Name: Curried Black (Beluga) Lentils Recipe with Vegetables
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: 180 g black lentils ((0.9 cups) rinsed); 1 onion (chopped); 4 garlic cloves (chopped); 1 tbsp fresh ginger (chopped); ½ celery stalk (chopped); 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or coconut oil); 1 bay leaf; 2 large tomatoes (chopped); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1.5 red bell pepper (roughly chopped); ½ green bell pepper (roughly chopped); 200 ml coconut milk; 1 tsp ground cumin; ⅔ tsp ground coriander and turmeric (each); ½ tsp chilli flakes; ⅓ tsp garam masala; 1.2 tsp coarse sea salt; 4 tbsp cilantro, for serving (finely chopped)

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This delicious, super easy to make curried black lentils recipe with coconut milk and vegetables can be enjoyed as a side or vegan/vegetarian main dish. Ready in just over 30 minutes! Serve with rice, quinoa or couscous.

Lentil stews are easy to make and this curried black lentils recipe with coconut milk and vegetables is no exception.

Why you will love this recipe

Black lentils (beluga lentils) are a little rounder than other lentils and are black and shiny so it’s easy to confuse them with beans. They are in fact a great substitute for small varieties of beans, with an added bonus. As with any lentils, there is no need to soak them!

And they only need about 20 minutes of cooking. In fact this entire dish is ready in just over 30 minutes.

Another great thing about this recipe is that the vegetables don’t need to be finely chopped as some of them get pureed in a blender and the rest are roughly chopped and added into the sauce. This makes preparation very quick.

Beluga lentils have a soft, slightly crunchy, pleasant texture and mildly nutty, delicious flavour.

This quick, easy and delicious dish is high in protein, fibre and full of veggie goodness.

Black lentils recipe ingredients

I cooked the lentils in a sauce created from pureeing some of the vegetables. So there is no need to add any water. I pureed the red pepper to add sweetness into the sauce. I then chopped the remaining pepper and added it into the pot along with one tomato and some green pepper. This created a chunky consistency for my sauce.

You can add more coconut milk if you prefer but do this once the curry is cooked.

I like my recipes to be simple and practical so in this black beluga lentils recipe I used only the most popular curry spices. There is cumin, turmeric and coriander, plus a little garam masala for a bit of sweetness. However you can simply use your favourite curry powder with a little cumin and coriander.

If you are a fan of easy vegan curries you may also like vegan tofu curry with peas and curried quinoa recipe.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1. In a blender puree the onion, ginger, garlic, celery, 1 tomato and 1 red pepper until well combined.

2. In a pot heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the bay leaf, spices, seasoning and stir.

3. Add the vegetable puree and tomato puree, stir and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add the remaining red pepper, green pepper, tomato, lentils and some of the coconut milk, stir, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are fully cooked, stirring often. Halfway through add the rest of the coconut milk (or add it at the end of cooking).

5. Remove from the heat, top up with more milk/water if needed, adjust the seasoning and serve with freshly chopped cilantro.

Expert tips and FAQs

If you can’t get beluga lentils use Puy lentils as they also keep their shape in cooking.
Beluga lentils do NOT require soaking. Just rinse them and make the recipe.
Storing: keep leftovers refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.
You may have to add a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen the mixture when reheating.
Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

What to serve with curried beluga lentils

This curried lentils recipe can be enjoyed as a vegan main dish, served with rice, naan bread or quinoa. It works well also as a side dish, served alongside other dishes if you are cooking for a larger group of people. It makes a great family meal as well as party food idea and if you make a large enough batch it can also be enjoyed the next day. (You may have to add a splash of water or coconut milk when reheating it).

Check out also this collection of over 12 healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

Keep in touch!

If you make this black lentils recipe I’d love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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