Creamy Red Lentil & Chickpea Tikka Masala

Take Britain’s favourite dish and create a delicious lentil based thick and creamy meal for around 50p per portion (and it’s super easy too!). So whether you’re making this just for yourself or whether you’re hosting an Indian themed dinner party, get the spices ready and tikka masala your taste buds on a journey.

If you’re a newbie to using lentils, this is a perfect dish to start working with them. Lentils have low calories and are high in nutrition, making this a curry you can eat without feeling guilty! Lentils have the third-highest levels of protein out of the legumes and nuts family, with 9g of protein per 100g.

Lentils also increase steady, slow-burning energy due to it’s complex carbohydrates and fibre, meaning this is a perfect meal to take for your lunch at work to get you through the rest of the day. Make enough for the week and you’ve got your lunch meal prep done for the whole week – just pop it in the freezer and defrost when you want it.

Chickpeas are super cheap (around 30p per tin) and are a great addition to this dish. They don’t have a taste on their own so are great at soaking up all the flavours from the curry sauce. Not only does it make the curry more filling, chickpeas are also full of fibre and are good source of protein.

Add whatever vegetables you’d like to this dish – experiment and find what you really love. I love adding courgettes as they really soak up the spices and make the meal a lot more nutritional and filling.

Whats the best thing about this curry? It’s versatility! You can serve this curry with anything you like. Serve it up with some rice, spread it over a soft warm naan or, my favourite, a fluffy jacket potato – all super easy and cheap options!

So what’re you waiting for? Follow the recipe below and get cooking! Remember to leave a comment about your thoughts and rate the recipe!

Note: Price per portion reflect purchasing ingredients from either Aldi or Asda. 

Print Recipe

Red Lentil & Chickpea Tikka Masala

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Indian

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil for the pan
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 carrots
• 2 cups red split lentils rinse them first through a sieve
• 2 tbsp red tikka curry paste
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (or to your taste)
• half handfull of coriander (or to your taste)
• 500 g passata
• 1 tin of chickpeas

Course Main Dish Cuisine Indian Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 30 mins Servings people Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil for the pan 1 large onion diced 2 carrots 2 cups red split lentils rinse them first through a sieve 2 tbsp red tikka curry paste 1 tbsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 2 tsp minced garlic 2 tsp minced ginger 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp sugar 1/2 cup coconut milk (or to your taste) half handfull of coriander (or to your taste) 500 g passata 1 tin of chickpeas

Instructions

1. Rinse the split red lentils in a sieve and set aside.
2. Heat up the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and carrots (and any other veggies you're adding) and sauté for a few minutes until golden.
3. Add ALL the spices (curry paste, garam masala, curry power, turmeric, cayenne, garlic, ginger and sugar) and fry lightly for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato passata and stir. Add the lentils and chickpeas and stir. Add the coconut milk and stir - taste to see if you want more coconut milk.
5. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until a nice smooth curry texture. Add the coriander and stir to combine.
6. Serve with your favourite side (rice, naan, jacket potato...)

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