Red Thai sweet potato chickpea curry in a creamy spicy coconut sauce is loaded with hearty vegetables and an incredible vegetarian take on curry!
Let’s talk about the best vegetarian curry you will EVER have in your life.
We make a LOT of curries around here and you know that means the latest one is going to be the current obsession.
As per the usual, we’re obsessed with this sweet potato chickpea curry and I’m here to tell that there’s good reason for that.
It. Is. So. Freaking. Good.
The lack of meat here? Not even a thing in this curry.
The sweet potatoes and the chickpeas make it SUPER hearty and more than make up for it.
Here’s a quick look at the flavors in this sweet potato chickpea curry >
- Creamy sweet potatoes, tender chickpeas, and wilted spinach
- A rich, spicy coconut sauce with plenty of zip from the red Thai curry paste
- All this curry goodness piled high over the curry essentials: fluffy jasmine rice with cilantro + lime
Cooking the Vegetables
Start off with sautéing cubed sweet potatoes + yellow onion in a little oil until the onions are just translucent and the sweet potatoes are lightly browned.
Flavor time! Ginger, garlic, red Thai curry paste, and a little turmeric. Toss it around in the vegetables until just fragrant.
Building the Curry
Time to build the sauce base! Small-diced tomatoes and coconut milk make up the sauce portion and you’re going to want to let this simmer 20-25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
A little spinach for green + a can of chickpeas and we’re in the curry business. ♥
I recommend serving this curry piping hot over a tall mound of fluffy jasmine rice.
Throw a little minced cilantro and a couple of lime wedges in each bowl for an extra boost of flavor.
The flavors that we’re able to develop in this curry in only ONE hour is a little unreal.
It’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s spicy, all the GOOD things you love about curry.
Minus the meat, plus extra veggies. We’re calling that a dinner win here, y’all.
More curry dinners you should definitely try next!
Watch this curry made step-by-step on Google web stories!
Red Thai Coconut Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in cubes (about 2 cups sweet potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Hot jasmine rice and additional cilantro/lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add onions and sweet potatoes to pan and let cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to get tender and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add ginger, garlic, curry paste, and turmeric. Let cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant and vegetables are evenly coated.
- Add coconut milk, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring curry to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer 20-25 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and sauce is thickened.
- Stir spinach, cilantro and lime juice into curry until spinach is wilted. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve curry warm over jasmine rice with additional cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy!
Heather says
Your recipe says to add broth in step 3, but it’s not listed in the ingredients.
Sarah says
Sorry for that typo, Heather! I’ve updated the recipe.
Virginia Coppola says
This was unbelievably delicious but you didn’t have spinach on the ingredient list so I forgot it. But my husband myself and a friend just had this for lunch as a soup it was so great we were just tasting it and we all had to have it. We are going to have it for dinner tonight with rice also I will add the spinach then.
Thank you amazing with or with out the spinach!!
Sarah says
Oh my goodness, so sorry about the spinach! I will update that in the recipe right away. So glad you enjoyed this curry though! 🙂
Jennifer Belvin says
If I used half of the curry, would it make it less hot.
Sarah says
Hi Jennifer. This curry isn’t very spicy to begin with, but if you’re worried about the heat level I would recommend starting with half the amount of curry paste and working your way up from there.
Chris says
Would this work without the tomatoes?
Sarah says
Hi Chris – yes, it would! You can also supplement with additional chickpeas or another vegetable if you want.
Elizabeth Trythall says
Making this right now for dinner (got a nice bounty of sweet potatoes from garden). It smells heavenly and of course I had to test it. So, tasty! I love spicy, so added a bit more curry.
Sarah says
Love to hear that, Elizabeth! Enjoy. 🙂
Kat says
The store was out of sweet potatoes when I went. I’m thinking about using canned yams instead because I am craaaaving this recipe (I’ve made it before!). What do u think?
Sarah says
Hi Kat! Canned sweet potatoes would probably work fine! I would recommend adding them when you add the spinach (so they don’t get too mushy) and cooking a few extra minutes to heat through.
Joy says
This was amazing!!!!! We make this all the time now
Sarah says
Wonderful to hear, Joy!
Haleigh says
Super yummy! Just made this for Supper
Sarah says
Hope you enjoyed! 🙂
Barbara says
Having this for the first time this evening. The kitchen smells amazing 😻
Sarah says
So happy to hear! Enjoy. 🙂
Belsea says
Prepared this last night to serve for dinner tonight! Figured curries always taste better the next day. 😉 I prepped it up to step #4, planning to add cilantro, spinach and lime tonight. In a rush this morning I didn’t have time to prep my work lunch so I put a big scoop in a thermos for lunch. Just ate it now and dang is that tasty! Can’t wait to finish it with the lime and greens + rice tonight. Thanks for a delicious, healthy and most importantly to a working mom with kids… an EASY-to-make recipe. Will for sure make again.
Sarah says
You are so welcome, Belsea! I’m thrilled to hear this curry was a success. 🙂
Lori Canner says
I could have licked the pot clean. I’m going to try to convert to instant Pot.
Sarah says
Fantastic to hear! Feel free to report back on how it goes cooking it in the instant pot. 🙂
Hayley says
Made this delicious dish this evening and it was a favourite by the whole family! Definitely will be making it again soon 🥰