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This Sweet Potato Curry is served over Basil Jasmine Rice and filled with tender sweet potatoes, creamy coconut milk, a variety of fresh herbs, and a rainbow of additional veggies. Perfect for weeknight dinners and comforting lunches. Plus, it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
It’s no secret that we love curries. They’re wholesome, comforting, easy to make, and based around budget-friendly ingredients like rice, potatoes, lentils, frozen vegetables, and tofu.
If you’ve tried our Vegan Coconut Curry with Apples, Coconut Bean Sprout Curry, and our Vegetable Coconut Curry, you’re going to love this sweet potato and veggie version!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Curry
- Made with simple ingredients. Every ingredient in this delicious curry can easily be found in grocery stores. And on the off chance they aren’t available to you, there are many possible customizations to make this recipe work for you.
- Can be made oil-free. If you follow an oil-free diet, the vegetables and aromatics in this curry can be sautéed in water or vegetable broth instead of oil.
- Perfect for meal prep. This hearty curry is packed with tons of nutrition and is served over fluffy jasmine rice to make a well-balanced meal.
- Easy enough for weeknight dinner. Curry comes together in 30 minutes or less (rice included)!
The Ingredients
The Curry Sauce
- Aromatics: You’ll need a simple combination of onion/shallots, garlic cloves, fresh ginger, and hot chilis. This will create a flavorful, complex foundation to the base of the curry sauce and is key for rich umami-flavor.
- Coconut milk: The most common coconut milk used in curries is a can of full-fat coconut milk. Light coconut milk will work in a pinch, but won’t be as flavorful.
- Rice vinegar: Adds acidity that balances the creaminess and richness in the coconut milk.
- Agave: Any liquid sweetener of choice will work, but agave is our go-to choice because it’s mild and neutral in flavor. Maple syrup or brown sugar will also work.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is best. If you’re out, replace the lime with additional rice vinegar.
- Soy sauce: Adds saltiness and umami flavor to the dish. We used full-sodium but if you are sensitive to sodium use low-sodium and season with additional sea salt to taste.
- Tahini: Adds additional creaminess and nuttiness that enhances the flavors in the curry.
The Veggies
Below are the veggies we like to include in our curry. Use these ingredients as a guide and feel free to switch up the ingredients based on your produce on hand and personal taste buds.
- Sweet potatoes: Fresh or frozen sweet potatoes will work. You can also use chopped butternut squash or pumpkin, too.
- Mushrooms: Any mushrooms will work. Cremini or button mushrooms are our favorite.
- Green onions: Adds an additional mild onion flavor. Chives are a great alternative.
- Cabbage: Thinly sliced cabbage adds texture to the curry. Both red cabbage and green cabbage work well.
- Fresh herbs: We use a combination of chopped fresh basil and fresh cilantro. Use your favorite fresh herbs.
Possible Add-ins
- Add protein: Stir in a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas, cooked red lentils, cubed tofu or tempeh.
- Alternate veggies: Green peas, fresh greens, bell peppers, cauliflower florets, chopped carrots, and green beans would all be delicious.
- Make it spicy: As is, this sweet potato curry recipe is not overtly spicy. If you prefer a spicy curry, increase the hot chili measurement and/or garnish with red pepper flakes to taste.
How to Make Sweet Potato Curry
- 1) First, cook the basil jasmine rice. Combine the water and rice in a medium sauce pan and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook for 10-20 minutes, or until fluffy. When done, stir in a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 cup of fresh basil. Set aside.
- 2) While the rice cooks, begin to prepare the curry. In a separate large skillet over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of coconut oil (if using). Once warm, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili and sauté until softened and browned.
- 3) Add in the sweet potato and mushrooms and stir to coat. Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mushrooms start to shrink and have released some of their liquid. Once browned, add the coconut milk, cabbage, and green onions. Cook with the lid on for 3-4 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened.
- 4) Stir in the remaining curry ingredients and stir well, adding additional seasonings to taste.
- 5) Serve the creamy sauce over the cooked basil jasmine rice and finish with toasted sesame seeds, a drizzle of tahini, and lime wedges, if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
This curry is gluten-free when made with gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Every other ingredient in the dish, including the jasmine rice, is naturally gluten-free.
Yes, this vegan curry can be frozen for meal prep or later consumption. To freeze, allow the curry to cool completely to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container, such as a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Seal tightly, removing as much excess air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Spoon the curry onto a tortilla with additional fresh herbs and turn into a curry wrap. Or, serve over pasta or noodles for a twist on this rice dish – use this Creamy Curry Pasta as inspiration!
I have not tested a pressure cooker version of this curry. It may not work well with this particular recipe because the only liquid in the recipe is coconut milk and coconut milk tends to curdle when cooked under high pressure. If you’re interested in a well tested plant-based instant pot recipe, you might enjoy this Roasted Red Bell Pepper Chili.
Top Recipe Tips
- Leave the skin on the sweet potato! The skins are packed with nutrition including potassium, iron, and antioxidants. Just give them a good scrub and chop them with the skin on.
- Adjust the spices to taste. Prefer a spicier curry? Increase the chopped ginger and hot chilis. Prefer a creamier curry? Increase the coconut milk and tahini. Prefer a saltier curry? Increase the soy sauce.
- Use full-fat coconut milk. For the creamiest, most flavorful curry, full-fat coconut milk is the best can of coconut milk to use.
Serving Suggestions
We of course love serving this sweet potato curry over the fluffy jasmine rice, but it’s also delicious served over any whole grain of choice, including quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a lighter option.
Sweet potato curry also pairs with easy sides such as Roasted Butternut Squash, Spiced Roasted Okra, Broccoli and Onion Pakora, and Vegan Malai Kofta (Potato Dumplings in Spiced Tomato Sauce).
Storage Instructions
To store: Leftover curry will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days and can be stored with or separately from the jasmine rice. Before covering and refrigerating, allow the curry to cool completely to room temperature.
To reheat: This curry will reheat best in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan until warmed through.
More Vegan Curry Recipes
- Easy Tofu Vegetable Coconut Curry
- Brussels Sprouts Curry
- Cauliflower and Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi)
- Perfect Potato and Pea Coconut Curry
- Cauliflower Sweet Potato Mushroom Curry
- Coconut Bean Sprout Curry
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Sweet Potato Curry with Basil Jasmine Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups of jasmine rice + 3.5 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ cup of fresh basil, chopped
- 1 medium onion or 2 shallots, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 inch of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 small hot chili, finely chopped, or to taste
- 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
- ¼ pound of sliced crimini or button mushrooms
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can of coconut milk
- 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
- 1 cup of thinly sliced red cabbage
- ½ cup of chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of agave or sweetener of choice
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice (or leave out and increase vinegar)
- 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- ¼ cup of tahini
- 1 teaspoon of salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- ¼ cup of toasted sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- Begin by setting your rice to cook, combine water and rice in medium sauce pan and let come to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook covered for 10-20 minutes (depending on rice) until fluffy. When done stir in a ¼ teaspoon of salt and a ¼ cup fresh basil.
- While rice is cooking, sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and chili over medium heat in a tablespoon of medium high heat oil. Let everything soften and brown, without burning.
- Add sweet potato and mushrooms and stir to coat. Cover pan and let cook for 2-3 minutes until mushrooms start to shrink and have released some of their liquid. They should be browning a bit. Add coconut milk, cabbage, green onions and cook with lid on for 3-4 minutes more until cabbage has softened.
- Stir in remaining ingredients, basil through black pepper, stir well and season to taste.
- Serve over cooked basil rice and top with toasted sesame seeds and drizzled with additional tahini if desired. Enjoy!
We love sweet potatoes and this dish is so flavorful, healthful, and colorful! This will be on our Thanksgiving table this year!
This curry dish is sooo good!