Simple Eggplant Lentil Curry
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This Simple Eggplant Lentil Curry is made in one-pot with a red curry coconut broth. A flavor-packed and delicious vegan dinner idea!
One-pot, filled with veggies and super delicious, this Simple Eggplant Lentil Curry is a vegan dinner of your dreams. The eggplant is tender and basically dissolves in your mouth. The lentils make this super hearty. And it doesn’t hurt to have plenty of naan on the side for dipping.
Step One: Cook the Eggplant
The key to this recipe is cooking the eggplant before adding it to the broth. To do this, cut an eggplant into cubes and heat some oil in a stock pot. Add the eggplant to the hot pot with some garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, ginger powder and salt.
Give the eggplant and the spices a good mix so that every piece is evenly coated. And then let the eggplant cook and char for a few minutes. You only want to stir the eggplant every couple minutes so it can get some browned bits.
The eggplant should also get nice and tender. Spoon the eggplant out of the pot and place the empty pot back on the stove.
Step Two: Make the Curry
Heat some sesame oil in the stock pot and add onion slices, jalapeño & garlic. Cook down for about a minute then add red curry paste. You can add more or less of the red curry paste to taste.
Cook for another couple minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in a can of coconut milk, some broth & low sodium soy sauce. Bring everything to a boil.
Add the cooked lentils and eggplant back to the pot, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20-40 minutes. 40 minutes is best – hello, flavor bomb – but 20 minutes will still give you a delicious curry.
Step Three: Serve & Enjoy
When the curry is done, the flavors should be bursting from the pot. The eggplant will be super tender and melt in your mouth. I like to finish off the curry with some lime juice and fresh cilantro and then it is ready to go.
Serve the curry hot over rice and top it off with more fresh cilantro and basil. I also like to have more lime wedges on the side and some warm naan for dipping.
This Simple Eggplant Lentil Curry is heart warming, comfort food in a bowl. Plus, it makes the best leftovers!
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Simple Eggplant Lentil Curry
Ingredients
FOR THE EGGPLANT
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 medium eggplant cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE CURRY
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 1 jalapeño diced, optional
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 tablespoons red curry paste to taste
- 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
- 2 cups broth I used vegan chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils see notes
- 1 lime juiced, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped, plus more for serving
- rice, naan, basil optional, for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant & dry seasonings and toss to coat evenly. Lower the heat to medium and cook the eggplant for 5 minutes, tossing every minute or so. The eggplant should start to get tender and get a slight char. Remove the eggplant from the pot and place the empty pot back on the stove over medium heat.
- Heat the sesame oil in the stock pot and add the onion, jalapeño & garlic. Cook down for about a minute then add the curry paste. Cook for another couple minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the coconut milk, broth & soy sauce and bring to a boil.
- Add the lentils and eggplant back to the pot, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20-40 minutes (see notes). Right before serving add lime juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Serve hot over rice with cilantro, basil, lime wedges and naan.
Video
Notes
- I get cooked lentils in the produce section at the grocery store. If making from scratch, cook them ahead of time before adding to the curry.
- The longer you let the curry simmer, the more tender the eggplant will be. I like to let mine simmer the full 40 minutes, but it will still taste great after 20 minutes.
- Leftovers keep great in the fridge. Just reheat in the microwave or in a pot over medium heat.
- The nutrition info does not include rice or naan.
Delicious flavor and easy to make! Very saucy for the amount of eggplant – I’d prob cut the liquids down by half next time. Will make again.
Thanks so much Erica!