This flavorful and supercheap dish pairs fast-cooking red lentils with red curry paste, a versatile and long-lasting condiment, to add flavor in little cooking time. A fresh head of spinach is a thrifty choice; remove tough stems and slice leaves into shreds for visual appeal, or just chop small. Cost per serving: $4.
Vegan, Quick
Advertisement
Red Curry Lentils and Spinach
Rate this recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or canola or olive oil)
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups red lentils washed
- 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
- 1 large head spinach stems removed - to yield 4 cups packed spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed to room temperature
- juice of 1 small lime
- 2 cups hot, cooked brown rice
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan and sauté onion until tender and golden, 5–7 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, and curry paste; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in cardamom and broth, scraping up any browned bits from pan bottom. Bring to a boil; add lentils and coconut milk. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just tender but still firm.
- While lentils are cooking, stack spinach leaves and thinly slice crosswise into shreds. (Or just roughly chop.) When lentils are tender, stir in spinach leaves and peas; cook for 2 minutes, until peas are hot and spinach is wilted. Add lime juice to taste, and season with salt and pepper. Serve over hot rice, garnished with cilantro.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Red Curry Lentils and Spinach
Amount Per Serving
Calories 637
Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g
17%
Saturated Fat 6g
30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Sodium 291mg
12%
Total Carbohydrates 95g
32%
Dietary Fiber 36g
144%
Protein 31g
62%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
PER SERVING: 637 cal, 11g fat (3g mono, 2g poly, 6g sat), 0mg chol, 31g protein, 95g carb, 36g fiber, 291mg sodium.
