Top-down view of casserole dish with 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils
August 2, 2024

1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

August 2, 2024

1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Top-down view of casserole dish with 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Transform inexpensive red lentils into a filing and flavourful meal in about 30 minutes.

These 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils have a creamy coconut base flavoured with ginger, jalapeno, carrot, and orange. 

Taste Profile: A coconut base thats mildly spicy and bright with orange

The Perfect Pairing: Jasmine rice 

Dietary Details: Plant-based, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free (without garnish)

Time Commitment: About 30 minutes. 

Make Ahead: Yes! Keeps well for 3-4 days. 

Ingredients

Ingredients for 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils: jalapeno, carrot, ginger, red lentils, coconut milk, dried apricot, spinach, orange juice and zest
  • Split red lentils - I used split red lentils for this recipe, as they cook quickly and absorb seasonings well. I think yellow lentils would work as well. I don't recommend green or black lentils as they will hold their shape when cooking. 
  • Coconut milk: I used full fat coconut milk for the recipe. If you are concerned about calories/fat intake, you could swap out some of the coconut milk with water, although this will obviously reduce the coconut-y flavour of the dish. 
  • Carrot: I use finely-diced carrot to add some sweetness to the dish.
  • Jalapeno:  This is a mildly spicy green pepper that's readily available in most grocery stores. I remove the seeds before finely dicing it. If you like more heat, you can include the seeds, or use a hotter pepper.  
  • Ginger: I used fresh ginger, finely diced. I have not dried substituting with dried.  
  • Spinach: I used fresh spinach for this recipe. I think frozen spinach would work as well, but you will need to increase the cooking time.
  • Orange juice and zest: I used freshly-squeezed orange juice, but store-bought unsweetened orange juice would work as well. 
  • Dried fruit: You could use dried mangos, apricots, or peaches. I like the dried fruit as it provides a little bit of texture. However, if you don't have any on hand, you can leave it out. 
  • Garnishes: I like to garnish with orange slices, more dried fruit and a handful of nuts or seeds. Sometimes, I reserve a bit of the coconut milk and swirl on top. Also, if you like heat, you could garnish with sliced jalapenos.


Tips: About Split red lentils  

Split red lentils are so versatile! They don't have a lot of flavour on their own, so they will absorb whatever spices and ingredients you include in the dish. 

Split red lentils are an inexpensive source of plant-based protein, with about 18 grams of protein per 1 cooked cup. 

Split red lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking. Their cook time is usually under 15 minutes. Older lentils may take a bit longer to cook. 

Serving Suggestions

These Spicy Coconut Lentils pair well with Jasmine rice, or you could substitute brown or white rice. 

Top-down view of white bowl with 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Visual Overview: Making 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Step 1: Cook the lentils, coconut milk, carrots, jalapeno, ginger

Put the coconut milk, red lentils, jalapeno, ginger, and carrot into a pot. Bring to a boil then reduce down to a simmer. Stir every few minutes and cook until the coconut milk is mostly absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. 

Top-down view of pot with coconut milk, red lentils, finely diced carrot, jalapeno, and ginger

Making 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Top-down view of pot with lentils cooked with coconut milk, carrot, jalapeno, and ginger

Making 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Step 2: Add the spinach, orange juice, zest and dried fruit

Stir in the spinach, orange juice and zest, and dried apricots (or peaches or mangoes). Cook for 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the orange juice is absorbed. 

Top-down view of spinach, orange juice and zest, and dried fruit added to the pot.

Making 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Finished view of 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Taste the lentils. They should be easy to bite through. If not, add about 1/4 cup of water to the pot and cook until absorbed and then taste again. [Repeat as needed. Older lentils may take longer to cook.]

Once the lentils are cooked to your liking, add salt to taste. 

Related Recipes

1-Pot Indian Red Lentils (Dal)
Lentil, Lemon, and Dill Soup
1-Pot Spicy Black Bean Soup
Top-down view of casserole dish with 1-Pot Spicy Coconut Lentils

Recipe Card

1-Pot Spicy Coconut Red Lentils

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4.5 cups
Calories 596 kcal
Author Sylvia

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup carrot, finely diced
  • 1/3 cup ginger, finely diced
  • 1/3 cup jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
  • 300 grams red lentils
  • 3 cups coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/2 cup dried mango, apricot, or peach, cut in thin strips
  • 3 cups fresh spinach

Instructions

  • Put the coconut milk, red lentils, jalapeno, ginger, and carrot into a pot. Bring to a boil then reduce down to a simmer. Stir every few minutes and cook until the coconut milk is mostly absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. 
  • Stir in the spinach, orange juice and zest, and dried apricots (or peaches or mangoes). Cook for 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the orange juice is absorbed. 
  • Taste the lentils. They should be easy to bite through. If not, add about 1/4 cup of water to the pot and cook until absorbed and then taste again. [Repeat as needed. Older lentils may take longer to cook.]
  • Once the lentils are cooked to your liking, add salt to taste. I usually add at least 1/2 teaspoon, but start with less and add more if desired.

Notes

Reducing the fat (reducing the coconut milk)

If you want to reduce the fat in the recipe, you can use less coconut milk, replacing it with water, or unsweetened plant-milk. Obviously, the ratio will effect the flavour. 

Substitutions for red lentils

I have not tried this recipe with other colours of lentils, but I think yellow lentils would work as well. The cooking time may vary if you use different lentils. Do not use green or black lentils or any other lentil that keeps it shape during cooking. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 596kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 1380mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 4135IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 11mg

Courses, Cuisines, and Keywords

Course
dinner
|
lunch
Cuisine
American
Keywords
coconut red lentils
|
red lentils
|
spicy coconut red lentils

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Hello!


We're creating a course: Baby Steps to Plant-Based Eating

Yes, seriously. Trying a plant-based diet can be overwhelming and we'd like to help. 

This course is for you if: 

  • you're curious about plant-based eating, but don't know where to start 
  • you have family or friends who eat plant-based and you'd like to be able to cook for them
  • you've dabbled with plant-based cooking, but would like to expand your repertoire 

Baby Steps to Plant-Based Eating will: 

  • answer your pressing questions
  • cultivate your confidence 
  • arm you with recipes

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