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Home > Asian Recipes > Thai Sweet Potato Curry

Thai Sweet Potato Curry

Last updated October 16, 2020. Originally posted October 16, 2020 By Jyothi Rajesh 13 Comments

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sweet potato chickpea curry in pot with text
Thai sweet potato chickpea curry with rice in ceramic bowl with text
close up of thai curry with sweet potatoes and chickpeas cooked in pot with text
Thai sweet potato chickpea curry with rice in ceramic bowl with text
sweet potato chickpea curry in pot with text

Thai sweet potato curry is worth making. It’s amazingly quick and easy, made in one pot with few ingredients. It’s packed with robust flavors and tastes and smells soo good!

close up of thai curry with sweet potatoes and chickpeas cooked in pot

Worth Trying Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry

  • This Thai sweet potato curry is worth making! Tastes so so good!
  • To make this curry, you’ll need few ingredients only.
  • Amazingly quick and easy to make.
  • This warming Thai curry is creamy, hearty, rich, flavorful, filling and comfort meal.
  • It’s nutritious and too good!
  • This curry is great for make ahead meals and meal preps. It stores well, you can make ahead and freeze it.
  • A one pot meal that will transform you to flavor heaven.
  • Very versatile recipe. You can add in any vegetables of your choice to the sweet potato curry. Feel free to use anything – chickpeas, baby spinach, regular spinach, kale, lentils, bell peppers.
  • For convenience I’ve used store bought Thai red curry paste. You have the choice to make your own curry paste and use in the recipe if you have time. Don’t have to stick to rec curry paste, yellow, green Thai curry paste will work too.
  • And of course like any other curry, this Thai curry is packed with robust flavors.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Below photo lists all the ingredients you’ll need for this sweet potato curry.

all ingredients for Thai sweet potato curry on white board

Shallots – if you want authentic Thai flavors use shallots. Regular onions will work too in case you don’t have shallots (I used regular onion)

Ginger – Garlic – fresh ginger and garlic minced fine to give the Asian flavors. Please do not substitute fresh ginger garlic with powders. It won’t give the same flavor.

Thai Bird’s Eye Chili (optional) – Thai curry paste does have certain amount of kick in it. For added/extra kick consider using 1 or 2 Thai bird’s eye chili. Please use chili with caution. If you can’t handle heat well, please skip it. And if you like kick, use chilies with seeds on it.

Vegetables (of your choice) – I have used chickpeas (canned or cooked in instant pot) and baby spinach for the curry. You can substitute chickpeas with brown or red lentils, and any vegetables can be picked – bell peppers, kale.

Coconut Oil – cooking curry in coconut oil enhances the flavors and gives you authentic Thai curry flavors. If you aren’t a fan of coconut oil, use vegetable oil or canola oil.

Coconut Cream – recommend you to use full fat cream for rich and creamy curry.

Broth (or water) – not shown in photo. Use vegetable broth or water along with coconut milk (coconut cream) to cook vegetables.

Fish Sauce (vegetarian/vegan skip it) – a quick splash of fish sauce in the ends for that “So Thai “ flavors.

Toasted Peanuts(crushed) – toasted peanuts sprinkled on top before servings transports you to Thailand.

Cilantro – Yes! Asian dishes definitely needs cilantro garnish. Not a cilantro fan? Skip it or use parsley (though it won’t be authentic Asian per se)

How To Make Thai Sweet Potato Curry Recipe (With Step By Step Pictures)

sweet potato curry step by step picture collage

Scrub and rinse sweet potato. Peel skin off and chop into 1 inch cubes.

  • Heat oil over medium heat. Fry sliced shallots(onion) in oil until soft.
  • Add fresh ginger and garlic mince to the pot and cook until fragrant. Will take 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let ginger-garlic brown.
  • If using Thai red chilies, add it to the pot now. Give a quick mix.
  • Fry Thai red curry paste fry until oil separates from the sides of the pan. Jo’s Tip: fry curry paste well in oil. It will release all the flavors and enhance the taste. Do not hurry up on this stage.
  • Once curry paste is cooked, add in diced sweet potatoes and chickpeas(canned or cooked at home).  Stir to coat with curry paste until well combined.
  • Pour coconut cream and water (or vegetable broth) stir.
sweet potato curry step by step picture collage
  • Cover partially and let it simmer on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until sweet potato is tender and cooked and curry has thickened. Stir the curry occasionally.
  • Stir in baby spinach until wilted. Will take a  minute or two only. Don’t over cook spinach. You can switch off heat and then add spinach.
  • Remove pan from heat.
  • Stir in juice of lime, fish sauce, half of toasted and crushed peanuts and half of cilantro to curry. Give one final stir.
  • Serve hot with rice and cucumber salad on the side.
  • Garnish remaining toasted crushed peanuts and cilantro before serving.

Brief Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Freeze This Curry?

Yes. This curry is great for make ahead meals and meal preps. It stores well, you can make ahead and freeze it.

How To Make This Curry Vegan/Vegetarian?

To make it vegetarian or vegan, skip fish sauce.

Can I Use Other Vegetables?

Absolutely you can. This curry is versatile recipe. You can add in any vegetables of your choice to the sweet potato curry. Feel free to use anything – for protein: chickpeas, red lentils, brown lentils. Vegetables: use any of these – baby spinach, regular spinach, kale, bell peppers.

Can I Skip Chickpeas?

Sure you can. If you want to include in protein, consider adding lentils instead of chickpeas or leave it out completely.

Can I Use Any Other Greens?

Absolutely. Baby spinach is great. Chopped regular spinach, kale can also be used.

Do I Use Only Red Curry Paste?

No. Feel free to use any yellow, red or even green curry paste. The color of the curry will be pale if you use green curry paste.

Infact try a mix of yellow and red curry paste. Curry turns out amazing!

Can I Use Low Fat Coconut Milk?

It can be used, but the sauce won’t be rich, creamy and have a good coconut flavor. And will be thinner. I highly recommend you use full cream coconut milk (or coconut cream). Full fat is best for flavor, fat is where the flavor is.

sweet potato curry with rice in blue ceramic bowl

Tips For Sweet Potato Coconut Curry

  1. Take my advise, fry curry paste (homemade or bottled stuff) in oil first before adding in the liquids. This will release all flavors in the curry paste and enhance the taste of the curry.
  • Canned chickpeas is convenient. But have you tried cooking chickpeas ? You don’t even have to soak chickpeas overnight, cook directly in instant pot.
  • I highly recommend you use full cream coconut milk (or coconut cream). Full fat is best for flavor, fat is where the flavor is.
  • To cook vegetable, mix coconut milk and broth (or water) on low flame so the fat in coconut milk doesn’t split.
  • Add juice of lime and fish sauce after removing the pot from heat.
Thai sweet potato curry with long grain rice in ceramic bowl

MORE THAI INSPIRED RECIPES:

Chicken Panang Curry

Butternut Squash Curry

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Shrimp Pad Thai

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

DON’T MISS ON THESE SWEET POTATO SIDES:

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Hash With Breakfast Sausages & Eggs

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

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close up of thai curry with sweet potatoes and chickpeas in ceramic bowl
close up of thai curry with sweet potatoes and chickpeas cooked in pot
5 from 9 votes

Thai Sweet Potato Curry

Jyothi Rajesh
Thai sweet potato curry is worth making. It’s amazingly quick and easy, made in one pot with few ingredients. It’s packed with robust flavors and tastes and smells soo good!
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, mains
Cuisine Thai
Servings 6 servings
Calories 388

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 shallots sliced thin
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 inch ginger finely chopped
  • 1 or 2 Thai bird’s eye chili optional
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained (use ½ cup homemade chickpeas)
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 3 tablespoon Thai red curry paste homemade or store bought
  • 1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk
  • ½ cup vegetable broth or water
  • Salt to taste
  • Ground pepper to taste
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon fish sauce adjust according to your palate
  • ½ cup toasted peanuts crushed or chopped
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions
 

  • Scrub and rinse sweet potato. Peel skin off and chop into 1 inch cubes.
  • Heat oil over medium heat. Fry sliced shallots(onion) in oil until soft.
  • Add fresh ginger and garlic mince to the pot and cook until fragrant. Will take 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let ginger-garlic brown.
  • If using Thai red chilies, add it to the pot now. Give a quick mix.
  • Fry Thai red curry paste fry until oil separates from the sides of the pan.
    Jo’s Tip: fry curry paste well in oil. It will release all the flavors and enhance the taste. Do not hurry up on this stage.
  • Once curry paste is cooked, add in diced sweet potatoes and canned (or instant pot chickpeas). Stir to coat with curry paste until well combined.
  • Pour coconut cream and water (or vegetable broth) stir. Cover partially and let it simmer on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until sweet potato is tender and cooked and curry has thickened. Stir the curry occasionally.
  • Stir in baby spinach until wilted. Will take a minute or two only. Don’t over cook spinach. You can switch off heat and then add spinach.
  • Remove pan from heat.
  • Stir in juice of lime, fish sauce, half of toasted and crushed peanuts and half of cilantro to curry. Give one final stir.
  • Serve hot with rice and cucumber salad on the side.
  • Garnish remaining toasted crushed peanuts and cilantro before serving.

Video

Notes

  1. Take my advise, fry curry paste (homemade or bottled stuff) in oil first before adding in the liquids. This will release all flavors in the curry paste and enhance the taste of the curry.
  2. Canned chickpeas is convenient. But have you tried cooking chickpeas at home? You don’t even have to soak chickpeas overnight, cook directly in instant pot.
  3. I highly recommend you use full cream coconut milk (or coconut cream). Full fat is best for flavor, fat is where the flavor is.
  4. To cook vegetable, mix coconut milk and broth (or water) on low flame so the fat in coconut milk doesn’t split.
  5. Add juice of lime and fish sauce after removing the pot from heat.
 
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 10gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 17gSodium: 477mgPotassium: 727mgFiber: 8gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 13418IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 5mg
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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Natalie says

    December 07, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    5 stars
    This curry looks so delicious. So perfect for cold winter days. I never used sweet potatoes to make curry. Thanks for the lovely idea. I bet my family will like this for dinner.

    Reply
  2. Sam says

    December 07, 2020 at 11:53 am

    This curry looks and sounds amazing. I love sweet potatoes and Thai flavours so I am very excited to try this.

    Reply
  3. Tara says

    December 06, 2020 at 10:39 am

    5 stars
    This looks so inviting! Can’t wait to give it a try. I know my family will love it, especially with the cooler weather!

    Reply
  4. Cindy says

    December 05, 2020 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    The sweet potato and thai chili flavor combination is really good. This dish is so comforting, I couldn’t stop getting seconds and plan on making this for meal prep next week!

    Reply
    • Neha says

      December 07, 2020 at 9:12 am

      My mouth is literally watering lookin at this curry! I am loving the addition of fish sauce. Paired with rice it looks so comforting and is making me so damn hungry!

      Reply
  5. Kathryn Donangelo says

    December 04, 2020 at 9:59 pm

    5 stars
    Yum what a great combination of sweet potatoes and curry! We loved this and served it with rice. Made a perfect side dish, thank you!

    Reply
    • Raksha says

      June 16, 2021 at 11:29 pm

      5 stars
      Is there a vegetarian substitute for fish sauce?

      Reply
      • Jyothi Rajesh says

        June 17, 2021 at 5:28 pm

        You can try substituting with soy sauce. Yes they are totally different sauces and may vary in taste, but that’s the best substitute you can use for fish sauce.

  6. Jane Saunders says

    December 04, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    5 stars
    I love your use of Thai ingredients with the sweet potato. Despite its sweetness, I do think sweet potato holds up well to bold, savoury flavours, so I’m pleased to have discovered this unique Thai curry recipe.

    Reply
  7. Chef Dennis says

    December 02, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    5 stars
    I am looking forward on making this Thai Sweet Potato Curry soon! My wife will surely love this recipe so much.

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      December 02, 2020 at 7:22 pm

      Hope you’ll like it Denis

      Reply
  8. Valerie Skinner says

    December 01, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    5 stars
    I love how sweet potatoes balance out the flavors of this curry. Perfect for a weeknight dinner with plenty of leftovers!

    Reply
  9. Gloria says

    November 30, 2020 at 10:06 pm

    5 stars
    Nothing beats a great curry, especially during comfort food season. I would love to wrap my hands around a warm bowl of this today. The weather here is rainy and cold. This would make a great dinner tonight.

    Reply

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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