This vegan sweet potato curry is the ultimate comfort food. It’s hearty and satisfying and just insanely good. It’s also really easy to make.
This vegan sweet potato curry has got us pretty excited around these parts. The past week we’ve been testing it and then shooting it so we’ve been eating a lot of curry. And it’s been totally divine!
To say it’s delicious would be a serious understatement. It’s the kind of meal where you just can’t stop exclaiming about how good it is to everyone around you!
And it’s this delicious with remarkably little effort. In fact I’d say it’s downright easy to make this meal.
And if you love hearty and delicious curries, then you’ll also love our vegan massaman curry.
How To Make Vegan Sweet Potato Curry
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Add olive oil to a pot along with chopped onion, crushed garlic, minced ginger, red curry paste, cayenne pepper, paprika and turmeric and sauté until the onions are softened.
- Add peeled and chopped sweet potatoes and canned lentils and toss to mix in with the spices.
- Add chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Cover the pot and let it simmer until the sweet potatoes are fork tender (around 10-12 minutes).
- Add peanut butter and stir in until melted.
- Add fresh basil and stir in until wilted.
- Add coconut sugar for flavor balance and salt and pepper to taste.
- Your sweet potato curry is ready to serve.
Ingredient Notes
- Red curry paste – if you want your curry to be spicier then feel free to use more red curry paste. As it is this curry is very mild.
- Canned lentils – we used canned lentils in this recipe. If you don’t want to use canned lentils then the amount to use would be 1 and ½ cups of cooked lentils.
- Coconut milk – should be canned, full fat and unsweetened. You could use coconut cream if you wanted to make it even richer, or a light coconut milk if you wanted to make it lighter.
- Peanut butter – may seem a bit unusual, but trust me, it is SO delicious in this recipe! Of course you can omit it though if you prefer.
- Fresh basil – adds a dash of color as well as lovely fresh flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the curry topped with fresh basil and crushed peanuts. It’s great either on its own or over basmati rice, or if you’d like it a little lighter, then serve it over cauliflower rice.
Storing Instructions
Leftovers keep wonderfully well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
More Vegan Curry Recipes
- Vegan Massaman Curry
- Vegan Green Curry
- Vegan Potato Curry
- Vegan Coconut Curry
- Vegan Pumpkin Curry
- Butternut Squash Curry Bowls
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Sweet Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Minced Ginger
- 1 Tablespoon Red Curry Paste
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 4 Large Sweet Potatoes (2.6 pounds / 1200g) Peeled and Chopped
- 15 ounce Can Lentils (1 can) Drained, or 1 and ½ cups Cooked Lentils
- 14 ounces Canned Chopped Tomato (400g)
- ½ cup Vegetable Stock (120ml)
- 14 ounces Canned Coconut Milk (400ml) Full Fat, Unsweetened
- ¼ cup Peanut Butter (63g)
- 2 cups Fresh Basil (40g)
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar or Light Brown Sugar
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper To Taste
For Serving:
- Basmati Rice
- Fresh Basil
- Crushed Peanuts
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a pot along with the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, red curry paste, cayenne pepper, paprika and turmeric and sauté until the onions are softened.
- Add in the chopped sweet potatoes and lentils and toss to mix in with the spices.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Cover the pot and let it simmer until the sweet potatoes are fork tender (around 10-12 minutes).
- Add in the peanut butter and stir in until melted.
- Add in the fresh basil and stir in until wilted.
- Add the coconut sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over basmati rice and top with crushed peanuts and fresh basil.
Video
Notes
- Red curry paste – use more red curry paste if you want a spicier curry.
- Canned lentils – we used canned lentils in this recipe. If you don’t want to use canned lentils then the amount to use would be 1 and ½ cups of cooked lentils.
- Coconut milk – should be canned, full fat and unsweetened. You could use coconut cream if you wanted to make it even richer, or a light coconut milk if you wanted to make it lighter.
- Peanut butter – may seem a bit unusual, but trust me, it is SO delicious in this recipe! Of course you can omit it though if you prefer.
- Storing: Leftovers keep wonderfully well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
- Nutrition information is for curry only excludes rice.
Mike says
In the 80’s we danced in fields,
In the 90’s we danced on Boxes,
In the 00’s we danced watching the sun rise.
And here I am at 60 dancing to the beat of this recipe. “Damn Girl” this is seriously good….. “keep-um-comming”
Love (feeling older) Mike ????
Alison Andrews says
LOVE this comment Mike! 🙂
Michelle Wilcox says
Love it! Just made it again and I’m eating it out of the pot! The peanut butter really makes this dish. The lentils add to the thickness. Took about 15 minutes for the potatoes to cook. Taste it along the way and you’ll see how the peanut butter, sugar, and salt deepen the flavor.
Alison Andrews says
So glad you enjoyed it Michelle!
Kyra says
I have been making this recipe for almost 2 years now. I won’t try another sweet potato curry, because this really is the best. I just finished eating the last portion of the last batch that I made a few days ago, and I realised I had to leave a comment! I am not even a fan of sweet potatoes, but here, in this, I love it! Leftovers keep very well, the curry tastes even better the next day! I often leave out the basil if I haven’t got any, and generally put spinach or kale in at the end. I also leave out the sugar. Thank you for this! It is a true staple and absolute comfort!!
Alison Andrews says
That is so awesome, thanks so much Kyra!
Sarah Sanders says
Hi Alison,
I stumbled upon your site via Google about a month ago, I am so glad that I did! I am not a Vegan but enjoy Vegan food all the same. I made this Sweet potato Curry minus a few ingredients as I could not get some from the supermarket!
It is absolutely scrumdidlyicious! Make it every week now but my 8 year old son does not like the texture of the sweet potato so when I make it I decant sauce from the curry into King Prawns and he is happy! Tried also with Chicken but I can honestly say it’s better as Sweet potato Curry.
Thanks for sharing on your website and will make my way through many more of your recipes and have highly recommended to friends.
Thanks Alison.
Alison Andrews says
So glad you love the recipe Sarah! Thanks so much for the great review. 🙂
Cath says
I added thai basil instead of regular basil and it was AMAZING.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Cath!
Jamie Giles says
Do you cook the potatoes or put them in raw?
Alison Andrews says
Put them in raw.
Emma Pitt says
Delicious !!!!! The whole family love this very creamy , and wholesome x
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Emma!
Iris Yang says
This recipe was amazing! We had run out of peanut butter, so I made it without, but the curry was still so flavorful. Thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Wonderful! So happy to hear that Iris, thanks for the great review! 🙂
Ben says
Loved it! Just took the potato’s like 40 minutes to cook but other than that it was soo good!
Alison Andrews says
So glad it was a success! Thanks so much for posting! 🙂
Ruth says
10/10 recommend! The peanut butter at the end is so clutch – do not skip it!! I added cilantro and spinach at the same time as the basil, super super good!! And thank you for posting the approx weight of the potatoes. Your video encouraged me to cut large chunks and I’m super glad I did! Makes the curry so comforting whereas diced potatoes would surely get lost and smushed with everything. Thank you for a great recipe!!
Alison Andrews says
Thanks so much Ruth! 🙂
Cathryn says
I used dried red lentils instead of canned and added 5 sautéed plantains to the whole dish with half a lime (juice) at the end. Hubby loved it and called me a gourmet cook. Will definitely repeat this dish. Plantains were gorgeous in it.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Cathryn! 🙂
Mary Mitchell says
I plan on making this because it sounds delicious… do you think it would work to add other vegetables, for example carrots and broccoli?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Mary, yes definitely add other veg as you like. That would be awesome. 🙂
Mary Mitchell says
Thank you, I made the curry and it was a huge hit for my family, I will definitely be adding it to the recipe book!! This time I only added green beans, but I think next time I will experiment by loading it with more veggies!
Alison Andrews says
So happy to hear it was a success! Thanks for the wonderful review. 🙂
Kim Dearsley says
This is my second time making this, it’s absolutely delicious, easy to make and extremely nutritious. And everyone loves it. ????thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Kim! 🙂
Julie says
Loved it! Will do it again!!
Alison Andrews says
Fantastic! Thanks for the wonderful rating! 🙂
Lucy says
A gorgeous dish that the kids gobbled!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks for the great review Lucy. 🙂
Tory White says
Sooooooooo yummy!! I used chick peas vs lentils!! Thai Basil kicked it into delish-vile!!
Thank you for sharing!!!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Sounds delicious. Thanks so much for posting and the awesome rating. 🙂