending on the curry you use. and cut back a little on the ginger if your kids are really sensitive. The coconut milk helps mellow things out.

        Reply
      • Ashley H

        October 30, 2020 at 10:58 am

        Garam Masada and curry powder do not contain heat ingredients.

        Reply
    5. Hannah

      December 10, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Kelly, thanks for the delicious, hearty, and simple recipe.
      I just have a quick question – is the calorie total per serving (376kcal) with or without rice?
      Thanks!
      Hannah

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        December 15, 2018 at 5:25 pm

        The nutrition facts are for the curry only, no rice.

        Reply
        • Sarah

          December 23, 2018 at 6:05 pm

          How much is a serving? 1 cup?

          Reply
          • Kelly Roenicke

            January 08, 2019 at 9:38 pm

            Yes, about that!

            Reply
    6. Jill

      November 18, 2018 at 8:18 pm

      Actually amazing

      Reply
    7. Peri

      November 07, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      I loved making this so healthy and nutritious I added a fresh green chilli for an extra kick absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    8. Christina Slotin

      September 29, 2018 at 6:56 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe! Its become one of our family favorites!!

      Reply
    9. jacqui

      September 25, 2018 at 4:50 am

      4 stars
      Made this last night and it was lovely. Going to have whats left with steamed fish tonight, Thank you

      Reply
    10. Maxine

      September 03, 2018 at 4:16 pm

      Going to try this recipe this week. It looks delicious! Would like to avoid using sugar. Can I simply leave this ingredient out or would you recommend a substitute?

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        September 08, 2018 at 9:03 am

        You could leave it out!

        Reply
    11. Rachel

      June 14, 2018 at 6:46 pm

      5 stars
      I love Indian food and thought this recipe looked great. I had never tried lentils before and they are going to be something I cook with often now. I’m a vegetarian and my boyfriend is not, but he was crazy about the dish too! Great recipe, very happy with the results. Thanks!

      Reply
    12. Chessie

      April 23, 2018 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      Have to try this!

      Funny that you associate slow cookers with fall. IMO, summer is the perfect season to get out the Crockpot because it doesn’t heat up the kitchen.

      Thanks for this great recipe.

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        May 02, 2018 at 8:38 am

        That’s a good point!

        Reply
    13. Susan Smith

      April 17, 2018 at 12:43 pm

      Will reduced fat coconut milk work?

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        April 18, 2018 at 9:05 am

        Yes, it just won’t be quite as creamy.

        Reply
    14. Dominique

      January 21, 2018 at 9:45 am

      Did you pre-soak your lentils? Or just placed the dry lentils straight into the crock-pot?

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        January 31, 2018 at 11:50 am

        Just put the dry lentils in the crock pot! After rinsing and picking them over first.

        Reply
    15. Krista Burdine

      January 09, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      I realize I am late to the party for this recipe, and I don’t normally comment. However, you need to know that this is the favorite recipe I have ever tried on my family. It’s everything. It has my whole family eating lentils, something we NEVER. EVER. did before (including me). It’s super cheap, and many of the ingredients are easy to keep around in the pantry. It’s a perfect slow cooker meal–just dump and run. It even freezes well ahead of time. All my processed-food-loving, salted meat aficionado, picky eater children (and adults) eat it, ask for seconds, and fight over who gets the leftovers the next day. I’ve made it at least five times, and I have three more in my freezer to get us through the winter. I don’t know what the magic is here, but I just needed to say thank you. Can’t seem to select a rating, but I give it five stars!

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        January 09, 2018 at 4:30 pm

        Yay, I am so happy to hear that you love this recipe! Thank you for letting me know! The ratings are working now, I’m sorry it wasn’t before!

        Reply
    16. Karl McQuillan

      December 21, 2017 at 12:26 pm

      Wonderfully spiced and easy to prepare recipe.

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        December 23, 2017 at 9:41 am

        So glad to hear this, thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    17. Allison Bradbury

      August 01, 2017 at 2:39 pm

      Hi Kelly,
      I cannot use coconut milk (anaphylaxis response). Please could you suggest a suitable alternative.
      Regards,

      Allison

      Reply
    18. Colleen W

      April 23, 2017 at 10:43 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and my husband and I loved it! Probably the best curry I’ve had at home. My 3 year old didn’t even die in disgust while eating it! Which is a rarity. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
      I did switch a regular onion for a red onion. I think I’ll do the same for future makings.

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        April 27, 2017 at 1:26 pm

        So glad you loved it! Thank you for letting me know!

        Reply
    19. Kaleigh

      April 01, 2017 at 11:32 am

      This recipe was easy and excellent! Thanks for sharing :)

      Reply
    20. Jennifer

      March 18, 2017 at 8:11 am

      This was amazing. All I had was red bell pepper and orange/yellow lentils. It was fabulous. Thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        March 19, 2017 at 10:01 am

        So glad you loved it! Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
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