Hearty, rich and nourishing, Cauliflower-Potato Red Lentil Curry comes together with ease. Simple enough for a weeknight meal this lentil cauliflower curry is freezer friendly, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. | Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Frontier Co-Op.
An Old Friend
Good 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.
Potato and Cauliflower Curry is inspired by a dish I had in Seattle. It’s based on my interpretation of 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 and lentil curry nevertheless.
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 and Lentil Curry
Pantry staples and fresh veggies bring this curry together with ease and all in one pot! Here’s what you’ll need (see recipe card for details):
- 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
Quick Guide: How to Make Potato and Cauliflower Curry
Use your largest Dutch oven or soup pot to make the curry as you’ll need a bit of room for all those veggies. In summary, here’s how to make it (see recipe card for details):
- First, saute the onions then add the garlic and stir until fragrant.
- Second, sprinkle in the ginger, garam masala, chili powder, and red pepper flakes and stir for about one minute until the onions are coated.
- Third, deglaze the pan with the tomatoes and all their juices.
- Next, 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 Cauliflower and Lentil Curry With
- A little Tamari and Lime Juice
- Cilantro
- Jasmine Rice
- Naan
RELATED: If you like this recipe, you’ll love my Thai Red Curry with Eggplant and Sweet Peppers!
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 potato and cauliflower curry with side favorites like white Basmati or Jasmine rice and naan or pita bread.
- If unable to get your hands on ground ginger, feel free to sub 1 Tbs of fresh grated ginger.
Visit Fair Trade Certified™ to learn more and find Frontier Co-op on their website.
More International Inspired Recipes
- Thai Mushroom Pumpkin Curry
- Thai Vegetable Fried Rice
- Red Lentil Masoor Dal (Spicy Red Lentils)
- Chana Dal with Cauliflower, Cashews and Coconut Milk
- Speedy Tofu Teriyaki Bowls
- Thai Peanut Noodle Salad
Cauliflower-Potato Red Lentil Curry Recipe
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.
Traci – if I can’t use cauliflower – can I substitute broccoli or increase potatoes?
What do you suggest? thank you
Saw your slow cooker recipe today but like the stove top more.
Hi Linda! Thank you for your note. The cauliflower provides so much bulk in this recipe and it has a neutral flavor, so I’m not sure if subbing broccoli for the entire amount of cauliflower would work well here. You could do half broccoli and add a can of chickpeas or a mix of broccoli and more potatoes! That’ll bulk it up and add more texture and protein. Curry is so flexible! I hope you enjoy the recipe (this is a personal favorite here!). Keep us posted!
We really enjoyed this recipe a lot.
I found that I did have to add more water so that my potatoes would soften up (they were about a 2cm dice). I added some fresh chopped chilis and cilantro for serving along with a dollop of thick coconut cream. The little squeeze of lime to finish it off was perfect. It made enough leftovers for days!
Leftovers for daysss! Hooray! So happy to hear you enjoyed the curry, BB! Thank you for your note and sharing your tip of adding a dollop of coconut cream! SO yum!
I love your recipes ! I struggle a bit with cup conversions however. If you have anything to share that converts cups to metric weight and volumes I would really appreciate it !
Hi Cliona! Thank you for your note and sharing your thoughts! There are online converters out there, but I don’t have any I can recommend. I physically weigh and measure by volume all the ingredients in my recipes. In cooking it’s not so much of a big deal to measure by volume, but in baking, weighing ingredients is always more accurate (and I recommend using weight ingredients in any baking recipe if offered). Because volume measuring cups differ from brand to brand, there’s no real easy way to convert cups (volume) to metric weight and it be accurate. I hope this makes helps!
Thank you for this recipe! It’s absolutely delicious!! My husband said “it’s a keeper”.
I followed the recipe exactly as written, but added a bag of frozen peas too…yum!
Hi Karen! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! I’m so happy to hear y’all enjoyed it. I looove the addition of peas! Thank you for sharing your tip,
I just made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I loved the red potatoes for a change; most recipes call for sweet potatoes. Thank you for a terrific easy recipe!
Hi Susan! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! This is one of my GO-TO recipes in the cooler/cold months of the year. We love it! So happy you’re enjoying it too!
Delicious! Just the right amount of heat. My husband’s comment “You can make this again.” 😊 As we work toward a full vegetarian diet I am thankful to have found Vanilla and Bean. So many wonderful recipes that are now on regular rotation for us. Thank you Tracey.
Oops, sorry for the incorrect spelling of your name. Thanks Traci!
Hi Victoria! Thank you for your kind words and rating the recipe! SO happy to hear you two enjoyed the the curry! This is one of my favorites too :D
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!
This is my new favorite! So delicious and cozy. I’m about to take a bowl of leftovers to a sick neighbor.
Hey Shasta…. oh that is so kind of you! Certainly this will help them heal. What a sweet idea. Thank you for your note!
This looks like another winner, but since my SO is not partial to Indian curry I’ll substitute some Thai red curry paste for the garam masala and chili powder. Can’t wait to try it. It’s turned cooler this week (finally!) in N. Texas so we can use some warm goodness in our tums. Thank you!
Sounds like a fantastic sub, Thomas! I hope you two enjoy the recipe and hooray for cool weather, finally, in N Texas!
I love Frontier co-op! they have some amazing spices, especially soothing spices. I love using them in stews and Traci, this one is divine. I bet it warms the body and soul.
I”m with you Lindsay! Just opening a jar of spice is so inspiring! xo
Yummy! This curry recipe seems so finger-licking, Traci! I really can’t wait to give it a try. Can I use fresh ginger instead of ground?
Hi Agness! Of course! I’d use about a Tbs of microplaned ginger. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
That is the sweetest thing Traci. I am in love with this curry, looks so rich, so vibrant and full of yumminess. You truly have done so well and I wish I could have some right now. Spices are such precious things, they really do make a dish.
I always love supporting local and organic, the little we can do.
Lots of love to you.
xoxo
Thank you Asha… you inspire me always! Thank you for your kind words. xo
I can’t imagine cooking without spices. They make life so much better, haha! This curry looks so comforting and hearty. I can see why it’s your go-to!
OMGeee totally! And they just open up a whole new world of flavor combinations… My spice drawer is kinda like my Dr. Bonners lip balm… no one better touch it! hehe
Traci, I love your recipe here. Its a one pot wonder with vegetables and lentils, making it a complete wholesome meal especially for a vegetarian. Beautiful shots as always! I am all for Fair Trade too, so important in this day and age, especially when we are striving for fairness, and good quality products!
Thaank you Amisha!! Hooray for fair trade ! It just becomes a habit, like buying organic or taking your grocery bags into the store.
I don’t make curry enough, Traci – so this dish is totally inspiring me to get my act together. Love the lentils and cauliflower and of course all the warming spices. I definitely try to shop organic but don’t think about fair trade enough – need to work on that. Thanks for this gorgeous recipe!
I think just being mindful and looking for the fair trade label when shopping… I still am getting used to it. I wen’t through the same thing with organic – having to remind myself to look for it! I think you’ll enjoy this Geraldine! It freezes well too ;) !!
Traci, this recipe looks so comforting and cozy— perfect for these chilly evenings! I love a good, simple curry, and this looks totally up my alley! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much Liz! It’s such a comforting dish… rich, hearty and stick to your ribs kinda recipe. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Liz!
What isn’t more delicious with coconut milk? I will try this recipe for sure! My favorite new way to have cauliflower is roasted with sriracha and maple syrup, if you haven’t tried you simply should. It’s that good. I have been making scrap apple cider and applesauce but I too have my eye on some kind of apple bread/kuchen. I am trying the new IP recipe I found posted because it looks amazing but more healthy than other versions I have seen. Maybe you will want to take a look? It’s from the ministryofcurry blog. How fitting with your post! Keep em coming, Traci!
I’m SO with you! Coconut milk is so rich and satisfying! Roasted cauli with srirach and maple? Now that sounds fabulous… I will try it! I’m already thinking of things to eat with it.. how about some noodles? I’ll have to take a look at ministryofcurry… thanks for sharing your tips!
We are eating so much cauliflower, picking our own (purple) at a local farm.! Local and organic forat, then fair trade when purchasing far flung ingredients. Such mindful purchasing is so vital!💜💜
hehe… I’m SO with you, Deb! Good thing I love it so much… the farm has such an abundance of it! xo
The recipe looks wonderful. I love cauliflower and am always looking for interesting recipes for it. I like the fact that you use Frontier Coop and fair trade products. I am a member of a natural foods coop and we by from Frontier monthly.
Thank you Laura! I love cauliflower as well… it’s versatile and I love it’s mild, sweet flavor. Hooray for your natural foods coop and Frontier! No doubt you are familiar with their high quality. I hope you enjoy the recipe :D
This looks wonderful, Traci! Like a big hug! And I just picked up two big heads of cauliflower from the farm yesterday. Guess I need to make this one this weekend! :-). I will look for these spices, too. You’re right – I often don’t think about farming as it relates to spices. Need to be more conscientious about that! Happy Friday!
Oh I love that comparison, Liz! A big hug (so needed right now)… thank you for that! I don’t know what happened, but somehow I ended up with two huge heads of cauli in the fridge… they’re SO big, may as well be four! Rob brought one home from the farm when he stopped by.. (much preferred to flowers) and it is GIANT! I’m eating everything cauli and have more to go LOL! Right? It’s easy to forget that spices are farmed too… I just learned that most vanilla is hand pollinated! OMG!
Yes, yes, yes! We always choose fair trade and organic! Even though our budget is small, I think it’s so important to support workers and those are both so important in ensuring that they’re treated well. Looks like a really delicious, comforting curry, can’t wait to try. I think Graham would love it too (potatoes and cauliflower?!) and it’s really a perfect cold-weather meal.
Hooray! Priorities, right? I’d much rather have fair trade and organic spices in my pantry than say, a new bag, sweater or otherwise. Rob loves this recipe… so I’m thinking Graham may as well… there’s nothing fussy about it and the spices are just SO nice. Very balanced and comforting. xo
I love how veggie heavy this dish is! Curry is such a delicious and healthy way to incorporate a variety of ingredients into a filling meal!
So much like curry, right? You can really pack in the veggies! Thank you Luci!
I’m always looking for new cauliflower dishes Traci and this one sounds right up my alley. I love Indian spices and so does Tom. Such a warm, comforting dish, and your recipe looks so nice and easy too! Can’t wait to try it,
I’m SO with you, Mary Ann. I find I lean on cauliflower a lot because it’s so darn versatile… like curry! I hope you two enjoy it (Rob loves this one too.. so I’m thinking Tom just might as well!) ;)