It’s hard not to love this one-pot dish, a quick-cooking curry that’s fragrant, creamy, and nutritious. Curries are a mainstay for me, and this one gets bonus points both for its simplicity and the powerful double dose of plant protein from quinoa and lentils.

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Creamy Curried Lentils and Quinoa [Vegan]

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup dried green or brown lentils
  • 3⁄4 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 4 to 5 cups firmly packed, chopped spinach, chard, collard greens, or kale
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or
  • Cashew cream
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper
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Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in the salt, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, red pepper flakes, lentils, and quinoa, then stir in the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. If the curry is very thick, you can add 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) water to thin it slightly. Add the greens, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, letting the greens steam on top of the curry.
  3. Stir in the greens, then stir in the coconut milk and lime juice. Season with black pepper, then taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.
  4. Serve right away, with any additional toppings you like.
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