# Red Lentil Curry with Sweet Potatoes

This Indian-inspired Red Lentil Curry with Sweet Potatoes is creamy, hearty, and ready in just a few simple steps, perfect for a satisfying and quick weeknight meal.

- Servings: 6 servings
- Total time: 35 min
- Cuisine: Indian
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 2 tbsp avocado oil, or coconut oil
- 0.5 yellow onion, diced
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper, + more to taste when serving
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed (peeling is optional)
- 1.5 cup red lentils, rinsed until water runs clear OR moong dal
- 1 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes
- 1.5 cups water, 1 1/4 cups for the Instant Pot
- lime wedges, for garnish
- chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

## Instructions

1. Add the coconut oil to a large pot and melt it over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic, and ginger.
3. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are tender and turning translucent.
4. Add the spices — curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir to toast for 30 seconds until translucent.
6. Add the sweet potato, red lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water.
7. Stir well.
8. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer.
9. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer partially covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.
10. FOR THE INSTANT POT: After sautéing the aromatics and spices, use 1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan if necessary.
11. Scrape any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan to avoid a "burn food" alert.
12. Add the sweet potato, red lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water.
13. Do not stir.
14. Cancel the sauté setting.
15. Lock on the lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
16. When done cooking, natural-release the pressure for 10 minutes.
17. Quick-release the remaining pressure.
18. Season the curry to taste with salt and pepper.
19. If necessary, add water to thin the curry.
20. Serve the curry hot with steamed rice and garnished with lime wedges and cilantro.

## Equipment

- large pot
- Instant Pot (optional)

## Tips

- Rinse and sort the lentils to remove any debris before cooking.
- When cooking stove-top, simmer partially covered by resting the pot halfway over the top to control reduction.
- Add extra water by the 1/4 cup as needed if the curry reduces or gets too thick during simmering.
- Adjust cooking time for the size of the pot: wider pots cook faster, narrower pots cook longer.
- For an ultra-creamy curry, stir in 3 tablespoons of cashew or almond butter during the final minutes of simmering.
- Swap sweet potatoes for 2 1/2 cups of cubed butternut squash for an autumnal twist.
- Boost nutrition by stirring in a large handful of chopped baby spinach or a cup of chopped roasted red peppers in the last 5 minutes, or 1 cup of frozen green peas halfway through simmering.
- Reduce heat by using Kashmiri chili instead of cayenne, or omit chili entirely.
- Increase heat by increasing Kashmiri chili to 1 teaspoon or using it along with cayenne.
- Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Once cooled, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat over low heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of vegetable broth to reconstitute, for 5-10 minutes until hot.
- No need to soak red lentils; rinse them well before cooking.
- Puree the curry with a high-speed or immersion blender if a soup-like texture is desired (remove vent cover and drape with a dish towel to prevent splattering).

## Source

- Original video: https://sweetpotatosoul.com/sweet-potato-red-lentil-curry/
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/fc950f92-6545-4073-9906-21ff5e2954bc
- Extracted: 2025-10-09

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt