One-Pot Lentil & Spinach Curry
Red lentils cooked down with coconut milk and warm spices until they collapse into a silky curry, finished with fistfuls of spinach that wilt in the residual heat right before serving.
- Course
- Easy Dinners
- Cuisine
- American
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 35 min
- Total Time
- 55 min
The Story Behind This Recipe
I keep coming back to one-pot lentil & spinach curry because it earns its place on a busy week — honest ingredients, a method you can hold in your head, and a result that tastes like somebody cooked on purpose.
It came together the way most things in this kitchen do: made once for the sake of dinner, tinkered with, then written down when it finally worked twice in a row.
The lesson it keeps teaching me is to read the method through before turning on the heat and to get everything measured first. That single habit makes home cooking calmer than any gadget.
Variation Ideas
- Adjust the seasoning and herbs to what is in season.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Fresh herbs
- About a third as much dried, rubbed between your palms first
- Butter
- Olive oil, for a dairy-free version
- Chicken stock
- Vegetable stock, or water with a squeeze of lemon
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will this last?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
What is the best way to reheat it?
Warm it gently — covered at 300°F or over low heat on the stove with a splash of liquid — until just heated through. Fast, high heat is what dries leftovers out.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Prep and refrigerate the components up to a day ahead, then combine and finish just before serving so nothing loses its texture.
It tastes flat — what should I do?
Salt and acid, in that order. A pinch more salt then a squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar will usually sharpen everything back into focus.
Tools For This Recipe
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What to Serve With One-Pot Lentil & Spinach Curry
Recipe Card
One-Pot Lentil & Spinach Curry
★ 4.9 · By Marguerite Hale
- Course
- Easy Dinners
- Cuisine
- American
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 35 min
- Total Time
- 55 min
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups red lentils, rinsed
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- 1
Warm the coconut oil in a deep pot and cook the onion with a big pinch of salt until soft and just starting to color.
- 2
Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder, and turmeric and stir for a minute until the whole kitchen smells like dinner.
- 3
Tip in the lentils, coconut milk, and broth, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered for twenty minutes, stirring now and then.
- 4
When the lentils have fallen apart and the curry coats a spoon, kill the heat and fold in the spinach in two batches.
- 5
Finish with lemon juice and more salt than feels sensible, and serve with rice or warm flatbread for scooping.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (6 servings per recipe).
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