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This Red Lentil Sweet Potato Curry is creamy, comforting, and packed with nourishing ingredients. It comes together in one pan and is ready in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner.
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If you love cozy, one-pan meals that are simple yet full of flavour, this Lentil Sweet Potato Curry is one to keep on repeat! The red lentils add protein and fibre to the dish and when combined with sweet potatoes and spinach you end up with the perfect balanced meal. Sweet Potato is one of my favourite nourishing ingredients that I eat every single week. From Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges to Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili, sweet potato is so versatile and is delicious in this curry recipe!
When I shared this one to the Choosing Chia Instagram over 800 people asked me for the recipe, so I can confidently say this one is a reader favourite for good reason! It’s quick, nourishing, and made entirely in one pot, which means minimal cleanup and maximum flavour.
Recipe Highlights
- One-pan meal: Everything cooks together in a single pan, keeping prep and cleanup simple!
- Ready in 30 minutes: Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something quick and satisfying.
- Wholesome and nourishing: Made with red lentils, sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and spinach for a balanced, protein-rich vegetarian meal. If you prefer a version without lentils try my Thai Sweet Potato Curry.
- Meal prep friendly: Stores well in the fridge or freezer, so you can make it once and enjoy it all week long.
Key Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes give the curry a natural sweetness. You can use yams or sweet potatoes, or even Japanese sweet potatoes for this recipe. If you prefer regular potatoes you can use them too, though this will change the overall flavour.
- Red Lentils: While I love green lentils in recipes like Lentil Veggie Burgers, red lentils are perfect for this curry because they soften quickly and create a thick creamy sauce. If you prefer to use green lentils, follow this Green Lentil Curry recipe.
- Coconut Milk: Use full-fat canned coconut milk in this recipe for a creamy curry. Use any leftover coconut milk to make a batch of Coconut Chia Pudding for dessert.
*This is just a recipe overview. The full recipe with measurements can be found below in the recipe card.
How To Make Lentil Sweet Potato Curry
Step 1: Heat the avocado oil in a pan, then add the onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add the sweet potatoes and lentils.
Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients, expect for the spinach and bring to a light boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Add the spinach and stir together until the spinach is wilted.
Step 5: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Step 6: Serve as is or with rice, naan bread or topped with cilantro.
Recipe Variations
- Add protein: Stir in crispy air fryer tofu, or even diced chicken or shrimp if you’re not vegetarian. You could also serve it over a bed of quinoa for an extra protein boost.
- Change the veggies: Add in cauliflower or chickpeas like I use in this Cauliflower Chickpea Curry and Coconut Chickpea Curry.
- Switch up the greens: If you don’t have spinach, kale or Swiss chard works well too. Just add the greens at the end of cooking so they wilt perfectly.
How To Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer, and reheat gently with a splash of broth or coconut milk if needed.
Jess’s Tips
- Rinse the lentils well: This removes excess starch from the red lentils and prevents bitterness. Rinse until the water runs clear and not cloudy.
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly: Even-sized cubes cook faster and ensure a consistent texture.
- Adjust the consistency: If your curry is too thick, stir in a bit more broth or coconut milk.
- Balance the seasoning: Taste before serving and adjust with more salt, lime juice, or curry powder if needed.
- Add greens at the end: Stir in spinach or kale just before serving so they keep their bright colour and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Just add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours until the sweet potatoes and lentils are tender.
Red lentils don’t typically come in a canned variation. For the best results I recommend using dried lentils in this recipe, however if you must you can use canned brown lentils. If you do you’ll need to remove one cup of the vegetable broth in the recipe.
Try These Curry Recipes Next!
30-Minute Meals
Easy Thai Massaman Curry
Main Dishes
Butternut Squash Curry
Main Dishes
Roasted Eggplant Curry
If you tried this Red Lentil Sweet Potato Curry or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
Red Lentil Sweet Potato Curry
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main
- Method: Pan
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Red Lentil Sweet Potato Curry comes together in just 30 minutes in one pan for an easy weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed (about 3 cups)
- 3/4 cup red lentils
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear. Set aside
- Heat the avocado oil in a large pan on medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the sweet potatoes, red lentils, curry powder, turmeric, crushed tomatoes, coconut milk and broth.
- Mix together and bring to a light boil on high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
- Add the spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with cilantro.
Notes
- Rinse lentils until the water runs clear to remove starch and bitterness.
- Cut sweet potatoes evenly so they cook through at the same time.
- Stir in extra broth or coconut milk if the curry is too thick.
- Taste and adjust with salt, lime juice, or curry powder before serving.
- Add spinach or kale at the end so the greens stay bright and tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 247
- Sugar: 3g
- Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 4.5g
- Protein: 7.5g
Did not dissapoint! Easy to make and so tasty!!
Very easy to maken and good flavour; nice and warming on a cold day!
So happy to hear you loved the recipe 🙂
This is delicious! Everyone enjoyed it vey much.
It’s also quick and easy to make.
I added a block of tofu and served it with rice.
Thank you for a great recipe, which we’ll be making again for sure.