Thick, rich slow cooker lentil curry that is so easy to make, smells so fragrant, and tastes absolutely delicious. Gluten-free and vegan, this is one meal you’ll be making on repeat!
The slow cooker miracle
You can say that I’m really late to the slow cooker game, but I finally bought one earlier this year when I needed to shoot some slow cooker recipes for a client.
When I was done shooting the recipes (some 10 recipes in total), I realized that this kitchen appliance (which I’ve heard raving reviews about for years) was a godsend. In fact, I couldn’t understand how I lived so many years without one.
Better late than never!
To be honest it took me many years before caving in and buying one. The reason was that I’d always wondered why I would want to cook anything for hours in the slow cooker if I could do it in a fraction of the time on the stovetop.
Yet after trying out quite a few recipes on this magical appliance, I’ve realized that the beauty lies in the fact that I can just literally dump everything in the slow cooker and let it simmer for hours on end (without any attention on my end).
It does take some preparation before hand (like at least 5 hours before you actually want to sit down to a meal), which means that I’m in the kitchen prepping my mise en place and chopping vegetables for dinner even though I’ve just finished lunch. Here’s where my forward-planning skills are put to the test, and while it took a bit getting used to, I finally got the hang of it.
Our favorite slow cooker lentil curry
In the past few months since getting to know the slow cooker a little better (kinda like the early stages of dating in a relationship), this easy slow cooker lentil curry (that’s both gluten-free and vegan) has undeniably become our go-to favorite, especially because we usually have all the ingredients on hand.
Most of the ingredients are pantry staples – think lentils, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, parsley, and curry powder. That means I can easily get ingredients for this incredibly tasty and delicious meal cooking in the slow cooker in no time at all.
Soak the dry lentils first
An hour before you begin cooking, cover the dry brown lentils with enough water and soak them for an hour at least.
I usually use dry brown lentils because it’s so much cheaper to buy them in bulk and I always have a pack stashed in my kitchen cupboard. Brown lentils are probably the most common variety you can find in any grocery store, and I love that brown lentils hold their shape very well, so even after hours of cooking, they don’t turn all mushy.
However, if you don’t want to spend time soaking your lentils, you can skip this step by using canned brown lentils and go straight to cooking.
Prepare the ingredients for the slow cooker lentil curry
When the lentils are almost done soaking, start getting the fresh ingredients ready. Begin by mincing the garlic and dicing the onions and carrots.
Next, combine the soaked lentils, onions, carrots, garlic, tomato sauce, water, pepper, curry powder, and salt together in the slow cooker pot. Use a wooden spoon to stir thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Let the slow cooker work its magic
Finally, cover the pot and turn the slow cooker on to high, and let leave it to do its magic for the next 5 hours.
Now you can go off and do whatever you need to do, just make sure to set an alarm so you don’t forget about the slow cooker (which might be hard to with the fragrant aroma of curry wafting around the house)!
Rich, thick and delicious lentil curry
Once you’ve gone about your day and the alarm rings to let you know that the amazing lentil curry is ready, add one more cup of water to the pot, stir it well and let it sit for another 5 minutes.
I add this additional cup of water because after 5 hours of cooking, the curry may get too thick (from the water content being absorbed and evaporated). If you prefer your curry the way it is when you check it, you don’t have to add the extra water if you rather not.
Serve lentil curry with white rice and parsley
In my opinion, this slow cooker lentil curry stands very well on its own, but since I love rice, I feel like this curry really shines with fluffy white rice or even garlic naan.
Also, a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley (or cilantro if you prefer) is great for a fresh pop of color and fresh flavor.
What if you don’t own a slow cooker?
Well, I’ve got you covered even if you don’t own a slow cooker. Check out the notes section in the recipe below where I teach you how to make this lentil curry on the stovetop!
It’ll require a little more attention, but it’s still very easy and tastes just as good!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you’ll also love these other Asian recipes:
- Easy Chickpea Curry (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Healing Vegetable Noodle Soup (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken (Dairy-Free)
- Easy Vietnamese Chicken Pho (Gluten-Free)
- Cilantro Lime Rice with Curried Shrimp (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Brown Rice Noodles with Bok Choy, Mushrooms and Tofu (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Pan-Fried Tofu and Sriracha Soy Sauce
- Rainbow Vegetable Rolls and Spicy Peanut Sauce
- Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice
Easy Slow Cooker Lentil Curry (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Thick, rich slow cooker lentil curry that is so easy to make, smells so fragrant, and tastes absolutely delicious. Gluten-free and vegan, this is one meal you’ll be making on repeat!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry brown lentils (soaked at least 1 hour)
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups water, plus more as needed
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
- Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine soaked lentils, diced onions, diced carrots, minced garlic, tomato sauce, water, curry powder, salt, and ground pepper in the slow cooker.
- Mix well to combine, ensuring that the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Turn the slow cooker on to “high” setting, cover and cook for the next 5 hours until lentils are tender. Alternatively if you are preparing the lentils in the morning and will be out the whole day, set the slow cooker to the “low” setting and cook for at least 8 to 10 hours until lentils are tender.
- Once lentils are tender, check to see if curry is too thick for your liking. If too thick, add 1/2 cup water and mix well and let sit for another 5 minutes in the slow cooker before serving.
- Serve this delicious lentil curry with white rice and fresh chopped parsley for garnish.
Notes
Lentils: I like to use dry brown lentils and soak them for at least an hour before cooking, simply because it’s much cheaper to buy dry lentils. If not, you can use 2 cups of canned lentils instead and skip the soaking time.
Parsley: I use parsley because I almost always have a huge bunch of parsley in my fridge. However, if you prefer a more Asian taste, swap out the parsley for cilantro (which is great as well!)
Other Add-Ins: If you want a bit of meat, you can add cubed beef or chicken. Also with the lentils you’ll be more than satisfied in my opinion.
Slow Cooker: I used a 6 quart slow cooker with plenty of room to spare.
Stovetop: If you don’t own a slow cooker, or simply want to eat this lentil recipe soon (instead of in 5 hours), it’s best to use lentils that have been soaked for at least 5 hours, or use canned lentils instead. To cook, simply combine all the ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium low. Cover the pot partially and let cook for the next 2 hours until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add extra water as required to achieve the consistency of your preference.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: slow cooker lentil curry, lentil curry in slow cooker, vegan lentil curry
