Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach is an easy one-pot meal you can make for weeknight dinners and meal prep! It’s comforting, flexible, and loaded with flavor.
Craving more easy curry recipes? You’ll have to try my Thai Red Curry, Easy Vegan Curry, and Vegan Thai Green Curry recipes as well!
When you’re searching for winter comfort foods, you’ll typically stumble on hearty stews and creamy soups, but I’m a bigger fan of curry recipes. They’re the ultimate cozy meal, with warm spices, creamy sauces, and loads of seasonal veggies in every bite. It’s everything you need in a winter meal!
That’s why you’ll find this Easy Sweet Potato Curry Recipe on my dinner menu almost weekly when it’s cold outside. I can’t get enough of the hearty sweet potatoes and protein-packed chickpeas swimming in the aromatic and creamy red curry sauce! It also doesn’t hurt that it quickly comes together in one pan.
Just like my Butternut Squash Curry, you can quickly throw this red curry recipe together for a comforting family dinner or during your Sunday meal prep. It stays fresh and flavorful for days and even freezes well!
Why you need to try this sweet potato curry recipe
- A seasonal Thai-inspired curry recipe – Sweet potatoes give this Thai-inspired curry a fall and winter twist, while the spicy-ish curry sauce warms you up.
- Quick, easy, and made in one pan! This has to be one of the easiest fall dinner recipes. All you have to do is toss everything in a skillet, simmer until the potatoes are tender, then serve!
- Make it your own – Add more vegetables, swap the sweet potatoes for pumpkin, or tone down the heat. The ways to make this recipe your own are endless!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Vegetable oil
- Garlic and ginger
- Red curry paste – My favorite red curry paste is by Thai Kitchen because it’s vegan, full of flavor, and easy to find in most well-stocked grocery stores.
- Ground turmeric
- Sweet potatoes – The star of the curry! Use regular sweet potatoes, yams, or swap them for peeled and diced pumpkin or butternut squash to make a recipe that’s similar to my Butternut Squash Curry.
- Coconut milk – Use canned full-fat coconut milk to make the curry super creamy. You can substitute plain yogurt or cashew cream, or even some sort of vegan cream like Ripple brand half and half.
- Water – Or vegetable broth.
- Chickpeas – I like to use canned chickpeas for convenience, but freshly cooked chickpeas are delicious here, too. Or, instead of using chickpeas, make the curry with pre-cooked or canned green or brown lentils.
- Salt and pepper
- Spinach – For a hint of green in the curry. Kale works, too.
- Sugar – This is optional but balances the flavors very well.
- Lime juice
How to make sweet potato curry with chickpeas
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Start by sautéing the garlic and ginger in an oiled skillet over medium heat.
Stir in the red curry paste and turmeric to coat the aromatics, then pour in the coconut milk and water/broth. Stir to combine and use a wooden spoon to loosen any bits of food stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper to the curry.
Heat to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.
For deeper layers of flavor, roast the sweet potatoes (tossed in a little olive oil) in a 400ºF oven for 30 to 45 minutes, then add them to the curry with the chickpeas and only simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
To finish, stir the spinach, sugar, and lime juice into the curry and cook until the spinach is wilted.
Take the skillet off the heat and serve the curry right away over cooked basmati rice with cilantro or Thai basil on top. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
As with most curry recipes, you can add all kinds of different vegetables or plant proteins to make the recipe your own. Add fresh or frozen vegetables, swap the chickpeas for white beans, lentils, cauliflower florets, or broccoli florets, and/or add fried tofu cubes for extra protein.
Most red curry paste has a mild to medium level of heat, but it varies from brand to brand. In this recipe, most of the heat is tempered by the coconut milk, so you won’t set your mouth on fire.
If you’re still worried about it being too spicy, you can start with only 1 1/2 tablespoons of red curry paste, then gradually add more until you reach just the right amount of heat.
Don’t use yellow curry paste or green curry paste as a substitute. They will completely change the flavor profile! Instead, replace the red curry paste with 1 tablespoon of garam masala, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin. The flavor will be different but will complement the veggies and warm flavors well.
Wait for the curry to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store the leftovers in the fridge for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Curry
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste vegan friendly
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 15 ounce can chickpeas or lentils, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups baby spinach or kale
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
For Serving
- cooked rice
- chopped fresh cilantro or basil
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the red curry paste and turmeric, then pour in the coconut milk and water. Stir to combine and scrape any stuck bits from the bottom.
- To the pan, add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas or lentils, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
- Stir in the baby spinach, sugar and lime juice. Cook until the spinach is wilted, then remove from heat and serve over cooked rice with cilantro or basil.
Notes
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Any kind of sweet potato will work here, or yams. Pumpkin or squash would be a good substitute if you have it.
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If you don’t have red curry paste, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of garam masala, 2 teaspoons curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin. The flavor will be quite different.
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You can leave out the chickpeas/lentils if desired. Add some cauliflower florets or even broccoli, instead.
- Nutritional information is an estimate only and does not include rice.
