It’s been far too long since I last posted a recipe that facilitated eating massive quantities of spinach in one sitting*. I feel a little guilty about it! Powering through leafy greens is kind of my thing, and I shouldn’t keep it from you any longer. This lentil spinach curry is a weeknight dinner that I’ve been enjoying recently. It’s got a pretty short and easy ingredients list for a curry, and a lot of the work is hands-off which makes it easy to clean as I go. Plus, you NEED to try coconut rice if you haven’t. I will persuade you further in just a moment.
My spinach pesto pasta is famous around these parts, not only for its ease of preparation and delicious flavor, but also for packing in a whopping 6 ounces of spinach. But there comes a point in every recipe developer’s life when she has to figure out how to one-up herself, and so I present to you my lentil spinach curry with fully 8 ounces of spinach crammed in. I don’t mean to make it sound like a chore, though – I’m in love with the fresh, buttery spinach flavor infused into every bite of this dish. I really do think the curry would taste worse if you used less of it :).
I keep the lentil spinach curry fairly light, tangy and low in fat because I wanted to serve it with a side of coconut rice. Which is pretty much what it sounds like – rice that’s been cooked in coconut milk instead of water. I used jasmine rice here, and grated some fresh ginger and chili pepper into the mixture before cooking, for an extra fragrant final result. The coconut milk makes the rice rich, decadent, and a little sweet tasting, making it the perfect pairing for my tangy spiced spinach and lentil curry.
I highly, highly recommend that everyone who makes rice with regularity get a rice cooker. In addition to making this particular recipe a complete breeze, it’s just a fantastic device to have around for bulking up any meal by adding a cooked grain with very little effort – and easy cleanup. I use mine for not just rice, but also quinoa, barley, and more… and even some more elaborate complete dishes. If you have questions about how to cook any specific thing in the rice cooker, just drop me a line and I will try to help! The rice cooker I am linking to here is the exact same one that I own and love.
Go forth, and fill your life with delicious spinach by making this lentil spinach curry! And if you do, let me know in the comments how you like it! Or tag your recipes on Instagram with @yupitsvegan and #yupitsvegan. Cheers!
Lentil Spinach Curry with Coconut Rice
Ingredients
For the coconut rice (might make a little extra):
- 2 and 1/4 cups uncooked white jasmine rice
- 1 and 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- water (see instructions)
- pinch salt
- (optional) 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- (optional) 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the lentil spinach curry:
- 1 and 1/2 cups uncooked green lentils
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 large red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger peeled and grated or minced
- 4 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 1 cup diced tomatoes (I used canned)
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 8 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 8 cups, loosely packed)
- 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk (see notes)
Instructions
For the coconut rice:
- Rinse the rice well. Add it to your rice cooker along with the rest of the rice ingredients, and enough water to reach level 3 in the rice cooker. Cook until done. If not using a rice cooker, or using a rice cooker without level markings, cook the rice with your usual method and amount of liquid, substituting the coconut milk for 1 and 1/4 cups of the water. Most rice packages will also include instructions. Do NOT make this with only the rice and coconut milk - you need to add water.
For the lentil spinach curry:
- Add the lentils to a saucepan along with enough water to cover them by several inches. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until tender and done to your liking. Drain the cooked lentils and set aside.
- Meanwhile, warm the olive oil over medium heat in a deep skillet, saucepan, or dutch oven. Add the red onion and cook until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and cook for about 1 minute. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and ginger, stir, and cook for about 1 minute, or until the garlic and ginger are fragrant and slightly softened. Add the garam masala and cook for thirty seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon salt, lime juice, diced tomatoes, and coconut sugar, and reduce the heat a little bit. Cook for about 10 more minutes, until the tomatoes are starting to break down.
- Meanwhile, add the spinach to a food processor and pulse to chop it, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the non-dairy milk and pulse to combine, until the spinach is finely chopped but not pureed.
- Once the lentils and tomato mixture are both finished cooking, stir the lentils into the tomato mixture. Add the spinach mixture and stir well. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7-10 minutes or until the spinach is softened and bright green. Add more salt, pepper and lime juice to taste. Serve hot with a side of coconut rice.
Notes
Nutrition
*Without having to eat a salad :). Adapted from here. (This dish almost resembles what I imagine might be called vegan palak dal or dal saag.)
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Karen says
I can’t wait to try your recipe. Have you ever tried this with kale instead of spinach? Kale isn’t as mild as spinach but I’m tempted to give it a try because we have a ton of kale in our garden. Thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I know this comment is from a long time ago but for anyone in the future with this question, I think it would work great if you quickly blanch (and then dry) the kale before using.
Debbie says
I absolutely love this recipe. I am not one that usually enjoys leftovers but I will gladly eat this every day of the week. I’m excited to try some more of your recipes!
Elina says
Very tasty dish, thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sam says
Loved it! Added some coconut milk at the end because we like things saucy. Leftovers for days is a huge bonus too!
Lorena says
Love this recipe! So flavorful, even my 6 old loved it! I shared it with friends!
Thank you.
Katie says
Think I could use red lentils and brown rice? Or quinoa?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yes, but you’ll need to adjust the liquid quantities and cooking times.
Lisa Wood says
What is the serving size, please? It says 1 g in the nutrition facts.
Thank you so much!
Amber Pinckney says
Yum!
Sam says
This is really good! Love the spinach and yes it is buttery. 😋. Thank you.
Anna says
I made the lentils only. Delicious and filling!!! I want to make this over and over. My husband does not like curry or lentils but when i fed him this (he didnt know what the dish was) he loved it so much he ate entire bowl.
Amanda says
Hi Shannon!
I’m a vegetarian, and also very active so I look for recipes that I’m able to meal prep for the week and contains protein.
I love this spinach curry recipe! There is alot of flavor, and you’re left full afterwards. The coconut rice is a must!
Thank you for the recipe!
Amanda
Nicole says
I LOVE this recipe – I’ve made large amounts and brought leftovers to work, ommi friends loved it, too!
The coconut and ginger rice is my favourite thing – I eat it right out of the rice cooker.
Also, I like to cook the lentils and rice the day before while doing some cleaning or studying, since they don’t require much effort. The next day I just make the spinach and curry sauces and boom, dinner for days!
Ebony says
Hi Shannon,
My bf and I made this tonight and it was delicious. Really hit the spot and got us excited to cook more with lentils and spinach. Thanks for sharing it, saving it for sure 🙂
Alison Lucas says
Wow! This was super easy to make and absolutely delicious. It will definitely become a regular addition to my family’s meals.
Kat says
I am rubbish at cooking and I found this pretty easy to make and super, super tasty! Made a huge pot for my work buddies and they all loved it too 😀
Melissa says
Has anyone tried freezing this recipe? My kids are super busy and I like to have real food available for them to thaw and go. We have had success with other lentil recipes, but I’ve never tried a curry. Thanks!
Erin says
Hm…mine didn’t turn out quite right. I think I may have measured out the 8 cups of spinach a bit differently because 1/2 cup of liquid was not nearly enough to get the sort of texture that yours has. Mine also came out an unappealing brownish green color instead of a bright green. I think next time I will omit the tomatoes and see if that helps.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Sorry to hear that you did not have a good experience. Did you enjoy the flavor? I can’t say for certain what happened, but I suspect based on your results that either the spinach mixture cooked for a little too long or it was blended too much in the food processor (which would cause it to merge with the other ingredients), or perhaps if frozen spinach was used it may lead to these results. I have not tested the recipe with frozen spinach. Hope this helps.
Elisa says
I find it strange that you are a vegan food site yet there is a Rumba MEAT advertisement in the middle of your recipe
I know you have to earn a living but that is just strange
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I appreciate your feedback Elisa. I am remorseful that anyone has to see ads that seem off-putting or offensive, but unfortunately I have zero control over the ones that appear. Ads are essential to me keeping this site up and running so after much reflection I decided that I can do more to advocate for vegan diets by staying in business.
anne marie la lumia says
hi there,
just stumbled upon your site this afternoon and have spent the last 4 hours glued to my computer reading all of your receipes 🙂 i am so excited to have found your site. i am an Italian woman who has spent the better part of my life in the kitchen…i know my way around cooking quite well and have raised three daughters on from scratch food since they were born. no baby food from a jar for them. i live on a farm and raise lots of my own fruits and veggies. i have a flock of chickens and goats as well as horses dogs and cats. i have been vegetarian on and off for about 20 years . more time on than off. this past december i started the vegan voyage. as an animal lover and owner i can no longer consume any products that contribute to their mistreatment. to say that i am beyond excited to find out that i can still make delicious lasagna, stuffed shells and my homemade manicotti is an understatement. i am not a fan of tofu or soy based products. your receipts look and sound delicious. i have a luncheon coming up this week and i intend to make your lasagna as my dish. i will post how it turned out after the luncheon. thank you for all your hard work in developing these recipes.
best, anne marie
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks so much for your lovely comment! I’m glad you’re enjoying the site :). I definitely try to include a variety of different vegan proteins and recipe difficulty levels. Always nice to hear this feedback. Hope your luncheon went well!
Paul says
Loved this one. Simple to make. Delicious to eat.
Erica says
Delicious! I’m a new convert to coconut rice. Always looking for ways to eat more legumes and spinach. This one is a keeper!
Mahrya Quinn says
LOVE this recipe! It’s become a part of the rotation. Delicious! Thank you!
Jackie says
Hi, I’m really looking forward to making this! Since I’m on Weight Watchers, can I use light coconut milk?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yes, Jackie, I think light coconut milk would still work great here.
Erin Hardy says
Hi! How long will this stay good in the fridge?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Erin, the leftovers from this should stay pretty good for 5 days or so.
Kay says
Are you sure that the coconut milk to rice ratio is correct? There is not enough liquid to rice and your instructions on cooking the rice says add water…there is no water in the rice component of the ingredients section.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Kay, the amount of water needed will vary depend on whether you use a rice cooker or not which is why I explain in the instructions to add water rather than listing an amount in the ingredients. I’m sorry if this was unclear.
Lisa says
Hey Sam,
Is the ratio of coconut milk to rice reversed in this recipe??? I’ve always followed 2:1 liquid to grain…I tried as written and rice did not come out :/
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Lisa, the recipe instructions state to use the coconut milk PLUS enough water to reach the normal amount needed.
Nance says
Made this last night and it was WONDERFUL. Loved it; the coconut rice really added an additional layer of flavor to a dish packed with flavor. The Garam Masala was a great addition; it is something I have used more as a garnish in the past, so that was new for me. Also the extra step with the spinach was a great idea that I will def. use again. My son didn’t even believe there was spinach in it!!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
So glad to hear that you loved it, Nance! Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m surprised that you were able to sneak spinach this way since it’s pretty green in color but I’m glad that it succeeded!
Hannah Teson says
Oh wow, coconut rice sounds incredible! I love those touches that take what could otherwise be plain to the next level. I usually leave my rice pretty boring when I make curry, but that seems like a missed opportunity. Thank you for sharing!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yes, Hannah I agree completely that it pays off to do a few extra things to elevate a meal! This one is especially nice in that the coconut milk and rice are both pantry items that won’t go bad if you decide you don’t feel like it using it just yet. I hope you enjoy it!
Kayse says
This looks so so so good. I think I’ll have to make it this week!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thank you Kayse, let me know how it turns out!
Chantell says
Hello, what lentils are used are they dry lentils? This looks great!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yep, dry green lentils!