It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for a good curry – they’re simple to make ahead, freeze incredibly well, are often made in just one pot, incredibly versitile, packed with flavour and I could go on and on.
I’m constantly coming up with new riffs and ideas on simple weeknight curries – and this one with red lentils and pumpkin is one of my new favourites.
Hearty, luscious and also completely vegan, it’s incredibly flavourful and really simple to make. I opt to roast the pumpkin rather than simply cook it in the curry itself – this really adds some complexity in flavour. Other than that, it’s assembled in just one pan and is ready in under an hour!
How to Make Pumpkin Lentil Coconut Curry
Start with roasting the pumpkin because you can get the rest of the curry together while it’s in the oven. All you need to do is add some cubed pumpkin to a rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with a bit of oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the pumpkin and then move to a 220°C/425°F oven.
Roast the pumpkin until it’s browned in places and fork tender – about 20 minutes. And in the meantime, you can get the curry itself together!
Like so many of my curries – from my chickpea curry to my chicken curry – it starts with toasting some whole spices.
Add a few cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and fennel seeds to a large skillet or saucepan and set over medium heat. Once the seeds are very fragrant and you see them begin to jiggle and shake across the pan, add in a bit of neutral oil.
Then, add a diced onion along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook the onion until it’s softened and beginning to brown around the edges, this will take about 7-10 minutes.
After you’ve reached this stage, go ahead and add in some finely minced green chili, ginger, garlic and a bit of tomato paste. Cook this for a few more minutes, just to caramelise the tomato paste a bit.
Then, stir in your spices. I like using hot madras curry powder, but use regular or mild if you want to curb the heat.
I also like to supplement with a bit of ground coriander seed and ground cardamom. Cook the spices just until they’re very fragrant – only about 30 seconds.
Next, add in some diced fresh tomatoes along with another generous pinch of salt. Cook the tomatoes until they’re softened, have released their moisture and are beginning to break down – this will take about 5 minutes or so.
After this, stir in your red lentils, pour over a can of coconut milk along with a splash of water.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer until the sauce is thickened and the lentils are tender and cooked completely through – this will take about 20 minutes.
Once you’ve reached this stage, it’s time to add in your roasted pumpkin along with a splash of lemon juice just to brighten everything up a bit. Stir all of this together and simmer for a minute or two longer, just to heat everything through.
Now, all you need to do is go ahead and serve!
For those who want to freeze this dish, I recommend portioning out the amount you’d like to freeze before adding the pumpkin. Then, when you want to eat it, roast the pumpkin and proceed with those steps at that time.
Vegan Red Lentil & Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients
- 350 g (3 cups) pumpkin peeled & cut into 2cm (1in) cubes
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp whole fennel seeds
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 15 g (2 tbsp) ginger finely minced or grated
- 1-2 jalapeños minced, ribs & seeds removed if desired
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp hot madras curry powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander seed
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 medium tomatoes roughly diced
- 100 g (½ cup) dried red lentils
- 1 (400g/14oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F. Add the pumpkin to a parchment-lined baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Move to the oven and roast until fork tender and browned in places – about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and fennel seeds to a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and gently toast the seeds. Once they are dancing slightly across the pan, add 2 tbsp of neutral oil. Add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they're softened and beginning to brown around the edges – about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeños and tomato paste. Cook for about 3 more minutes, just until very fragrant and the tomato paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the curry powder, coriander and cardamom. Cook until very fragrant – only about 30 more seconds.
- Add the diced tomatoes along with another generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every so often, until the tomatoes are softened and have released a lot of their moisture, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils, coconut milk and 300ml (1¼ cups) of water. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the lentils are tender, cooked through and the sauce has thickened considerably, about 20 minutes. Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding salt and pepper where needed.
- Stir in the roasted pumpkin and lemon juice and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately alongside some basmati rice, roti or naan.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This pumpkin and red lentil curry is bursting with flavour and is so hearty and warming. It’s perfect for a rustic and filling weeknight dinner and is great to make in advance.
Are you after a great recipe for red lentil curry? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
