Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry

Hearty, rich, and bursting with warm and fragrant spices, this Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry with coconut milk is a satisfying and nutritious meal guaranteed to delight your taste buds! It’s ready in a few simple steps and 100% plant-based, making it a fantastic pick any night of the week.

Today we are making my favorite sweet potato chickpea curry! It’s warm, it’s bold, it’s hearty, and it’s beyond tasty. It’s also a fantastic way to work in more healthy plant-based meals.

When asked how to easily transition to a vegan lifestyle, I almost always recommend to work in more plant-based meals that you enjoyed before making the switch. Often, people note that curries fit in this category. They are very easily made dairy-free and without animal products, are satiating, and are within a familiar dietary repertoire.

This sweet potato curry is such a recipe. It’s incredibly tasty and a favorite with plant and meat eaters alike. It also doesn’t require any expensive or hard to find faux meat products, specialty foods, or half your paycheck, dispelling the myth that veganism is only for the affluent.

Possibly best of all, it’s ready in beginner-friendly steps, making it an accessible recipe for vegan or vegan-curious cooks of all abilities. Let’s dive in, shall we?!

Hungry for more tasty chickpea recipes? Try my Chickpea & Butternut Squash Tagine, Chickpea Tuna Salad, and Roasted Chickpeas.

Ingredients

Chickpeas: Grab two cans of these beans and drain and rinse them well. If desired, you can also cook dried chickpeas.

Sweet Potatoes: For sweetness, heartiness, and nutrition. You need just 1 medium sweet potato. I recommend Jewel or Garnett sweet potatoes with firm skin that are heavy for their size. Peel it and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Aromatics: Yellow onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger add warmth and nuttiness, laying a delicious foundation for the spices. If needed, you can use white onion. I recommend fresh minced garlic and ginger but bottled can substitute in a pinch.

Garam Masala: This fragrant, sweet, and full-bodied spice blend adds signature Indian curry flavor. I recommend using a high-quality brand if possible for the best chickpea and sweet potato curry.

Curry Powder: Made with turmeric base, curry powder gives this dish a earthy base.

Other Spices: Ground cumin, salt, and pepper enhance the curry seasonings.

Canned Tomatoes: One 14 oz can of diced tomatoes adds a natural, jammy sweetness to the vegan curry. If needed, you can also use 3 diced fresh tomatoes.

Coconut Milk: Adds richness and a creamy finish. I always recommend using full fat milk, though light works if needed.

Lime Juice & Cilantro: Fresh juice and shopped citrusy herbs garnish the vegan coconut curry, balancing the aromatics and spices.

How to Make Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry

• Sauté Aromatics. Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

• Add Spices. Add the garam masala, curry powder, and cumin to the pot. Do not stir it right away. Allow the spices to toast with the aromatics for 30 seconds before stirring.

• Cook Tomatoes. Add the diced tomatoes and stir. Cook for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and lost their shape.

• Add Vegetables. Stir in the chickpeas, coconut milk, sweet potato, salt, and pepper.

• Simmer. Stir the sweet potato and chickpea curry well and bring it to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. 

• Season and Serve. Add the lime juice (if using) and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the curry hot with brown rice or vegan naan and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips

• Preheat the skillet. Let it come to full heat over a medium flame before adding the aromatics to allow them to express their fragrant flavor.
• Don’t stir the spices. It will be tempting to do so, but the spices need to toast unbothered for about 30 seconds before stirring. This allows them to bloom and release their flavor as well. Bonus: your kitchen will smell amazing!
• Simmer covered. This traps in the moisture, tenderizing the sweet potatoes and chickpeas and making the sauce thick but scoopable. Stir the curry every 5-10 minutes as it simmers; if the sauce looks too thin on the final few stirs, remove the lid to let it thicken.

Recipe Variations

Adapt this sweet potato curry recipe to your own preferences, making any of the following swaps or additions:

• Spinach: Stir in 2-3 cups of chopped baby spinach in the last 5 minutes of simmering time to make chickpea spinach curry.
• Butternut Squash: Celebrate fall by using 2 cups diced and peeled butternut squash instead of sweet potato.
• Carrot: Swap all or part of the sweet potato with sliced carrots (orange or rainbow!) for a less sweet, more vegetal curry.

Serving Suggestions

Ladle the hot curry into large bowls, garnish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Make it a complete meal by serving it with any of these sides:

• Coconut Jasmine Rice
• Roasted Cauliflower Rice
• Air Fryer Broccolini
• Air Fryer Green Beans

Storage Directions

• Refrigerating: Leftover chickpea sweet potato curry keeps covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: Cool the leftovers to room temperature before transferring them to a freezer-safe container and freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost the curry overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat it on low heat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• Reheating: Warm the sweet potato coconut curry over low heat on the stovetop or on gentle heat in the microwave, stirring periodically until hot. If needed, add a splash of coconut milk or vegetable broth to reconstitute it.

More Curry Recipes

• Red Lentil Curry with Sweet Potatoes
• Thai Pumpkin Curry
• Vegan Thai Green Curry
• Sweet Potato Black-Eyed Pea Curry
• Curried Parsnip Soup

I hope you love this Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry recipe as much as I do. If you enjoyed it or any of the other recipes on this blog, please leave a rating and review!