Baked Vegetable and Lentil Curry with Tomato and Spinach

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-21 · Updated 2026-04-21

A comforting baked curry featuring tender lentils, vegetables, and fresh spinach simmered in a rich tomato base. This indian (vegetarian) ready in about 80 minutes pairs dried lentil, medium, diced carrot, medium, diced zucchini for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, dried lentil
• 1 medium, diced carrot
• 1 medium, diced zucchini
• 2 medium, diced tomato
• 2 cups, fresh spinach
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 inch, grated ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tsp coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, combine 1 cup dried lentil, 1 medium carrot diced, 1 medium zucchini diced, 2 medium tomatoes diced, 2 cups fresh spinach, 1 small onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic minced, and 1 inch grated ginger. Add 1 tsp cumin seed, 1 tsp coriander seed, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and 1 tsp salt.
2. Step 2: Mix in 1 cup vegetable broth and 1/2 cup coconut milk, then transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Step 3: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes until lentils are tender and sauce has thickened.
4. Step 4: Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.