Sweet Potato Curry

Sweet potatoes are a nutritious food and a staple in the healthy Okinawan diet. They are also versatile and tasty, excellent in sweet and savory recipes.

While we love sweet potatoes in all forms and shapes, this sweet potato curry recipe is our family's favorite way of enjoying this colorful and nutritious root vegetable.

The mild natural sweetness of the sweet potato melds perfectly with the spices, and as it simmers, it absorbs their delicious aroma.

The chunks of sweet potato become tender, creamy, and flavorful after cooking for a few minutes in tomatoes, coconut milk, and vegetable broth.

You can put this curry together with little effort in one pot, and it'll be ready in about 30 minutes.

It's the perfect everyday family dinner, and you can add your favorite greens and protein, such as kale, spinach, chickpeas, or tofu.

Ps. Our sweet potato curry is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and delicious!

Sweet potato

Use classic orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. They are nutritious and tasty and can be cooked in less than 30 minutes.

You can also use white-fleshed sweet potatoes or regular potatoes.

Chickpeas

You can use canned chickpeas or dry chickpeas that you previously soaked and cooked.

For a quick dinner, we recommend canned chickpeas.

You can substitute the chickpeas with 9 ounces or 250 grams of firm tofu, cut into ¾ inch cubes.

Olive oil

We use extra virgin olive oil to make a tasty flavor base and toast the spices.

Good quality extra virgin olive oil is perfect for cooking thanks to its high antioxidant content that makes it stable at high temperatures.

Onion, garlic, and ginger

Finely chopped onion, grated garlic, and grated ginger, gently fried in a little olive oil, make a delicious and aromatic flavor base that will make your curry super tasty.

If you are on an oil-free diet, you can fry the onion on a dry pan without oil for 3 minutes, then add garlic and ginger. The natural oils in the onion will prevent it from sticking to the pan.

Spices

Curry powder, cumin, and black pepper are essential spices in this curry.

Red pepper flakes, ground coriander, turmeric powder, and garam masala are optional, but we strongly recommend them to make a curry with an authentic flavor.

Tip: spices are not only tasty but also packed with antioxidants and super healthy.

Vegetable broth

You can use store-bought vegetable broth, or you can make it yourself.

We use storebought most of the time as we eat this sweet potato curry as a weeknight dinner.

Crushed tomatoes

Crushed tomatoes are our favorite for curries, but you can also use whole canned peeled tomatoes, tomato puree, or ripe fresh tomatoes chopped into pieces.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk and sweet potatoes are incredible together. You can use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest and tastiest curry or low-fat coconut milk for a less caloric one.

The coconut flavor is NOT overpowering at all, and we served this curry to people who swore to hate the coconut flavor, yet they LOVED this sweet potato curry recipe.

Salt

We like to use sea salt; kosher salt is also a good alternative.

Serve with

Lemon

Cut a few lemon wedges and serve one per portion with the curry to squeeze on top.

The acidity of the lemon adds freshness and boosts the flavor of the curry. Lime juice works too.

Cilantro

Fresh cilantro is our herb of choice; however, if someone at your table doesn't like cilantro, you can serve the sweet potato curry with fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Rice

Basmati rice, whole grain rice, or other rice are perfect for this curry.

You can substitute cauliflower rice, boiled quinoa, storebought or homemade flatbread for rice.

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch or 2.5-cm chunks. Set aside.

In a large pot or dutch oven, warm up the olive oil, then add finely chopped onion and fry on medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add grated garlic and grated ginger, and fry for 1 minute.

Turn the heat to low and add in the spices: curry powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, coriander, turmeric powder, black pepper, and salt.

Toast the spices for 1 minute or until you smell their fragrant aroma.

Add vegetable broth, diced sweet potatoes, drained and rinsed chickpeas, and crushed tomatoes, stir, and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add coconut milk and simmer for 10 minuter until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the curry is creamy.

Turn the heat off, add garam masala, give it a final stir and serve.

Tip: garam masala makes Indian curries so fragrant and aromatic.

It's a spice blend you can buy in most supermarkets, online, or Asian stores, and it contains cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamom pods.

Adding garam masala at the end preserves its warming and aromatic flavor.

Serving suggestions

Serve sweet potato curry in a bowl with a pinch of garam masala on top, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro or parsley, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. You can serve it with:

• White or brown rice: we love it with basmati rice.
• Store-bought or homemade flatbread.
• Cauliflower rice for a veggie-packed variation.

Variations

Sweet potato curry with kale

Add leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and chard to the sweet potato curry. They are perfect with this dish!

To do so, chop the greens into chunks and add them in 10 minutes before the curry is ready.

Tofu curry

Our delicious tofu curry is a great way to get plenty of plant protein with plenty of flavors. It's easy to make with a few simple ingredients and in 30 minutes.

Check out our tofu curry recipe.

Lentil curry

Red lentils make the creamiest curry, similar to Indian dahl, giving it a rich and irresistible texture.

Try this lentil curry with white rice, fresh lemon juice, and a dollop of yogurt; you'll impress everyone around your table.

Check out our lentil curry recipe.

Chickpea curry

Chickpeas are an excellent legume for an easy, mega-creamy, plant-based curry.

You can make this quickly and with simple ingredients in one pot in about30 minutes.

Check out our chickpea curry recipe.

Cauliflower curry

Cauliflower curry is a vegetable-packed dinner perfect for weeknights and weekends. The cauliflower gets so creamy you won't believe it!

Serve it with rice, or use it as a meal-prep recipe as it stores well in the fridge and freezer.

Check out our cauliflower curry recipe.

Thai-inspired sweet potato curry

Want to turn this Indian-inspired sweet potato curry into a Tahi variation? Easy, replace the spices with a store-bought Thai red curry paste.

A good one should include lemongrass, kaffir lime, red chili, galangal, garlic, cumin seeds, and powder in the ingredients list. You can find good ones online or in most Asian grocery stores.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of Thai curry instead of the other spices and follow the instructions as per our recipe box below.

Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.

Reheat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the curry is too thick.

Freezer: sweet potato curry freezes well. Let it cool down completely at room temperature, then transfer it into a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Thaw in the microwave or the fridge over a few hours; reheat in the microwave with a couple of tablespoons of water stirred in.

Get ahead

Sweet potato curry is a great recipe to make ahead because the curry becomes more flavorful l the second and third days.

We always make more than we need by doubling our recipe, and we keep it in the fridge, ready to have it as quick work-from-home lunch or lazy dinner.

More sweet potato recipes

If you love cooking with sweet potatoes, get fresh inspiration from these vibrant and wholesome recipes:

• Sweet potato salad with cranberries and a creamy mustard dressing.
• Warm lentil salad with roasted sweet potatoes and a creamy cumin dressing.
• Roasted sweet potatoes: the easiest way to cook sweet potatoes in the oven.
• Microwave stuffed sweet potato: cooked in 5 minutes and loaded with your favorite filling!

Trying out a meatless Monday or looking for plant-based dinner ideas? Take a peek at these quick and easy meatless meals for some fun cooking inspiration:

• Mushroom bolognese with easy mushrooms prepared in a food processor.
• Easy tofu stir fry with noodles or white rice and a stick,y tangy sauce.
• Chickpea pasta with a rich tomato sauce and authentic Italian flavor.
• Tofu vegetable scramble: try this easy scrambled tofu dish on a slice of crunchy bread.

For many more dinner ideas, check out our mains category page.