This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Please read our disclosure policy.
Why I Love This Curry Recipe
There are some nights when I want a home-cooked meal but don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. That’s exactly why I love this recipe for lentil and chickpea curry. It’s made with ingredients I almost always have in the pantry, and everything comes together in one pot.
The best part: it tastes like something that took far more work than it actually did! It’s wholesome, budget-friendly, and exactly what I want from an easy weeknight dinner.
I also love how satisfying this recipe is without the need for any meat. The lentils cook until tender and naturally thicken the sauce, while the chickpeas provide a little more texture and heartiness. Serve it on top of a bed of basmati rice, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt and some fresh cilantro, and it’s ready to enjoy!
Here’s why you’ll love making this curry:
- Made with mostly pantry ingredients.
- The curry comes together in just one skillet.
- It truly is a weeknight dinner recipe that’s ready in under an hour.
- Full of curry flavor with the use of red curry paste, which adds spices without a long list of ingredients.
- Any leftovers reheat really well for another meal. The flavors actually develop even more as they sit!
Lentil and Chickpea Curry Ingredients
Simple ingredients come together to form a full meal:
- Coconut oil – For softening the onion and garlic. You can also use a neutral oil instead of coconut.
- Garlic and onion – Build the base of the curry.
- Red curry paste – Adds concentrated flavor and some heat. Make sure to use paste, not curry powder.
- Kosher salt – Seasons the lentils and sauce.
- Red lentils – Soften and help thicken the curry.
- Chickpeas – Add a hearty texture alongside the lentils.
- Vegetable stock – Provides the liquid for cooking the lentils.
- Diced tomatoes – Add brightness and form the sauce. Make sure to add all of the tomatoes’ liquid from the can, too!
- Coconut milk – Makes the sauce creamy. Use canned coconut milk, not a refrigerated coconut beverage.
- Cooked basmati rice, fresh cilantro, and Greek yogurt – The best base and toppings for this curry recipe, in my opinion!
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Lentil and Chickpea Curry
There are just 2 steps to make this weeknight dinner recipe:
Step 1: Cook – Heat the oil in a large deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the red curry paste and salt. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils, chickpeas, vegetable stock, and tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are mostly tender, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Finish and serve – Uncover and stir in the coconut milk. Cook for 4-6 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened and the lentils are tender. Remove from the heat and serve over basmati rice with cilantro and Greek yogurt.
Recipe Tips
- Choose dry red lentils – They soften and break down as they cook. Green and brown lentils hold their shape and need different cooking times, so they are not a direct substitution here.
- Rinse before cooking – A quick rinse removes excess surface starch and helps prevent the lentils from clumping together.
- Know your curry paste – Heat and salt levels vary by brand. If yours is particularly hot, start with less. Use the brand you enjoy, and taste before adding extra salt.
- Check a lentil for doneness – It should be soft with no firm center. If the lentils need longer, continue simmering, adding a splash of stock if the skillet starts to look dry.
- Adjust the consistency – The curry will naturally thicken as it sits. To loosen it, stir in a little stock, or simmer uncovered a bit longer if the sauce is too thin.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
Serving – Spoon the curry over basmati rice and finish with fresh cilantro and some Greek yogurt, if desired. Naan is a great way to take this up a notch and help scoop up some of the sauce.
To make it a complete meal, pair it with a simple cucumber salad or roasted vegetables for a little freshness and crunch.
For a vegan version, choose a curry paste without shrimp or fish and skip the yogurt (or use plain non-dairy yogurt).
Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days, keeping the rice and garnishes separate.
Freeze – Freeze the curry without garnishes in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat – Warm on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also heat any leftovers in the microwave, covered, in short increments.
More Weeknight Dinners
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Lentil and Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut or neutral oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons red curry paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup dry red lentils rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 ⅔ cups vegetable stock
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (with their liquid)
- 1 13-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- cooked basmati rice to serve
- chopped fresh cilantro to garnish
- full-fat Greek yogurt to garnish
Instructions
- Cook: In a large deep-sided skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté until softened, 3-4 minutes. Then, add the curry paste and salt and cook until the paste is fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils, chickpeas, stock, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are mostly tender, 20-25 minutes.2 tablespoons coconut or neutral oil, 4 cloves garlic, 1 medium onion, 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons red curry paste, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 cup dry red lentils, 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, 1 ⅔ cups vegetable stock, 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (with their liquid)
- Finish and serve: Remove the lid and add the coconut milk. Stir and cook until the curry is slightly thickened, 4-6 minutes. Remove from the heat, and serve over rice with cilantro and a dollop of yogurt.1 13-ounce can full-fat coconut milk, cooked basmati rice, chopped fresh cilantro, full-fat Greek yogurt
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
