This 30 minute Kale Lentil Curry uses curry powder, kale, and lentils for a simple flavor-packed meal. With only 9 easy-to-find ingredients, this lentil curry is perfect for weeknights, batch cooking, meal prep, and freezing for later.
If you soak the lentils beforehand, you can have dinner in even less time! We LOVE this recipe for travel, freezer meal prep, leftovers, weeknights, and more.
Kale Lentil Curry is an excellent meal to serve in the cooler months because it is warm and comforting. I also enjoy making it while camping on cool summer nights as an easy and warm meal around the fire.
For more warm and cozy curry recipes, check out my Thai Chicken Soup, Pork Green Curry, Pumpkin Curry with Chicken, Thai Red Curry Soup, and Thai Coconut Curry Soup with Tofu.
For more kale recipes, check out Dairy-Free Zuppa Toscana, Northwest Beef Stew in the Instant Pot, and Savory Pumpkin Stew.
How to make it
Ingredients Notes
You need 9 common ingredients to make this tasty kale lentil curry recipe.
- dried lentils - I like to use dried green lentils or french lentils in this recipe, but any dried lentil variety will do. For gluten-free certified lentil varieties, see the FAQ section further down in the post.
- curry powder - I use yellow curry powder in this recipe. My favorite blend is this curry powder by Morton & Bassett.
You also need vegetable broth, coconut oil, kale, coconut milk, garlic powder, salt, and rice to make this recipe.
See the recipe card at the end of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
For a kale lentil curry with the best taste and texture, I like to cook the lentils and kale separately. However, it's ok to cook them in the same pot. See the recipe FAQs a little further down to see how to do that.
- Lentils: Add lentils and broth to a medium pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer with the lid partially covered, stirring on occasion until lentils are fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes.
- Kale: Meanwhile, lightly massage kale with your hands. Heat coconut oil in a medium skillet. Add kale and saute on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Use splashes of water to deglaze the pan if needed.
- Finish: Add sauteed kale, coconut milk, curry powder, garlic powder, and salt to the pot with the cooked lentils. Mix thoroughly. Heat to warm and serve over the cooked rice.
Expert Tips
Level up your Kale Lentil Curry with these tips!
Add toppings.
Kale Lentil Curry is delicious all on its own, but it's even more fun when you add toppings! I like crushed cashews, sliced chiles, toasted coconut flakes, and even avocado slices to add more texture variation.
Massage and lightly saute the kale.
While you could skip step 2 entirely and simply cook the kale with the lentils, it really does add more flavor and texture variety to cook them separately. When looking for a meal in a rush, it's totally ok to cook them together. But when you have the time, try cooking them separately and taste the difference!
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this Kale Lentil Curry. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
Store leftover Kale Lentil Curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze in individual servings for up to 3 months.
Any dried lentil variety works in this recipe. I typically use green lentils or french lentils because they are what I have on hand.
Cooking the kale separately gives this kale curry more texture and prevents it from getting mushy. You can simply omit this step and put the kale in the pot with the lentils to cook until wilted if you prefer.
Lentils are naturally gluten-free, but are often processed with wheat and are therefore exposed to cross contamination with gluten. Arrowhead Mills sells gluten-free certified lentils and I also buy Anthony's Red Lentils on Amazon (also certified gluten-free).
Related curry recipes to consider...
Looking for more recipes like this Kale Lentil Curry? Check out these other great curry recipes!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card or comment field below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Kale Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried lentils , soaked 2+ hours in water*, rinsed & drained (200 g)
- 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth (530 ml)
- ½ tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 small bunch kale stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 14-ounce can full fat coconut milk (400 ml)
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups cooked basmati rice
Instructions
- Lentils: Add lentils and broth to a medium pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer with the lid partially covered, stirring on occasion until lentils are fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes.
- Kale: Meanwhile, lightly massage kale with your hands. Heat coconut oil in a medium skillet. Add kale and saute on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Use splashes of water to deglaze the pan if needed.
- Finish: Add sauteed kale, coconut milk, curry powder, garlic powder, and salt to the pot with the cooked lentils. Mix thoroughly. Heat to warm and serve over the cooked rice.
Elizabeth says
We swapped out the lentils for chick peas because that's what we had on hand and it turned out great!
John says
This is a great easy recipe.
Courtney says
I made this recipe in one pot while camping and topped it with cashews. It was so good and we have made it several more times. Thank you for the recipe!
Harrison says
Love the combination of kale and lentils here. This recipe literally whips up in minutes and is so good. I recommend topping it with cashew pieces.