Chickpea Lentil Curry

This easy Chickpea Lentil Curry takes around 45 minutes to make and is full of Indian flavors. It's a healthy vegan recipe that's made with both chickpeas and lentils, making it extra hearty and delicious.

I figure it’s about time to share a few more cozy recipes before the weather officially starts warming up. Insert: chickpea lentil curry, aka the BEST vegan lentil curry ever. 

I adore my sweet potato curry farro recipe -- and I know many of you do too -- but I realized I didn’t have any traditional curry recipes on my site. Well, until now! 

This lentil curry is seasoned with everything you want in a curry recipe: shallot, garlic, curry powder, garam masala, and cumin, and the lentils are cooked in tomato sauce and coconut milk for a rich, warm, comforting meatless meal. 

If you’re looking for more Indian-inspired recipes, be sure to check out my vegan tikka masala and my butternut squash curry -- both plant-based and so delicious. 

Why you’ll love this chickpea lentil curry 

• It’s made with classic Indian spices
• The recipe is filled with lentils and chickpeas, and is ready in under 45 minutes
• Delicious served with a side of basmati rice and/or naan 

Ingredient notes:

• Lentils: Green or brown, NOT red; green and brown lentils cook similarly, whereas red are smaller in size and therefore result in a different texture and generally take less time to cook. 

• Chickpeas: Canned; drained and rinsed. Since they’re canned, they’re already cooked, so you’ll essentially just be simmering them in the sauce so they soak up the flavor. 

• Coconut milk: Canned; full fat or light -- whatever you have in your pantry! 

• Tomato sauce: Make sure to use PLAIN + CANNED tomato sauce; most jarred tomato sauces are meant for Italian recipes, so we want to make sure to use plain-seasoned tomato sauce from a can (check the ingredients!) 

• Carrot/Bell pepper: Could sub 1 medium sweet potato instead (see “tips and tricks” below)

Step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Sauté. Start by heating oil in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots and bell pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft. 

Step 2: Add the spices. Next, add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add all of the spices and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. 

Step 3: Cook the lentils. Pour in the tomato sauce, coconut milk, lentils, and water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the skillet and cook for 20 minutes. 

Step 4: Add the chickpeas. Last, add the chickpeas and ½ cup more water and continue simmering uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the lentils are soft. 

Tips and tricks

-Be sure to rinse both the lentils and chickpeas before adding them to the skillet 

-Check your can of tomato sauce to make sure there aren’t any Italian spices in it, like basil or oregano. I used Muir Glen canned tomato sauce, with the only ingredients being tomato puree, onion powder and garlic powder and it worked out perfectly in this recipe. 

-Curry is great because it’s fairly easy to customize based on what’s in your refrigerator; if you want to add sweet potato to this, you can! If you want to add spinach, you can! It’s a great way to squeeze vegetables into your diet. 

-Add-ins: Besides adding more veggies, you can also add lime juice to taste (I’d start with 1 tablespoon and go from there) and an extra drizzle of dairy-free milk (any kind, or more coconut milk), or if you’re not vegan, a drizzle of heavy cream, which will make the dish even creamier. 

Storage

• Refrigerator: Store curry in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
• Freezer: Wait for curry to cool, then spoon it into freezer-safe bags, removing as much air as possible. Store curry in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
• Reheating: Reheat curry in a saucepan over the stove, stirring occasionally until it’s warmed through. 

More tasty lentil recipes

• Lentil Bolognese
• Lentil Meatballs
• Fried Halloumi Lentil Salad

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!