30-Minute Red Lentil and Spinach Curry

Why you'll love this recipe

Quick and easy. This tasty recipe deserves a place in your rotation because it delivers your desired flavor in 30 minutes. I'll be honest; we eat a lot of Indian recipes in our house, but none as often as this one. Make a big pot on the weekend, and you've got lunch ready in a jiff.

Clean nutrition. This is an excellent example of how wholesome ingredients with just the right flavor profile can make a delicious meal without added oil, full-fat coconut milk, or coconut cream. You'll never miss them - this curry recipe is THAT good!

Ingredients, notes, and substitutions

Red lentils. Quick cooking, packed with protein and iron, comes in low-fat bites with red lentils. The creamy texture and earthy flavor are delightful. And they cook in 15 minutes. Win!

Spinach. Use 8 cups of chopped fresh spinach or skip the chopping and use fresh baby spinach. 10-ounce box of frozen spinach. Thaw and press the excess water from the frozen spinach before using.

Red onion. Red onion is sweeter than yellow onion, although you can make that substitution if you like. Finely diced red onion also makes a nice garnish.

Curry powder. Use a standard curry powder but consider how spicy it is before adding crushed red chili. Curry powder blends often add cayenne pepper or ground chili powders.

Garam masala. Traditional to Indian food, garam masala has a warm spice profile, subtle notes of cloves and cinnamon, and ground coriander and cumin seeds.

Lemon juice and zest. Lemon accentuates the spinach and overall flavor of the curry. This is one area I’ve modified from my original recipe in terms of amount. Use the zest of ½ the lemon and half the juice (2 tablespoons) to start. Then add more after tasting. If you aren’t using a fresh lemon, use the juice and adjust as you go.

Cilantro. This is an optional ingredient because it can be challenging to find in certain seasons, and some people don't like it. In that case, you can add it as a garnish. If you are a cilantro lover, you can add it with spinach.

Instructions and pro tips

Step 1: Heat a large pan, soup pot, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the curry powder, garam masala, salt, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and red chili (if using).

Step 2: Add the broth and red lentils. Stir the bottom of the pot to clear it.

Step 3: Bring the ingredients to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the pot and cook the lentils for 15 minutes or until they are tender. Then lower the heat if needed to keep it simmering, not boiling over.

Step 4: To finish, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the spinach. If you want chopped cilantro in the dish, stir that in. After that, taste the curry and adjust the seasonings. The spinach takes just a few minutes to wilt.

Timing tip: Consider your spinach first. Frozen spinach should be thawed and pressed, so start thawing before cooking the curry. Otherwise, you can chop fresh spinach as the lentils cook.

Recipe variations

We make this dish at least 3 times a month – which means we eat it even more often. It never gets old. However, there are some variations you could consider.

In addition to or if you want to make this recipe without chopped onion, consider adding grated fresh ginger or a few gloves of minced garlic to the curry base.

Add chopped kale, mustard greens, or other greens if you want (or have less spinach. Add the greens-spinach mixture at the end.

You can add a cup of light coconut milk if you want a super-creamy texture. We don't think you need it, but we certainly won't stop you.

Add crispy tofu, fewer red lentils, or more vegetable broth for even more protein, and turn this into a vegan palak paneer. Or omit the lentils and add chickpeas for a quick chickpea spinach curry (chana saag).

Add a few tablespoons of tomato paste (tomato puree) or cook diced sweet potatoes with the red lentils for a different take on potato curry (aloo palak)