Hearty, rich and nourishing, Cauliflower-Potato Red Lentil Curry comes together with ease. Simple enough for a weeknight vegan or gluten-free meal, this Red Lentil Curry is freezer friendly too. | Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Frontier Co-Op. All opinions are my own.
Why this Recipe Works
Good potato curry is like an old friend; reliable, flexible and easy to lean on. It’s essential in any cooks repertoire, and I turn to it often. I lean on its basics and adapt the ingredients and flavors to mirror the season’s freshest veggies or whatever I have on hand in the fridge.
Curry is a general term for recipes originating from India. It can take on a variety of spices but traditionally the combination of spices and herbs is a reflection of regional and/or cultural tradition.
Cauliflower Potato Red Lentil Curry is inspired by a dish I had in Seattle. It’s based on my interpretation of the aloo gobi masala and a recipe I adapted from Asha’s blog, but have tweaked the recipe to include red lentils, and spices and herbs. It’s far from authentic, but we love this cauliflower curry nevertheless.
And if you like this recipe, you’ll love my Thai Red Curry with Eggplant and Sweet Peppers!
The Right Spices Make all the Difference:
Spices are like an old friend too. It’s these spices that make cooking pleasurable and rewarding frequently inspiring new ideas, like this cauliflower curry. It’s easy to forget that a farmer nurtures each individual spice, as most of the spices I enjoy are grown far away from where I live and they’re just always there, in the store, ready for me to buy.
Frontier Co-Op offers a collection of warming spices like their Certified Organic and Fair Trade Ground Ginger, a perfect dried and ground root veggie in this potato curry.
Support Fair Trade Certified
Another reason to use Frontier Co-op is for their support of Fair Trade products. Fair Trade Certified is a socially responsible organization that believes in the idea that the products we buy and sell are connected to people, their families, community, and the environment. Something I stand behind as well.
What You’ll Need to Make Cauliflower Curry
- Coconut Oil
- Onion
- Fresh Garlic
- Ground Ginger
- Garam Masala
- Chili Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Can of Diced Tomatoes
- Red Lentils
- Cauliflower
- Red Potatoes
- Coconut Milk
- Sea Salt
How to Make Cauliflower-Potato Red Lentil Curry:
- First, saute the onions then add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Sprinkle in the ginger, garam masala, chili powder, and red pepper flakes and stir for about one minute until the onions are coated.
- Deglaze the pan with the tomatoes and all their juices. Stir in the lentils, potatoes, and cauliflower. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat to low and cover. Cook on low (covered) for about 25 minutes.
- Last, stir in the coconut milk and sprinkle with sea salt.
Share Red Lentil Curry With:
- A little Tamari and Lime Juice
- Cilantro
- Jasmine Rice
- Naan
A Few Recipe Notes
- Like things a bit spicier? I add 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes and this suits my spicy nature. But feel free to increase it by another 1/4 tsp. Fair warning – it’s spicy!
- Freezer friendly? Yes, please! Allow to cool completely, then store in a lidded container, in the freezer for about two weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and gently reheat on stovetop.
- Share this cauliflower curry with side favorites like white Basmati or Jasmine rice and naan or pita bread.
Visit Fair Trade Certified™ to learn more and find Frontier Co-op on their website, on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Be sure to show how you #CookWithPurpose with #FairTradeDifference on social!
Cauliflower-Potato Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs Coconut Oil virgin, unrefined
- 1 1/4 C (185g) Onion medium dice
- 4 Large Cloves of Garlic grated on a micorplane (about 2 Tbs)
- 3/4 tsp Ginger ground
- 1 tsp Garam Masala ground
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 28oz (794g) Can of Diced Tomatoes + its juices (one large can)
- 1/3 C (95g) Red Lentils
- 4 C (450g) Cauliflower cut into bite-size pieces (about 1 medium head)
- 2 C (270g) Potatoes red, cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 medium)
- 13.6 oz (385g) Coconut Milk full fat (one can)
- 1 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt adjust to taste
Serve With:
- Tamari, Cilantro, Jasmine Rice, Naan, Lime Wedges
Instructions
- In a saucepan or Dutch oven, add the coconut oil and bring to a shimmer. Add the onions and saute on medium-low for about 7-8 minutes or until the onions are slightly tender.
- Add the garlic and push it around the pan until fragrant, about 30 seconds (it burns easily so be sure to keep an eye on it!). Sprinkle in the ginger, garam masala, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir for about 1 minute until the onions are coated and spices are fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the tomatoes and all its juices. Stir to incorporate, then add the lentils, potatoes, and cauliflower. Stir. The mixture will seem dry at this point, but it will cook down. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to low and put a lid on the pot. Cook on low, covered, for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in coconut milk and sprinkle in the sea salt. Warm through for a few minutes. Adjust salt as needed. A few sprinkles of Tamari and lime juice are quite nice. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve family style with rice and naan.
- Store in a covered container, in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer (with or without rice) for up to two weeks.
This is so delicious!! We’ve been eating almost exclusively vegetarian in our house since December and I’ve been collecting many new recipes. This has been my favorite lentil recipe so far!
One problem I am having when I cook this is that the potatoes don’t soften, even after 40 minutes on the stove! Maybe I’m not adding enough liquid (I add a significantly higher amount of lentils due to the diet I’m following that calls for more protein, and I do add more tomatoes/juice + water). Do you ever have an issue with the potatoes not cooking? The cauliflower cooks just fine & I’m dicing my potatoes about a half inch dice.
Thank you for this recipe!!
Hi Lauren! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note :D The flavors are so nice in this one. I’ve not had any trouble with the potatoes cooking… Perhaps next time either add more water (and more spice) or cut the potatoes even smaller.
I just made this dish today!!! It is so freaking good , I had 2/3 of 28 oz tomato basil leftover sauce I filled it with water gave it a shake sauteed all the veggies but used 3 diced sweet potatoes and fresh diced ginger a good 2 inches and 3/4 of the garlic head I like a lot of garlic . Cooked it like the instructions . Added my coconut milk cooked it for maybe 3 more minutes turned it off left it on the stove . I served it with my basmati rice . It’s the first time I like a vegan dish I cook a lot of different ones but his is really good I think the sauce either a marinara or like mine basil gave it a lot of taste instead of plain whole tomatoes . You really need to dilute the sauce a little bit . Otherwise it would be too thick . Next time I will add 2 tsp garam Masala . I like sweet potatoes it has a better nutrition . Well thanks for a very versatile dish . The chili spice was perfect .
Hi Brigitte, thank you for your note and sharing your modifications! The sweet potato sounds so fabulous! I love bold flavors spices give to food (as well as roots like ginger and garlic). So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!