Ready for a super quick and easy dinner idea? This vegan Thai curry with sweet potatoes and lentils is one of our faves! Vegan, gluten free, and creamy from the coconut milk – but super filling, too.
It’s packed with flavor from spices, coconut milk, and thai basil. And, it comes together in under 30 minutes. Perfect for when you need a hearty meal in no time!
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Vegetable Curry with Coconut Milk
This recipe is seriously so easy. It’s uber comforting, too – especially on a cold day.
I’m obsessed with the flavors, too. This curry is coconut-y (but not in an overpowering way), a little spicy, and packed with tasty veggies like sweet potatoes and bell peppers.
I like to cook the lentils separately, so they don’t absorb all the liquid from the curry and leave it too dry. But if you want to add 2-3 cups of veggie broth and let it all simmer together, it could easily be a one-pot meal!
You might also enjoy these other comforting winter dinner ideas or these other healthy vegetarian soup recipes.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- dry lentils (feel free to use red lentils instead if you’d like)
- large sweet potato
- canned coconut milk (this makes the curry creamy, and adds that delicious coconut flavor that’s typical of Thai curries)
- fresh Thai basil
- Sriracha hot chili sauce (this adds a kick of spice, but feel free to omit if desired)
- chili powder
- curry powder
- cayenne pepper
- ground ginger
- green bell pepper (optional, but recommended!)
How to Make Vegan Thai Curry
The super simple two-pot method looks like this: Cook lentils (based on the package directions) in a medium pot until tender. Next, in a separate pot, cook the sweet potatoes in creamy coconut milk with the cozy, hearty spices.
Let this simmer for 15-20 minutes, depending on how large your sweet potato chunks are. You can use a fork to test if the sweet potatoes are done – they should be somewhat soft.
Then, add the lentils to the curry with some diced green peppers and stir to combine. Simmer for a few minutes. Lastly, pour over rice (if desired) and serve!
The curry comes out spicy, but not too spicy. You could always add a little extra sriracha if you want a bigger kick! And the ultimate key to curry deliciousness is topping it with lots of fresh cilantro and Thai basil.
The herbs really balance out the spicy, savory, earthiness of the curry and freshen everything up. So good!
One of the best things about this dish is that it’s even better the next day. All the flavors really meld together with time, so it makes great leftovers for lunch. Perfect for meal prepping lunches for the week!
Can I use fresh ginger instead of ground ginger?
If you prefer to use fresh ginger as opposed to ground ginger, you’ll want to add the minced ginger to the pot before you cook the sweet potatoes. Cook the ginger, stirring occasionally, for about a minute with a drizzle of olive oil until fragrant.
Then, add the sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and other spices and proceed with the recipe instructions from there.
You’ll find the full sweet potato and lentil curry recipe at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!
Love sweet potatoes and lentils? You might like these recipes, too:
- Easy Lentil Veggie Burgers
- Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
- Harvest Bowls with Sweet Potato
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas
- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans
- Sweet Potato Muffins with Coconut
- Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
- Red Lentil Granola Bars
Sweet Potato Vegan Thai Curry
This recipe comes together in no time, making the perfect vegan and gluten free weeknight meal. It's spicy, hearty, and tastes even better as leftovers!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed
- 1 (13.5) oz. can coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp. fresh Thai basil, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Sriracha hot chili sauce
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook lentils in water according to package instructions.
- While lentils are cooking, in a separate medium sized pot, add sweet potato, coconut milk, basil, sriracha, and spices. Bring to a simmer and let simmer until sweet potato is soft and fully cooked (about 15 to 20 minutes depending how large they are cut).
- Stir in the chopped green pepper and cooked lentils. Let simmer another few minutes.
- Serve hot, as is or over rice. Enjoy!
