Every Helping
Sign in

Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Coconut Brown Lentil Curry with Squash and Spinach

Earthy brown lentils simmer with sweet butternut squash in a gingery coconut sauce, finished with wilted spinach and a squeeze of lime over fluffy brown rice.

Coconut Brown Lentil Curry with Squash and Spinach

Ingredients

  • 1 cup200 gBrown or green lentils, dryrinsed and picked over
  • 2¾ cups cubed400 gButternut squash, peeledcut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 medium119 gRed bell pepperdiced
  • 4 cups loosely packed120 gBaby spinach
  • 1½ medium160 gYellow oniondiced
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicminced
  • 2½ tbsp grated15 gFresh gingergrated
  • 1 cup200 gCoconut milk, cannedstirred well
  • 2 tbsp30 gTomato paste
  • 2¾ cups600 gVegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp15 gCanola oil
  • 1½ tbsp8 gCurry powder
  • 1½ tsp3 gGround cumin
  • ¾ tsp2 gGround turmeric
  • ½ tsp3 gSalt
  • 2 tbsp30 gLime juice
  • ⅔ cup chopped10 gFresh cilantrochopped
  • 1 cup200 gLong-grain brown rice, dryrinsed
  • 2 cups475 gWater

Steps

  1. Prepare first: rinse the brown lentils and brown rice, cube the butternut squash, dice the onion and red bell pepper, mince the garlic, grate the ginger and chop the cilantro.
  2. Cook the rice: bring the water and brown rice to a boil in a saucepan, cover, reduce to low and simmer 40 to 45 minutes until tender; rest covered off the heat.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft.
  4. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder, cumin and turmeric and toast 30 seconds, then stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
  5. Add the brown lentils and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 minutes.
  6. Stir in the butternut squash, red bell pepper and salt. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes more, until the lentils and squash are tender.
  7. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer uncovered 3 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, then stir in the lime juice.
  8. Serve the curry over the brown rice, topped with the cilantro.

Check labels: Gluten-free when you buy vegetable broth labeled gluten-free.

Allergens: none in the ingredients as written. Some brands contain gluten.

Cook mode Log it in Today

Made it

Made it? Share how yours turned out.

Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

Want one that fits your numbers?

Pick the meal, the pan and your targets, and the Every Helping recipe generator writes a recipe with every number worked out. Free on the web.

Make a recipeMore from the recipe book