This really easy Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry is so simple to make, made from scratch, without using ready-made, store bought pastes or sauces.
It will only take 40 minutes to prepare for a wonderfully fragrant, warming weekend lunch or weekday supper dish.
This naturally protein-rich vegan dish is a mild curry suitable for the whole family to enjoy. With healthy ingredients like ginger, garlic, turmeric and cumin that are brimming with phytochemicals and micronutrients.
This vegan curry contains chickpeas which are a great source of plant-based protein, making them an good choice for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
If you would prefer a spicier vegetable curry though, you can add in a finely diced, deseeded green chilli pepper to the pan with the other spices.
Or if you really like heat in your food, try a red chilli. There are many different varieties with varying degrees of heat, this article from Epicurious is a great place to start to make a considered decision!
Ingredients for Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry
- Sweet Potatoes, a great source of fibre.
- Red onions
- olive oil
- Garam Masala
- Turmeric
- Cumin seeds
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh ginger
- Sea salt
- Tin of plum or chopped tomatoes
- Tomato puree
- Tin of chickpeas
If Chickpeas aren't to your taste, you could substitute with a can of Black beans or Butter beans, keeping the protein element going in this dish.
How to make the Curry
- Peel the sweet potato and chop into half inch/12mm pieces.
- Par boil the sweet potatoes for 3-4 minutes in boiling water to soften a little.
- Peel and finely chop the red onions.
- Saute the onions in a the olive oil gently until soft, do not allow to brown or caramelize.
- Add the garam masala, cumin seeds, turmeric, sea salt, minced garlic and grated ginger to the red onions and cook gently for another 2 minutes to release the flavours.
- Add the Tomato paste and Plum Tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes if you prefer) plus ½ cup/125 ml of water. Stir well.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and add to the pan.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the pan.
- Stir into the onion/tomato mixture to coat both fully.
- Place a lid on the pan and allow the curry to further cook for around 20-25 minutes on a low heat. The sweet potatoes and chickpeas will absorb all the flavours and soften further.
- Stir well half way through cooking. If the sauce is reducing too fast, add more water if necessary and stir in well again.
- Adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Serve with your favourite accompaniments, see below for some suggestions.
What is Garam Masala?
Garam Masala is a fragrant blend of ground aromatic, warming spices typically used in Indian dishes.
Whole spices are toasted in a pan to release their aromatic flavours, the spices are then ground to a powder.
Garam Masala commonly contains a blend of some or all of these. Coriander seed, Turmeric, Cumin, Black Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardomom pods, Fennel seeds, Mace, Bay leaves.
Buy or even make your own personal blend to suit your own preferences. The quantities and combinations that are possible are seemingly endless!
What should I serve with my sweet potato curry?
- Roti/Flatbreads - these are light, unleavened (e.g. no yeast) flatbreads. We make our own with either self-raising flour or oat flour and yoghurt. These can be brushed with garlic butter before frying for extra flavour. Add seeds for extra nutrition and texture.
- Naan bread - these are leavened flatbreads made with yeast, heavier than Roti and a bread that can have a filling.
- Poppadoms, thin, crisp, round flatbreads made with chickpea (gram) flour. They are typically seasoned with additions such as cumin or fennel seeds, chilli flakes, etc. These can be fried in a pan or deep-fried.
- Our favourite Mango Pickle to spice up individual portions.
- A crisp, lightly dressed Tomato and Red onion salad sprinkled with herbs of your choice.
- Basmati rice - this is our preferred rice to serve with a curry, but long-grain, brown short-grain, etc are all good, choose your favourite.
- Cauliflower rice - a carb-free alternative to rice.
- Quinoa - protein-rich and another great alternative to rice.
Why is Basmati rice good for you?
It is gluten-free and low in fat. It also contains all eight essential amino acids and folic acid. Basmati rice is low to medium on the glycemic index. It releases its energy slowly keeping blood sugar more steady.
Wholegrain is preferred but both wholegrain and white Basmati rice contain resistant starch which has a pre-biotic effect, increasing the number of friendly bacteria which is important for gut health.
Can I make this Curry in advance?
I am a great advocate for prepping meals in advance wherever possible. We're all busy and tasks like pre-chopping vegetables and refrigerating overnight will save so much time when you are ready to cook.
But this is also a great curry to make totally in advance and it will reheat well too.
Just make the sweet potato and chickpea curry in it's entirety, then quickly cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Reheat in a pan over a medium heat or in the microwave until it is piping hot. If you need to loosen up the sauce again, just add a splash of water to it whilst reheating and stir in well.
Can I freeze this sweet potato curry?
If you have any leftovers, they can be successfully frozen. Just cool the curry and freeze it in a suitable airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat as per the instructions above.
Nutritional Info Links:
Easy Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 1 pound 3 ounces weet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 medium red onions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 14 ounces canned plum or chopped tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree
- 14 ounces chickpeas
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potato and chop into half inch pieces.
- Par boil the sweet potatoes for 3-4 minutes in boiling water to soften a little.
- Peel and finely chop the red onions.
- Saute the onions in a the olive oil gently until soft, do not allow to brown or caramelize.
- Add the garam masala, cumin seeds, turmeric, sea salt, minced garlic and grated ginger to the red onions and cook gently for another 2 minutes to release the flavours.
- Add the Tomato paste and Plum Tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes if you prefer) plus ½ cup of water. Stir well.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and add to the pan.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the pan.
- Stir into the onion/tomato mixture to coat both fully.
- Place a lid on the pan and allow the curry to further cook for around 20-25 minutes on a low heat. The sweet potatoes and chickpeas will absorb all the flavours and soften further.
- Stir well half way through cooking. If the sauce is reducing too fast, add more water if necessary and stir in well again.
- Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Recipe Notes
*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.
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