Cannellini and Lentil Jamaican Curry. 1 Pot 30 Minutes. Easy Coconut Curry with Jamaican Curry spices and beans and red lentils. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Nut-free Recipe. 16+ gms of Protein.
This super flavorful curry came about when I wanted a hearty stew with lentils and chickpeas and of course spices. I was out of canned chickpeas (insert shocked emoji here) and lunch time was approaching in 30. I decided to shake off my urge to use berbere (seriously you need to make this blend), and used some of my Jamaican curry blend (new obsession begins).
This stew comes together very quickly. Just get everything out and ready to use. If you don’t have a Jamaican Blend, you can make your own. The onion caramelized, the spices cooked with it, then cook the lentils half way in a mix of coconut milk and water, add beans (add any cooked beans or chickpeas) and continue to simmer. You can also add some veggies with the lentils. Add greens of choice, some lemon and cayenne and done. Serve as is, over rice, or with toasty bread. Amazing flavor and so satisfying!
This is not an authentic Jamaican curry. It’s based off a Jamaican Chickin curry version I had someone send me long ago and I used the concept in my general lentil coconut style curry with the Jamaican Curry blend. Feel free to edit to preference. Add some veggies, potatoes, carrots, squash etc, fresh thyme for a more traditional version.
More 1 pot Meals from the blog
- 1 Pot Chickpea Sweet Potato Spinach Curry GF Soy-free
- Veggie Spring Rolls in Fried Rice Form. 1 Pot GF
- Kung Pao Lentils GF
- Lentils & Veggies in Thai Peanut Sauce GF Soy-free
- Aloo Palak Dal – Instant Pot Potato Spinach Lentil Curry GF Soy-free
- Sweet Potato Peanut Curry GF Soy-free
When doubling stews and curries, start with a bit less liquid than double and add more later if needed. If you make this Jamaican Curried Lentil and Bean Stew, do leave me a comment and rate the recipe!
Video:
Recipe Card
Cannellini and Lentil Jamaican Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 medium onion hinly sliced or chopped
- 5 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- 1/2 (0.5) hot green chile like serrano or scotch bonnet pepper , chopped
- 2 tsp Jamaican Curry powder more or less to preference, see note
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) turmeric
- 1/2 cup (90 g) red lentils (dried) - the quick cooking kind - masoor dal
- 1 cup (226 ml) coconut milk
- 1 1/4 cup (312.5 ml) water
- 3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) salt
- 15 oz can cannelini beans or chickpeas or kidney beans (13 to 15 oz or 1.25 cups cooked beans)
- A big handful of spinach/greens
- cayenne to taste
- lemon and cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chile. Cook until golden.
- Add the spices and cook for few seconds.
- Add the lentils, coconut milk, water and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the beans, and continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through. Add more water if needed.
- Taste adjust salt and spices. Add a dash of sugar or maple for sweetening, more salt if needed, and more Jamaican curry powder. Add in the greens.. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add a dash of cayenne and lemon juice. Serve hot over rice, with toasty bread or add more water for a soup.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Rebecca
Delicious! Our entire family loves the meal. I add less of the spicy for the kiddo but it’s still super yummy!
Vegan Richa Support
Yay! Love it when the kiddos enjoy too!
EJL
This was great! I didn’t have any scotch bonnet or other spicy peppers on hand, so used a little extra hot jerk seasoning paste I had in the frig (has scotch bonnets in it). It was a little spicy, so added ½ cup of (Forager) plain cashew yogurt at the end to tame it a bit. I’m dieting, so I served my portion over roasted cauliflower instead of rice. So good, I will double it next time! Thanks Richa 🙂
Vegan Richa Support
nice adaptation!
Louis
Hi, I want to double the recipe. How much water should I use? Thanks.
Vegan Richa Support
2.5 cups will work
Annie
Delicious recipe, and so easy! Thanks, Richa, for listing the Jamaican Curry Powder ingredients so I could whip up my own batch. I was out of cannellini beans and subbed chickpeas. Made a soup out of the leftovers, using the rest of the can of coconut milk. I will definitely make this again! ♥️
Vegan Richa Support
perfect! Do leave a rating too!
Jasmine Cordiel
Very delicious, and very authentically Jamaicsn. I’ve had Jamaican good many times since I went for years to a large Jamaican church in Miami & I’ve been to Jamaica several times since my husbandbeas born there. Both him & his mom commented more than once about how good this dish is when inmade it for them! All of the recipes of yours that I try come out good, so keep up the great work!
Vegan Richa Support
Awesome 🤩
Teresa
I really enjoyed this! I did use a whole cup of lentils and a broth instead of water and used the whole can of coconut milk because I love the flavor.
I only used 1 tsp of curry because I wasn’t sure how old my curry was. I added 1 tbsp fresh ginger and collard greens, then fresh parsley.
Very tasty and nurioushing.
Vegan Richa Support
thanks for popping in ♡. i love fresh parsley
Mark Steele
Is the rice included in the calories, love this dish
Richa
No
Rachel Benson
I want to make this but I wanted to know-can you use brown lentils or red split lentils (that is I have on hand) ? I always love your innovative recipes.!!!
Thanks
Vegan Richa Support
Hi there! The recipe calls for red lentils so you’re good there! Yes, you can use brown lentils but it might take a bit longer to cook so just check them to see if they are done! 🙂
Lauren
This is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I used chickpeas and made it in the instant pot. Thank you!!
Irka
I made it three times in a row, because it was sooo delicious. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Woody
This is heavens best, I really love this very much. Keep up the good work.
Vegan Richa Support
Thank you kindly, Woody
Michelle
Made this last night and it was incredible. The lemon and cilantro put it over the top. We served with some crusty bread and my husband and I ate the whole batch. Already showed it off to my family and they all said “Richa recipe?” and I said “of course!” Man, your food is delicious.
Richa
Awesome! Its amazing to know that everyone knows the recipe and flavors!
Meriem Monroe
I don’t have an instant pot, can this be done on the stove or in a crockpot?
Richa
This recipe is a stove top recipe. See instructions, they are for a skillet on stove top. Instant pot option is in the notes.
JayJay
Gorgeous recipe, it only cost a bag of spinach as everything else I already had. Added some frozen veg. There’s a similar recipe, summer curry, on the BBC website which I usually make …but this is miles better and far tastier. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kayla
This recipe is the first I’ve ever tried from your website. 10/10, have already recommended to multiple friends! DELISH.
Richa
Yay
Shelly
Made this for dinner last night. So yummy! I used light coconut milk and a small can of green chiles since I did not have fresh. Kept mine on the thicker side and served over brown jasmine rice. The fresh lemon and cilantro make it extra special. A keeper for sure, thank you!
Richa
awesome!
Barry
This was awesome! Just the right amount of spice for me. I increased slightly the lentils and coconut milk and a dash of agave nectar and lemon set a lot of things off.
Lovely recipe
Kat
I added eggplant zucchini pepper & fresh turmeric:)
Was tasty!!!!!
Richa
awesome!
Megan
This recipe is a gem!! I just made it and it was so quick and easy. The flavor is incredible. I licked the bowl when I finished and I’m so excited to eat it all week!!
Richa
awesome!
Amanda
Just made this and it was delicious! I used kidney beans to have a more color variation. Thank you Richa for another great recipe!
Richa
awesome!
Ana93
Looks so tasty! Can I use regular curry powder instead? It is difficult for me to get jamaican one..
Richa
You can make your own jamaican curry blend, see Recipe notes. its a mix of the usual spices, cinnamon all spice, and some herbs. Or use regular curry powder if you wish.
Shirley
Just made this tonight. Amazing meal!
Richa
awesome
Murielle
Wow Richa! This recipe was simply scrumptious! For some reason, I was really craving Jamaican style flavours tonight and I had soaked some green lentils earlier in the day so I decided to use them in this recipe. Honestly, I was blown away, the flavours really made me travel to Jamaica. I loved it – it will definitely become a staple in my kitchen! Thank you so much.
Richa
awesome!
Susan
My husband and I loved this. I used chickpeas and the chilis I had (Thai and jalapeno)…. The time change got me on my rice cooker so we had it over orzo. We will be having this again!
Richa
awesome!
Meredith Alexander
Everyone in the house loved it!
I used chickpeas, dried chili instead of fresh, accidentally forgot the turmeric and used a whole can of coconut cream.
It was amazing with pumpkin, carrot and spud added and served with brown rice.
Suggested my daughters have lemon juice ready to add (and not just for garnish).
Thank you so much, Richa!
Richa
Awesome!!
Jasmine F
Whenever I click on a recipe from Pinterest and it takes me to your blog- I breathe a sign of relief because I know I will absolutely love the recipe! Loved this recipe! The flavors are fabulous. Thanks again! You are a genius in the kitchen!
Xoxo
Richa
Awesome!! So glad you click on those pins 🙂
SUE
This is creamy deliciousness!! Loved it with chickpeas and extra spinach!!
Thanks Richa. ☺
Richa
Awesome!
Diana Ras-Rongen
OMG! This is really a great recipe! I saw it passing by on Facebook and I made it the same day. It is a winner! Had to withhold myself finishing it all by myself, haha !
Richa
I am so glad you found it! made it and loved it!
Brendan
Hi again,
I just made this using chickpeas instead of cannellini beans. I didn’t have any greens to add, but no matter. I would like to caution everyone to check the expiry date of the canned coconut milk you want to use. I had to discard 3 cans as they were way beyond expiry. As an experienced cook, I now know that only the best and freshest ingredients make for an excellent end result. And this curry is excellent! I used a recently bought curry powder that had many of the same ingredients as Richa`s.
The thickness that the cooked red lentils and the coconut milk add to the dish is yummy. Also, I used the cooking water from the chickpeas, which adds another hit of flavour. Thanks Richa! Brendan in wintery Toronto, Canada
Richa
thats awesome! That reminds me i should check my coconut milk cans as well as I ordered some in bulk early last year 🙂
Gabriela
So easy and delicious!!!
Thank you
Sally Sonnex
So delicious I had to make it again! It tastes great with scarlet barley btw (barley cooked with beetroot and finished with lemon) and having the two together is such a colourful meal – red, gold and green! I found it freezes well, which is important for me as I’m a single vegan and take lunches to work every day. Tonight I made my second batch with home cooked beans (black-eyed peas) and used the cooking juice from the beans instead of water. I also used a chipotle pepper in adobo as that’s what I had in cupboard and it has given it a lovely smokey flavour. Roll on lunchtime!!!!
Richa
awesome!
JB
This was a delicious meal. I added green beans along with spinich which gave it a nice occasional textuer change. We eat a lot of Indian currys so this was a really nice change! =).
Mia
Seeing the words Jamaican curry caught my attention (since it’s my mother country) I just made this recipe! Love it…..for leftovers I’ll add sautéed mushrooms and prawns! I’ll absolutely make this again.
Allie
This was really good and easy to put together with items I had on hand. Thanks so much for sharing.
Meg
This was delicious, thank you for another amazing recipe! I added half a buttercup squash chopped small and a whole can of coconut milk cause I love it, turned out perfect!
Lou
Very delicious! Quick and easy to make! Thanks!
Cassie Autumn Tran
YUM! I feel bad for not knowing too much about Jamaican curry. Luckily, if I make this recipe, I will discover what it tastes like and probably research more about Jamaican cuisine! This looks absolutely delicious!
Mrs E.
Hi, How would I make this with Indian Spices instead of Jamaican? Any ratio or combination of spices would be great to use as a guide. I am trying to make this tonight. Thanks!
Richa
You can add 1 tsp ground coriander and 1/2 to 1 tsp garam masala or curry powder
Linda Baker
Oh my! This soup is on the stove top right now and it is fabulous. I’m 64 and just recently tried Indian cuisine! I’m in love and now I love cooking with Indian spices. I didn’t have everything to make the Jamaican curry so I used half red curry powder and half garam masala blend. It was perfect! I can’t wait for dinner. I did double the recipe because I like to always have a pot of soup in fridge to eat from all week. Thank you for so many great recipes. Your cookbooks are on my xmas wishlist.
Ashley
I made this for lunch. While eating, I am writing to tell you it is so good. Thanks for this simple receipe.
Ravi
In a very hectic schedule we never think about the food we are taking. It is very important find such healthy and cholesterol free food to survive. Thank you so much for sharing.
Eti
Made this last night with Cannellini beans. It was so tasty that I made it again after dinner with chickpeas I happened to have in my fridge. Can’t wait for lunch time today 🙂 Thanks Richa!
Richa
yay!!
Régine
Thanks, Richa! You did it again! I didn’t have much time to cook, and had all the ingredients. It was utterly delicious. I didn’t add any sweetener, and didn’t feel I was missing anythingt. Quick, delicious, nourishing and beautiful to boot. This is going to become a regular meal in my kitchen!
Richa
Awesome!!
Stephanie
Are you using the type of coconut milk that comes in a can and is sweet? Or are you referring to the coconut milk that is sold as an alternative to cow’s milk?
Richa
Canned coconut milk that is just coconut milk, no additions, no sweetening etc.
Teresa
I made this for dinner and it was delicious!! I doubled the recipe and added mushrooms to bulk it up. It was soooo good! Mine was a little more soupy than your photo so I served it with a side of the spiced potatoes from your easy chickpea curry recipe. Yum!
Richa
Awesome! Just cook it uncovered for a few minutes longer to evaporate the extra liquid. When doubled, you want use slightly less liquid to begin with and add later if needed. mushrooms would add moisture as well
Sue
Yum, yum,, yum!
Thanks for a great recipe Richa. I made it in the pressure cooker because i’d just used it to cook chickpeas. Made a double batch but kept the spices as written. Didn’t want to open a second can of coconut milk, so I made up the small liquid difference with water. I hope we have leftovers because I know it will be even better tomorrow.
Richa
yes, it tastes divine after a couple of hours!!
Caryn Wooster
Made this today-yummy! The coconut milk flavor was a bit too much for me (am I the only one that thinks it lends a rancid flavor sometimes??) so next time I think I will sub another PB milk, but other than that, it was perfect-warm and comforting on a cold day like today!
Richa
Awesome! hmm maybe the coconut milk brand? or maybe personal taste. Yes, you can easily sub almond milk or cashew milk for creamier in this.
Janice
looks great! How long would it take in the instant pot????
Richa
3 mins, then natural release, then mix in the spinach
Yesha
Looks great!! Can’t wait to try it today since its 18 degrees in DC.
Linda
This is a really good recipe. I have made it several times now and it never disappoints!