Description
A rich and flavorful Coconut Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry combining hearty chickpeas, tender sweet potatoes, and creamy coconut milk simmered with aromatic spices. This vibrant and satisfying curry is perfect served over steamed white rice for a comforting vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, sliced into rounds with seeds
- 1 (2″) piece ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled
- 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2” cubes
- 1/2 lb. plum or roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus whole leaves for serving
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Pantry
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp. whole cumin seeds
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. curry powder
- 2 tsp. garam masala
- 2 tsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
- 1 (13.5-oz.) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tsp. dark brown sugar
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare aromatics: In a food processor, pulse the onion, jalapeño, ginger, and garlic until finely chopped, creating the flavorful base for the curry.
- Toast cumin and cook aromatics: Heat coconut oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and stir until toasted about 1 minute. Stir in the processed onion mixture with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture softens and starts to brown, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add spices and tomatoes: Stir in tomato paste, curry powder, garam masala, ground coriander, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste darkens slightly, about 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup water. Scrape any browned bits from the pot bottom and cook until tomatoes break down, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Simmer curry: Add sweet potatoes, chickpeas, coconut milk, dark brown sugar, and 1 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring halfway through, until potatoes begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue simmering until sweet potatoes are very tender and curry thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Finish curry: Remove pot from heat. Stir in coarsely chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice. Adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.
- Serve: Divide cooked white rice among bowls. Spoon the curry over the rice and garnish with whole cilantro leaves for freshness and color.
Notes
- For a spicier curry, keep jalapeño seeds in; for milder flavor, remove them.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for a rich and creamy texture.
- Sweet potatoes can be substituted with butternut squash for a different twist.
- Serve with naan or crusty bread as an alternative to rice.
- Leftover curry keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days or can be frozen for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Keywords: coconut chickpea curry, sweet potato curry, vegetarian curry, Indian-inspired recipe, coconut milk curry, plant-based dinner
