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–+ servings
A black bowl filled with lentil curry with English peas and broccoli with rice on the side.

One-Pot Lentil Curry with Peas (+ Instant Pot option)

4.93 from 14 votes
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Christin Russman
One-Pot Lentil Curry with Peas- this amazing Indian-inspired dish is filled with healthy green vegetables and easy to make in just one pot.
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Equipment

  • Large Pot/Skillet or Dutch Oven (or Instant Pot)

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup unsalted or low-sodium vegetable broth - divided
  • 2 garlic cloves - minced
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion - finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 15 ounce can light coconut milk - (can also use a can of full-fat coconut milk for a creamier curry)
  • 1 cup dried brown or green lentils - rinsed (you can also use pre-cooked 'Steamed Lentils' from Trader Joe's- add in a later step- see note below)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 cups (or 10 ounces) frozen sweet peas, thawed - (or English peas)
  • 2 cups (or 10 ounces) broccoli florets - broken into small pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt - optional

Additional Ingredients/sides (optional):

  • cayenne pepper
  • nutritional yeast
  • brown or white rice (for serving)
  • Middle Eastern-style garlic sauce (for serving)
  • lime juice

Instructions

  • Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Then add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until onion is soft and translucent.
    3 photos showing vegetable broth and garlic added to a skillet, then onions, then cooked until soft.
  • Add the can of coconut milk (liquid and all), dried lentils, and 1/2 cup water. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer (on low heat) and cover. Cook about 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the liquid is absorbed.
    3 photos showing lentils, coconut milk and water added to garlic and onions, and simmered until cooked.
  • Add remaining 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, curry powder, peas, broccoli, and salt (if desired). Raise heat to medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat slightly and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.
    3 photos showing broccoli, peas and curry powder added to lentils, stirred and simmered, and the final dish.
  • Remove from heat. Taste and add additional salt, or even a dash of cayenne pepper, turmeric, garam masala, nutritional yeast or lime juice. Serve with naan bread and/or brown/basmati rice, or add a bit of Middle Eastern-style garlic sauce.
    This dish makes about 6 (1-cup) servings. Store this curry in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last around 3-4 days and reheats very well.
    A black bowl filled with lentil curry with English peas and broccoli with rice on the side.

Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Instructions:

  • Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Add the vegetable broth, garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the onions are starting to soften. Turn the Instant Pot OFF.
  • Add the entire can of coconut milk, 1 cup water (or vegetable broth), dried lentils, broccoli florets, and curry powder. Stir.
  • Secure the lid and set the knob to "Sealing". Then set the Instant Pot to 'Pressure Cook' or 'Manual' mode for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will build pressure, and then cook for 10 minutes. Let sit for an additional 10-15 minutes to release the pressure.
  • Open the lid, stir and add the salt and peas. Stir again until combined. Adjust salt to taste, and serve with toasted naan bread (with garlic sauce), and rice. Note: the broccoli will be a bit mushy using the pressure cooker option, but it's still delicious!!

Notes

  • If using Trader Joe's pre-cooked 'Steamed Lentils', add to pan when lentils are called for, and immediately add the rest of the ingredients (no need to cook the lentils).
  • It's recommended to use green or brown lentils for this recipe. Red lentils will still taste good, but will fall apart and become mushy. 
  • In the photos, English peas (from Trader Joe's) were used. These peas will have a little more of a 'bite' to them, compared to traditional frozen peas. Both are delicious!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 11.7g | Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 229.3mg | Sugar: 4.9g
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