Slow Cooker Sweet Potato, Lentil and Cauliflower Curry

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato, Lentil and Cauliflower Curry | A Sweet SpoonfulHello, January! I still hear people out on the street and in my exercise class wishing one another a happy New Year and it brings a smile to my face — there’s something about this time of year that feels truly hopeful. It’s not so much about goals or resolutions for me (although it used to be); it’s more about checking in with each other, wishing one another well and doing better by ourselves and for ourselves. I remember one of the things I loved about being pregnant was how often people asked me how I was feeling — from my caregivers to friends, family, acquaintances, the woman making my coffee on my way to work. And they waited for a genuine answer. They seemed to really care. What a revelation! To check in with people in a very real way about how they’re feeling! Let’s keep it up for at least a few more weeks, shall we?

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato, Lentil and Cauliflower Curry | A Sweet SpoonfulYesterday we went to the Seattle Art Museum to visit the Andrew Wyeth exhibit on its very last day — I’ve wanted to go for some time, and Sam and I even planned a Day Date last month when we had a sitter, but the museum happened to be closed that day. Soooo, we went yesterday with Oliver, Sam quite positive that we’d all have a nice experience looking at art and me a bit doubtful that I’d get a chance to truly ingest and absorb much of it at all. Can you guess who was right?

It turns out, if you have the inkling to go to a museum exhibit you’re really excited about with a two year old, you should expect to spend the brunt of the time riding the escalators up and down … and back up again. And making promises about snacks you’ll find together that don’t actually exist. But I did have one takeaway in the whirlwind half hour or so I spent chasing a crazed, small person around the viewing rooms — and that is that inspiration is so often right outside our window or front door.

This time of year so many of us are thinking about new ways to approach work, life, parenting, self care: what apps can you buy to make things easier and fresh? What ways can you mix up how you approach meal planning, what goals do you have for the house or the garden this spring? What new friendships do you want to foster? Something I found interesting about Andrew Wyeth was that his large body of work really focused on the view outside the window or door of his residence in Pennsylvania or his summer home in Maine. So many paintings and such rich stories and history spanning years … from largely the same vantage point.

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato, Lentil and Cauliflower Curry | A Sweet SpoonfulIn many ways I think this is an important little nudge for this time of year, a reminder that we can do better for others and ourselves and work towards many of our goals and resolutions without grand gestures, different apps on our phone, or the infinite search for newness. Oftentimes, the inspiration we’re looking for is right outside the window, and perhaps we can even reach it sometimes without moving a muscle.

*                                  *                                        *

This is a slow cooker curry, and I’m hoping some of you are luddites like me and are still using your slow cooker instead of the Instant Pot (I just can’t justify another appliance, you guys!). I think the slow cooker is still the best weeknight hack for busy families, and this is a great winter recipe as it’s filling; has a good hit of protein thanks to the lentils; and marries the flavors of curry, coriander, cinnamon and turmeric, making the house smell like a dream. We’ve been serving this with brown rice, although it’d be great on its own with a big slice of buttery naan. Good fuel for gazing out the window and trying to see things in a new light this week; I hope you get a chance to do just that.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato, Lentil and Cauliflower Curry

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato, Lentil and Cauliflower Curry

  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Prep time: 25 mins
  • Cook time: 7 hrs
  • Total time: 7 hrs 25 mins

The work here is really in chopping the veggies; beyond that, this curry makes itself. If you’d like to add some chopped greens (kale or spinach would be great), you could do so at the very end and let them wilt in the hot curry. I thought about adding frozen peas, too, which I may do next time around. You’ll have a little leftover coconut milk, which I save and use in smoothies so as not to waste any ingredients. Leftover curry is great for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, or freeze for harried weeknights in the future.

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray
1 medium head cauliflower, florets only, about 3 cups
4 1/2 cups peeled, cubed sweet potato (from about 2 medium)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups (400g) dried red lentils, rinsed
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen brand)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves, to top
4 green onions, thinly sliced, to top
toasted cashew halves, to top (optional)
Cooked brown rice or naan, to serve
Plain Greek yogurt, to serve (omit to keep recipe vegan)

Instructions

Coat a 5-6 quart electric slow cooker with cooking spray.

Place the cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, water, lentils, broth, curry paste, garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon stick, salt, and tomato paste in the slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Turn off the heat, stir in coconut milk and remove cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve with rice, chopped cilantro, green onions, toasted cashews and a spoonful of plain yogurt.

Comments

  1. Cara

    This looks absolutely delicious! Just what our family needs. Planning on making it this Thursday. I hope you and your sweet family are well. We miss you guys!

    1. megang

      Thank you, Cara! We miss you guys, too. I hope you like the recipe, and hope you're doing well! xox

  2. sam-c

    Thank you so much for this recipe. It sounds so tasty and hope to make it this week. I am trying to make more vegetarian recipes that aren't so cheesy, or full of pasta. This sounds like perfect January comfort food !!!
    Cheers to you a brave trip to a museum!! It does get better, (glacially slowly though). We went Saturday, with a 4 year old and a 9 year old. It started out to seem to be a disaster to bring the 4 year old (general whining and uncooperativeness), then I remembered I needed to engage him very directly and specifically. Like, one particular Wyeth painting, I asked him what feelings he thought the boy in the painting had. I was surprised when he said, "it looks like he got kicked out of his house", and then he continued to make the same pouty lips as the boy in the painting. But continue to bring your son, it's fun to see it all through their eyes. (our son was blown away by the Kusama exhibit too) We ended up leaving because our 9 year old (initially very excited to see the Wyeth paintings) was uncomfortable (headache) and hot due to the crowds. :) You can never predict how it will go, but try anyway!

    1. sam-c

      We did make this last week, and our family really enjoyed it. Thank you!

  3. Abby

    I own neither an Instant Pot nor a slow cooker and I'd really like to try making this curry - can you give me some advice on cooking it on a regular gas stove?

  4. Glory

    Thank you for the inspirational post! And another way to use Thai red curry- since I accidentally bought 2 :0 Can’t wait to try this!

    1. megang

      I hope you enjoy it, Glory!

  5. Casey

    OOPS! I just made this for tonight but I put the coconut milk in with everything! Will this still be edible, do you think? (new mom brain over here...)

    1. megang

      Hi, Casey! Oh it'll totally be edible. It'll be just fine - the coconut milk really doesn't need to cook for that many hours (or much at all), which is why it's added at the end. But it won't hurt it. Let me know how you liked it.

  6. Jeni

    I just made this for dinner and dang, it was tasty. I got the slow cooker out and then just put it away and made it on the stovetop since red lentils cook so quickly....I'd say if you've got the time for all that chopping, you may as well just cook it the old fashioned way since it really comes together quickly--cook time was prob less than 30 min. Thanks for the recipe--so fab! I also used the whole can of coconut milk so I didn't have to stress about using up the rest and it worked great!

    1. megang

      Awesome; thank you so much for the feedback, Jeni! I'll try it on the stovetop next time (and I know a few readers asked, so really great to have your timing cues /tips). So glad you all enjoyed it!

  7. Bree

    This is a great forgiving recipe. I made several errors and the meal was still good. I used two sweet potatoes that probably produced more than 4.5 cups. I was rushing through the recipe before church and accidentally put the coconut milk in at the start, but there didn't seem to be any adverse effects. Per the header notes, I finished off a bag of frozen peas (maybe 3/4 to 1 cup) by adding them at the end. We topped it with scallions and toasted peanuts because I accidentally bought peanuts instead of cashews. I did buy cilantro but totally forgot about it so we'll try that on the leftovers. I froze half the recipe since I was only cooking for two.

    1. megang

      Yes, Bree! So glad to hear you loved it. I really, really love this recipe too and am all about forgiving recipes these days. It's getting to be the perfect time of year to pull this one out again. Thanks for the nudge :)

      1. Bree

        It was especially tasty served over coconut rice!

  8. Syd

    Is there any nutritional information on this? It was delicious!

    1. megang

      So sorry, Syd. There's not at this time. Thanks so much,

  9. Kat

    Very yummy! The spouse loved it. I'm always looking for vegetarian slow cooker recipes. Love prepping in the morning and coming home to a hot dinner. I saved the other 3/4 cup coconut milk for the leftovers which will likely need some additional moisture when reheating.

  10. Paul Pluth

    I have a question: did you use true sweet potatoes (my preference) or garnet yams? Or does it matter?

    1. megang

      Hi, Paul! It doesn't matter; use whichever you prefer and it'll be great. I think I used garnet yams in this one but it honestly won't matter. Enjoy!

  11. Lizzy

    Yummy! I'm not big on spice so I only used half the red curry paste and it's perfect. And I just realized I forgot to make rice but it's great just by itself. I'll definitely be making this again. I'm single so my crock pot is often in use on the weekend for meal prepping - can't live without it!

    1. megang

      I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lizzy! And good for you adapting it to work for your tastes ... I agree that it's just fine without rice. Sometimes we serve it with a ww tortilla for speed / ease :)

  12. Sarah

    5 star delicious. Perfect to come home to after work!! Also used up cauli and kumara that I had left this week. Vy zero waste for my house too! #usewhatyouhave

    1. megang

      WOHOO! So glad to hear, Sarah!

  13. Culinary Craft

    Great info! Thanks for such a informative and useful info, It help me a lot.

  14. Katie

    Are split red lentils ok to use?

    1. megang

      Hi, Rebecca! Sorry for the late response. Absolutely they're ok to use. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

  15. Baking courses

    hey, thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. Can't wait to try this

  16. JO

    Can you put in slow cooker on high for less time? If so, how much time? Thank you.

    1. megang

      Hi, there! I've never tried it to be honest, so I can't advise on timing. I'd say YES you can definitely do so but I'm not certain how to advise on timing changes.

  17. Laura

    This is delicious. I am always on the lookout fir slow cooker
    Recipes that have interesting herbs and spices. What is the nutritional values for a serving?

    1. megang

      Hi, Laura. So glad you liked it! You know, I don't have nutritional analysis built into these recipes. You can probably find a good online source that can give you a bit of guidance by plunking in the ingredients and servings. Thanks!

    2. megang

      So sorry, Laura. I don't include nutritionals on the site, but you should easily be able to plug in the ingredients online to find out. Enjoy!

Join the Discussion

Healthy Comfort Food

Thai Carrot, Coconut and Cauliflower Soup

Thai Carrot, Coconut and Cauliflower Soup

People describe raising young kids as a particular season in life. I hadn't heard this until we had a baby, but it brought me a lot of comfort when I'd start to let my mind wander, late at night between feedings, to fears that we'd never travel internationally again or have a sit-down meal in our dining room. Would I ever eat a cardamom bun in Sweden? Soak in Iceland? I loved the heck out of our tiny Oliver, but man what had we done?! Friends would swoop in and reassure us that this was just a season, a blip in the big picture of it all. They promised we'd likely not even remember walking around the house in circles singing made-up songs while eating freezer burritos at odd hours of the day (or night). And it's true.

Oliver is turning two next month, and those all-encompassing baby days feel like a different time, a different Us. In many ways, dare I say it, Toddlerhood actually feels a bit harder. Lately Oliver has become extremely opinionated about what he will and will not wear -- and he enforces these opinions with fervor. Don't get near the kid with a button-down shirt. This week at least. He's obsessed with his rain boots and if it were up to him, he'd keep them on at all times, especially during meals. He insists on ketchup with everything (I created a damn monster), has learned the word "trash" and insists on throwing found items away on his own that really, truly are not trash. I came to pick him up from daycare the other day and he was randomly wearing a bike helmet -- his teacher mentioned he'd had it on most of the day and really, really didn't want to take it off. The kid has FEELINGS. I love that about him, and wouldn't want it any other way. But, man it's also exhausting.

Read More
Cheesy Quinoa Cauliflower Bake

Cheesy Quinoa Cauliflower Bake

I just finished washing out Oliver's lunchbox and laying it out to dry for the weekend. My favorite time of day is (finally) here: the quiet of the evening when I can actually talk to Sam about our day or sit and reflect on my own thoughts after the inevitable dance party or band practice that precedes the bedtime routine lately. Before becoming pregnant for the second time, I'd have had a glass of wine with the back door propped open right about now -- these days though, I have sparkling water or occasionally take a sip from one of Sam's hard ciders. Except now the back door's closed and we even turned on the heat for the first time yesterday. The racing to water the lawn and clean the grill have been replaced by cozier dinners at home and longer baths in the evening. You blink and it's the first day of fall. 

Read More
Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio

Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio

I'd heard from many friends that buying a house wasn't for the faint of heart. But I always shrugged it off, figuring I probably kept better files or was more organized and, really, how hard could it be? Well, I've started (and stopped) writing this post a good fifteen times which may indicate something. BUT! First thing's first: we bought a house! I think! I'm pretty sure! We're still waiting for some tax transcripts to come through and barring any hiccough with that, we'll be moving out of our beloved craftsman in a few weeks and down the block to a great, brick Tudor house that we wanted the second we laid eyes on it. The only problem: it seemed everyone else in Seattle had also laid eyes on it, and wanted it equally as much. I'm not really sure why the homeowner chose us in the end. Our offer actually wasn't the highest, but apparently there were some issues with a few of them. We wrote a letter introducing ourselves and describing why we'd be the best candidates and why we were so drawn to the house; we have a really wonderful broker who pulled out all the stops, and after sifting through 10 offers and spending a number of hours deliberating, they ended up going with ours. We were at a friend's book event at the time when Sam showed me the text from our broker and I kind of just collapsed into his arms. We were both in ecstatic denial (wait, is this real?! Did we just buy a house?) and celebrated by getting chicken salad and potato salad from the neighborhood grocery store and eating it, dazed, on our living room floor. Potato salad never tasted so good. 

Read More
Smoky Butternut Squash and Three Bean Chili

Smoky Butternut Squash and Three Bean Chili

If your house is anything like ours, last week wasn't our most inspired in terms of cooking. We're all suffering from the post-election blues -- the sole upside being Oliver's decision to sleep-in until 7 am for the first time in many, many months; I think he's trying to tell us that pulling the covers over our heads and hibernating for awhile is ok. It's half-convincing. For much of the week, instead of cooking, there'd been takeout pizza and canned soup before, at week's end, I decided it was time to pour a glass of wine and get back into the kitchen. I was craving something hearty and comforting that we could eat for a few days. Something that wouldn't remind me too much of Thanksgiving because, frankly, I can't quite gather the steam to start planning for that yet. It was time for a big bowl of chili.

Read More
To Talk Porridge

To Talk Porridge

Porridge is not the sexiest of breakfasts, it's true. It doesn't have a stylish name like strata or shakshuka, and it doesn't have perfectly domed tops like your favorite fruity muffin. It doesn't crumble into delightful bits like a good scone nor does it fall into buttery shards like a well-made croissant. But when you wake up and it's 17 degrees outside (as it has been, give or take a few, for the last week), there's nothing that satisfies like a bowl of porridge or oatmeal. It's warm and hearty and can be made sweet or savory with any number of toppings. The problem? Over the years, it's gotten a bad rap as gluey or gummy or just downright boring or dutiful -- and it's because not everyone knows the secrets to making a great pot of warm morning cereal. So let's talk porridge (also: my cookbook comes out this month! So let's take a peek inside, shall we?)

Read More