Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry – 🍠😍🎉 An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 30 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors! HEALTHY comfort food that tastes AMAZING!
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Thai Sweet Potato Curry Recipe
This sweet potato coconut curry is an easy curry that’s healthy, made in one skillet, ready in 30 minutes, hearty, comforting, and naturally vegan and gluten-free.
If you’re trying to make more meatless meals, this is a winner. You’ll never miss the meat because between the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and spinach there’s a lot of great textures going on to keep you full and satisfied.
And holy moly, let’s talk about the flavor explosion going on. Onions are sautéed in coconut oil with garlic, ginger, and coriander before adding Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, lime juice, and soy sauce, and finishing the dish with spinach and cilantro.
The ingredients create layers of umami goodness. Savory, with a touch of acid from the lime juice, and natural sweetness from the sweet potatoes and sweet Vidalia onions.
Sweet Potato Curry Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy red curry with sweet potatoes:
- Fresh cilantro
- Coconut oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger – ground ginger also works
- Ground coriander
- Large sweet potato
- Thai red curry paste
- Vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper
- Chickpeas
- Coconut milk
- Fresh spinach – I prefer baby spinach for a slightly sweeter taste
- Fresh lime juice
- Soy sauce (or fish sauce, if not vegan)
- Brown sugar
How to Make This Vegetarian or Vegan
If you’re making this as a vegetarian or vegan curry recipe use vegetable broth or water instead of chicken broth, and use soy rather than fish sauce.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Sweet Potato Curry
This sweet potato and chickpea curry couldn’t be easier to make! Here’s an overview of the basic recipe steps:
- Simply sauté the onion until softened, then add in the garlic, ginger, and coriander.
- Add the diced sweet potato, curry paste, broth, salt, and pepper, and cook until the potato chunks have softened.
- Stir in the chickpeas and coconut milk and let the mixture bubble away until sufficiently thickened.
- Add the spinach, lime juice, and soy sauce last.
- Cook until the spinach has wilted, then serve!
Recipe FAQs
I used Thai red curry paste because I think it adds a richer and smoother flavor profile than curry powder (Indian) does, but if all you have is curry powder, you can go for it knowing that the flavor of Thai vs. Indian curry products is vastly different and your dish won’t taste like mine.
Of course! If you have extra veggies you want to incorporate — such as cauliflower, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, or edamame — add them when you add the chickpeas and coconut milk to really make this a veggie-centric dish.
Yes! I love have planned leftovers of this Thai sweet potato and chickpea curry recipe because they’re great for lunch the next day or an easy nuke-in-the-microwave kind of easy dinner that’s ready and waiting. In fact, I think the leftovers taste even better as the flavors marry and meld while it sits – similar to how lasagna or marinara sauce tastes better the next day!
As with all curry pastes and powders, they vary in intensity and everyone’s preferences for spice and heat vary, so adjust to taste. I used 2 rounded tablespoons and I wouldn’t call this sweet potato curry spicy, but there’s robust flavor. My 10-year-old (at the time I originally posted this!) said she gives it a 4 on a 1-10 scale of spiciness. We like spicy food though.
I used canned lite coconut milk to make this sweet potato curry, but you’re welcome to use full-fat if desired. Full-fat coconut milk will result in a richer, creamier sweet potato chickpea curry.
Storage Instructions
This easy curry recipe is amazing right out of the skillet. In fact, I can’t stop taking little tastes of the broth as it simmers.
However, leftovers taste just as good! The chickpea sweet potato curry keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Curry
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Sweet Potato Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, olive oil may be substituted
- 1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 medium/large or 1 extra-large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups, diced)
- 1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste (curry powder may be substituted, to taste)
- 1 cup low-sodium broth, vegetable or chicken or water (I used water)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- one 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I used no-salt added)
- one 13-ounce can coconut milk, I used lite; full-fat will deliver a richer/thicker result
- about 3 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon soy or fish sauce, optional and to taste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional and to taste
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing (basil may be substituted)
- rice, quinoa, or naan, optional for serving
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes; stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.
- Add the sweet potato and stir to combine with the onions.
- Add the curry paste, broth or water, salt, pepper, and stir to combine.
- Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow mixture to gently boil for about 10 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are mostly tender; they don’t have to be completely cooked through yet.
- Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook uncovered for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until liquid volume has reduced as much as desired and thickens slightly.
- Add the spinach, optional lime juice, optional soy or fish sauce, and stir to combine. Cook until spinach has wilted and is tender, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Taste and optionally add brown sugar, additional curry paste, salt, pepper, etc. to taste.
- Evenly sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately.
Notes
- Curry will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Originally posted September 27, 2017 and reposted September 29, 2023
This was absolutely AMAZING!!! Even my 13 year olds liked it. I didn’t add the fish sauce or brown sugar, still found it perfectly delicious and sweet. Planning to try many more of your recipes – beautiful photos and nice instructions. Thanks!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was a hit with your kids as well and that you’re going to try other recipes of mine!
Thanks! We were making chicken tikka and happened to have a leftover sweet potato sitting around so we looked up sweet potato with chickpea recipes and decided we wanted the coconut curry version. YUM! We did not have any spinach but it still worked. We make a lot of Thai food as well so kept it with the Indian curry – and also a touch of Ras el Hanout (bought in Fex, Morocco) to bring out additional complex flavors.
This was great and really complimented the chicken tikka masala.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this was a great addition to your chicken tikka masala!
Sooo yummy! Made with regular curry powder, cuz that’s all I had, and didn’t add any of the optional things. Delicious! I’ll try again with the Thai red curry…. so happy i stumbled across this recipe! Thanks!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this turned out great with just regular curry!
I made it tonight for my mom and myself. I used hot Jamaican curry, since that’s what I had, and didn’t need the optional lime juice, sugar, or fish sauce. It was DELICIOUS!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that the Jamaican curry that you had worked great and that this was delicious!
I’m on whole 30 and can’t do chickpeas. What’s a good substitute? I’m thinking cauliflower…when in the recipe would i put that in to cook it properly?
I have only made it as written so I’m not really sure what to suggest. I do have a chicken version similar to this one. https://www.averiecooks.com/thai-chicken-coconut-curry/ and that one does not have chickpeas in it. If you were to add cauliflower I would edit about 10 minutes from the end, whatever that means. Otherwise it would get mushy and I fear and I don’t like mushy vegetables but do as you think is best.
This is one of the best things I have ever made in my life. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it is one of the best things you have ever made! This is a personal favorite of mine as well!
I feel like you crafted this recipe just for me. These are some of my favorite ingredients all in a bowl. I made this tonight using traditional yellow curry powder after I realized that I didn’t have the red paste and just loved, maybe even more than the red because I’ve had that flavor profile a lot. And because I love to put my own twist on recipes and use up left over ingredients I added about a half head of cauliflower, which really rounded out the dish. Definitely a wonderful dish to make again and no guilt in eating a big bowl of nutrious veggies. I love Averie Cooks recipes!
Thanks for the awesome comment and I feel like I made this just for me, too! With many recipes, I am gearing them towards what I perceive others want or would enjoy but with this one I was totally selfish and made it for me. Glad it was just for you, too :)
I can see both the yellow curry and the cauliflower being delish! Try this one too! https://www.averiecooks.com/roasted-curried-cauliflower-chickpea-salad/
Thanks for the recommendation. I have it bookmarked. Looks delicious.
After you just said yellow curry and cauli, I was like YES here! Not sure if you eat chicken but this is also great https://www.averiecooks.com/thai-chicken-coconut-curry/
I love this with the Earth element foods, which are sweet, soft, and nourishing – great for the digestive system.
My daughter just returned from London and was craving Indian food, so I made this last night. We all loved it. She thought it tasted very similar to a favorite meal she there ate many times. Thank you.
Thanks for trying the recipe and if it tastes like something she had in London, I’m flattered because they have such amazing curries there!
This one is similar and also very good! https://www.averiecooks.com/thai-chicken-coconut-curry/
Thanks, yes I saw that recipe too. She’s a vegetarian but I would like to try that one too. We used cauliflower rice with the recipe and it was great. Happy Holidays!
Glad the cauliflower rice worked great and I totally understand about the veg needs! Happy Holidays!
I made this the other night used Thai red curry paste 2Tbs. Just perfect spice for my husband not too spicy Followed the directions and it was delicious Served on top of quinoa A very satisfying dish
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it was perfect for you with the 2 tbsp!
i’ve only just found this website after searching for a pumpkin curry recipe…. the idea of using a thai base rather than indian spices was a winner, it tasted great. thanks
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad you enjoyed the Thai base rather than an Indian one – I agree, we love it this way!
Hi Averie! Your Sweet Potato and Chickpea Coconut Curry looks so warm and comforting! Perfect dinner recipe now that the weather is cooling down. :) Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
Made this last night for dinner – so delicious! When my niece came in the door from work she asked “did you order Indian food for dinner?” Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thanks for making it the same day I posted it! And I’m glad it was met with rave reviews!
I am loving this fall flavored curry! So pretty and comforting!
I’m crazy for curry dishes, just reading the ingredients list is making my mouth water! The cilantro is the perfect topper for this dish!
It’s seriously one of my new favorite recipes! I am in love with the Thai red curry paste!
I have used curry powder but not Thai curry paste so I am glad you gave an indication as to how spicy it is. I always thought the paste would be too much for me but now I want to try it! I’m sure the coconut milk tempers it some and I can always start off a little conservatively and ramp it up.
For my personal taste preferences, I love the Thai curry paste more than traditional curry powder. The flavor profile just speaks to me so much! I don’t really think it’s ‘that’ spicy. There are salsas that are way spicier! Don’t be scared of the heat; at least the Thai Kitchen brand I used isn’t all that spicy (even though they label it as ‘spicy’) but it’s really not when you’re mixing it with the potatoes and the coconut milk. I hope you try this and LMK how it goes!
I picked up the Thai kitchen red curry paste and tried this for lunch. I started off with 1 TBS but then added another after the coconut milk went in. I think your assessment is spot on–spicy but no pain or major burn. I am so glad I made this–it tastes awesome and I have a new ingredient to love so thank you for that!!
I am so glad you tried this and that you love it as much as I do! Since I’ve made this, I remade it many times, each time throwing in new odds and ends veggies from zucchini to frozen artichoke hearts. Everything has worked great! I even took this basic recipe and then added Double to coconut milk, some water, and turned it into a soup. I think you’re going to love the paste and playing around with it!
Glad you thought my assessment was spot on!