Sweet Potato Curry – The Stingy Vegan

This easy sweet potato curry is a one-pot meal made from cheap, accessible ingredients.

I have so many curry recipes on the blog because I make curry at least once, sometimes, twice a week.

Curry is a great 30-minute meal that has endless variations. Basically any vegetable can be turned into a curry somehow!

As always, I try to keep my curry recipes accessible with just a short list of spices that you can buy at any supermarket. 

This sweet potato curry recipe that I have for you today is an adaptation of my popular chickpea spinach curry.

It’s a tomato-based curry for people who want an alternative to all the rich coconut milk based curry recipes out there. 

(But if you do like coconut curry, then try my coconut chickpea curry!)

How to use sweet potatoes in a curry

The heartiness of sweet potatoes makes them a great addition to any vegetarian or vegan curry.

Sweet potato combines well with chickpeas and leafy greens such as spinach or kale.

You can also add sweet potato to red lentil curry or a mixed vegetable curry alongside cauliflower, green beans, peas, bell pepper, zucchini, etc.

How to cook sweet potatoes for curry

You may be wondering if you need to cook potatoes before adding them to the curry.

While I do recommend cooking the potatoes separately for my potato spinach curry, sweet potatoes can be cooked right in the curry.

In order to make sure they cook through, be sure to add enough liquid. This recipe calls for a can of diced tomatoes (with the juice) and a cup of vegetable broth.

If you do decide to add coconut milk to your sweet potato curry, you should add it at the end after the sweet potatoes are cooked because simmering coconut milk for a long time can cause it to separate and change flavor.

The length of time that sweet potatoes take to soften in a curry depends on how small you chop them.

Personally, I like my curry to be done quickly so I dice them small into about half-inch cubes.  

At that size, they take about 15 minutes to soften. Larger chunks may take up to 30 minutes to cook.

Do I really need coconut milk for curry?

A quick google search for sweet potato curry will mostly return results for creamy coconut milk curry.

As much as I love coconut milk, sometimes I don’t feel like the richness of a coconut-based curry. Also, lots of people are allergic to coconut.

So, no, you don’t really need coconut milk to make an awesome curry!

Most of my curry recipes don’t call for coconut milk in order to be able to offer alternatives to all the typical recipes you find online.

My basic curry recipe calls for onion, ginger, garlic, curry powder, cumin, garam masala, a can of diced tomatoes and some vegetable stock.

To that basic curry base, you can add whatever vegetables and legumes you feel like!

It’s a quick and easy coconut-free curry that’s endlessly adaptable to whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this sweet potato curry don’t call for any complex spices and are cheap and easy to find in any supermarket.

Sweet potato: One medium-large sweet potato is enough for this recipe. I use orange sweet potato. I’ve never tried it with other colors like purple sweet potato or yam but it would probably work similarly.

Onion, garlic, ginger: This trifecta is the flavor base of most good curries.

Chickpeas: Chickpeas are a great plant-based protein source of fiber that add a nice texture as well as help to make this sweet potato curry hearty and filling.

Spinach: Some leafy greens add color as well as being very healthy for you!

Tomato: For simplicity, I add a can of diced tomatoes. I like the little chunks of tomato but you could substitute crushed tomatoes, or whole tomatoes that you dice up yourself.

Spices: To keep this recipe easy to make, it only calls for three spices: curry powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Depending on how spicy you like it, you can also add Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper.

Vegetable broth: A bit of extra liquid is needed to cook the sweet potatoes. It will also simmer down into a flavorful sauce.

Oil and salt: Use a neutral oil such as sunflower, canola or vegetable oil. I don’t recommend olive oil for curry. Finally, a bit of salt to season and bring all the flavors together.

How to make sweet potato curry

This sweet potato curry is an easy one pot meal that’s perfect for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner!

Prep: Start by finely dicing one medium onion and mincing the garlic and ginger.

Peel and dice the sweet potato. I like to dice it into about half inch cubes so that it cooks faster.

Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas.

Fry: In a wide pan, heat the oil over medium heat. 

Fry the onion until soft and transparent, then add the ginger and garlic and fry for about another minute more until tender.

Add the curry powder, cumin and chili powder. Allow to fry, while stirring for about 30 seconds to bring out the flavors.

Simmer: Add the sweet potato, chickpeas, can of diced tomatoes, vegetable stock and salt.

Bring up to a simmer, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Allow to cook until the sweet potatoes are soft. This takes about 15 minutes, depending on how small you diced them.

You can give the curry a stir from time to time to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan and to make sure there is still enough liquid to cook the potatoes.

Combine: Once the sweet potatoes are soft, remove the lid and stir in the spinach and garam masala.

Give it another minute or two to wilt the spinach and then it’s ready to serve!

Optionally, garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Variations and substitutions

Vegetables: Substitute the spinach for kale, add other vegetables such as peas, chopped green beans, cauliflower,  bell peppers, zucchini, etc.

Coconut milk: If you want to make a creamy coconut curry, add in one cup of coconut milk at the end of cooking. 

Spice: I have a big bag of kashmiri chili powder that I bought for my vegan butter chicken recipe. I tend to use that for all my curries but you can substitute cayenne pepper or a minced fresh chili pepper. Add it along with the garlic and ginger.

Tomato: You can substitute a can of crushed tomatoes for the diced tomatoes. Or a can of whole tomatoes and break them up with your spoon. In the summer you can some nice, juicy fresh tomatoes and use those instead.

FAQs

Make ahead and storage tips

This sweet potato curry keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, making it great for vegan meal prep. 

This curry can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat it in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.

What to serve with sweet potato curry

Optional garnishes for this sweet potato curry include chopped fresh cilantro and a slice of lime.

Serve with basmati rice (or brown rice if preferred) and/or naan bread or another Indian-style flat bread.