Red Lentil Coconut Curry with Peppers & Avocado

Another one-pot wonder! This red lentil curry comes together in less than 35 minutes and is the perfect cold-weather comfort food. Bell peppers, tomatoes, red lentils, and coconut milk simmered until tender, topped with avocado slices and fresh cilantro.

Another one-pot recipe coming at you! Earlier this week I shared my One-Pot Turkey Taco Pasta recipe. I just love one-pot dishes because the cleanup is so minimal! All you need for this dish is a large pot and a knife/cutting board. I used my Lodge cast iron dutch oven for this recipe. It sautees vegetables really well and heats evenly. 

What you’ll need to make red lentil curry

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• Chef knife
• Stirring spatula
• Cutting board
• Large pot or dutch oven

How to make red lentil curry

Saute your aromatics

First, you’ll saute the curry trio: onion, garlic, ginger. This smells so heavenly when it’s simmering with olive oil! Next, you’ll add the minced jalapeno, bell peppers, and curry powder. Sautee until the bell peppers begin to soften. 

Add your liquids

Next, you’ll add the liquids. Cans of diced tomatoes (get the petite ones for more even pieces), coconut milk, and water. Add the red lentils and let simmer until the lentils soften about 25 minutes. Be sure to stir every now and then and keep the heat low, so the lentils don’t get burned and stick to the bottom. 

Here’s the recipe for Red Lentil Coconut Curry with Peppers & Avocado:

You can also find this recipe on the Mealime app.

Red Lentil Coconut Curry with Peppers & Avocado

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• Author: Emily Weeks, RDN, LD
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 1x

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ medium red onion, minced
• 2-inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced
• 2 jalapeño peppers, minced
• 2 red bell peppers, small diced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (13.5 fl oz) can coconut milk
• 3 cup water
• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, leaved minced

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Instructions

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add oil and swirl to coat the bottom.
2. Add the garlic, onion, and ginger to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the jalapeños, bell peppers, curry powder, and salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and water to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat, then add the red lentils. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, 22-25 minutes.
5. To serve, divide the lentil curry between bowls; top with sliced avocado and minced cilantro. 

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Keywords: lentil curry

Emily Weeks, RDN, LD

Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!