Happy Monday!
Today I'm excited to share with you another recipe that I have perfected throughout my time in quarantine. This is a great recipe for busy weeknights because it doesn't require a ton of prep - most of the time is spent just waiting for it to cook, and even that only takes about 30 minutes. It also reheats well as leftovers! Plus, like most of my recipes, it's oil free, vegan, and whole food plant based!
I pretty much always serve this curry with the roasted cauliflower that I am including in this recipe, and sometimes with brown rice - although the curry is thick and flavorful enough that you can also serve it on its own. Totally up to you!
Ingredients
The ingredients don't require anything super crazy. A lot of these things you might already have in your kitchen, just awaiting their destiny to be turned into a delicious meal!
Cauliflower - clearly important for the "roasted cauliflower" bit. The curry itself doesn't have a ton of veggies, so I love pairing it with the roasted cauliflower for that extra veggie boost!
Red Lentils - these work great for curry because we can cook them until they become a "mushy" refried-bean-like consistency, which allows us to mix in the rest of the ingredients and make a thick and filling curry!
Frozen Peas - these add a great little pop of flavor.
Chickpeas - I'm pretty much obsessed with chickpeas and eat them almost daily, so I was very glad that they worked so well in this recipe. They provide a great texture!
Tomato Sauce or Tomato Puree - I have done this recipe with both of these, and they work about the same! Whichever one is easier for you to get your hands on, use that.
Spices and Tamari - we've got a number of spices in today's recipe to give the cauliflower and the curry our desired flavor, but you can always play with the spices and make it your own if you want! And be sure to include some of the optional chili powder if you want a bit of a spicy kick.
*Optional* Brown Rice - This is a great addition to this meal, but absolutely not required. Note that the recipe below doesn't include the cooking time of the brown rice - so if you want to keep the recipe quick it might be a good idea to prep the rice ahead of time!
How to make Red Lentil Curry with Roasted Cauliflower
I try to keep my recipes pretty straight forward, and this one is no exception! I always make the curry in my instant pot, but the recipe below also includes directions for stove top! Here are the basics of today's recipe:
- Chop your cauliflower and mix it up with your spices.
- Let the cauliflower roast for 20-30 minutes while you work on the curry.
- Cook your red lentils.
- Mix in the rest of the curry ingredients into the cooked lentils.
- Serve the curry and cauliflower along side each other. Eat up!
Tips and Tricks
- If you choose to pair this with some brown rice, consider whipping up the brown rice the night before or on your meal prep day if you are able. That way it's ready to go! The recipe notes include instructions for cooking brown rice in the instant pot as well as the stove top if you are interested.
- If cauliflower isn't your thing, you can also try pairing this curry with other roasted vegetables of your choice! I tried a few different veggies while testing this recipe and thought that the cauliflower was the best match, but don't be afraid to try other things!
- Did you know that you can freeze leftover tomato sauce or tomato puree? I like to freeze it in ice cube trays, then throw the cubes into a ziplock bag in the freezer once they are frozen solid. Next time you make something that requires tomato sauce/puree, you can just grab the cubes, heat them up, and you're good to go!
- Note that this curry is very mild without the optional chili powder, so don't be afraid to add however much chili powder you need if you want it on the spicy side!
Enjoy, friends!
Red Lentil Curry with Roasted Cauliflower
Difficulty: Easy6-8
servings10
minutes30
minutesThis red lentil curry is super easy to whip up on busy weeknights, and reheats well as leftovers! It pairs well with the roasted cauliflower, and can also be served with brown rice if desired. Be sure to check out the recipe notes for ideas on cooking your brown rice if you choose to add that to your meal. Note that this curry is very mild without the optional chili powder - so be sure to add this to taste if you want some spice!
Ingredients
- Roasted Cauliflower
1 Head of Cauliflower
1 Tbsp Veggie Broth (or Water)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Paprika
¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Optional: 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, or to taste
Red Lentil Curry2 cups Red Lentils (not cooked)
3 cups Water
2 cups Frozen Peas, thawed*
2 cans Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups Tomato Sauce or Tomato Puree
2 teaspoon Curry Powder
1.5 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1.5 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 tablespoon Tamari
2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
¼ teaspoon Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
- For Serving (Optional)
2 cups Cooked Brown Rice*
Directions
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Chop the head of cauliflower into florets - make the florets as big or small as you like.
- Toss the florets with all remaining Roasted Cauliflower ingredients.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden and tender. About halfway through the cooking time, mix them around the pan so they get evenly cooked.
- While the cauliflower cooks, start on your Red Lentil Curry:
- Red Lentil Curry
- Cook your lentils according to either of the below directions - note that the lentils will become a "mushy", refried-bean-like consistency. This is what we want!
If using the instant pot: dump the red lentils and water into the instant pot, set to High Pressure for 10 minutes. When the cycle is complete, let it Naturally Release for 10 minutes, then Quick Release the remaining pressure.
If using the stove top: dump the red lentils and water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and let the lentils cook for approximately 15 minutes. - While lentils are cooking, measure and prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Once the lentils are done, keep them on low heat while you give them a stir (if using the instant pot, the "keep warm" or "slow cook" options both work well here). Keeping the pot at low heat, mix in all other ingredients for the Red Lentil Curry until everything is incorporated and cooked through.
- Serve on its own, or with the roasted cauliflower and/or cooked brown rice!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- *Cooked Brown Rice: if you want to cook up some brown rice to go with your curry and cauliflower, here are some possible ways to cook it:
If using the instant pot: dump 1 cup brown rice and 1.25 cups water into instant pot, set to High Pressure for 15 minutes. When the cycle is complete, let it Naturally Release until all pressure has released.
If using the stove top: dump 1 cups brown rice and 2 cups water into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cover until rice is cooked - usually about 45 minutes. If your rice comes with package directions you can also choose to follow those, though most of the time the directions will be pretty similar to this method. - *Frozen Peas: to thaw your frozen peas, simply run them under some water. If they are still a bit cold when you throw them into your curry, it's okay! They will warm up once they are added to the pot.
Happy cooking, friends! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your curry-making ways.
Stay well!
<3 Laney
De says
So you’re only cooking the lentils, NOT the frozen peas, tomato sauce, or spices??
Delaney Marie says
When you cook the lentils, the only thing in your pot is the lentils and water! Then you mix everything else in at a very low heat 🙂
After reading your comment I went back and updated the wording of the recipe to make this a little more clear! Thanks for your question!