Looking for a delicious and healthy dinner option? This easy sweet potato, chickpea, and spinach curry recipe is packed with flavour and nutrients. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
I love a sweet potato curry. We try to have meat-free meals every week, and sweet potato curries are very popular.
This is a Stew-like curry that’s packed with chunky veg. It’s super satisfying, easy and tasty!
It is, however, not an authentic curry. I’m a British mum. I cook like one.
If authentic is what you are after, try something else.
Why I Love Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry
This Sweet potato chickpea is lovely because:
- It’s a Delicious curry!
- It’s high in Vitamin C.
- Sweet potatoes are great for vegan or vegetarian dinners.
- It’s super quick and easy, which isn’t always the case with homemade curry.
- The sweetness and mild heat make it ideal for kids.
- There are lots of different textures, and spinach adds colour. It’s very appealing!
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Ingredients For Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry
When I make sweet potato and chickpea curry, I use:
Ghee – I make curry and naan bread a lot, so I have a big tin of ghee in my fridge. I wouldn’t buy it just for this recipe if you don’t. Use butter or even olive oil.
Brown Onion
Chilli Puree
Ginger Puree
Garlic Puree – You can use fresh instead if you prefer, but I love having purees ready to go. A teaspoon of chilli puree is about the same as a diced red chilli. A teaspoon of ginger is about 2cm of peeled and grated ginger, and a teaspoon of garlic puree is about 3 large cloves of garlic, but add more if you love the garlic!
Curry Powder – I use mild, but if you want some heat, hot is great. You could use garam masala instead if that’s what you’ve got.
Ground Coriander
Ground Cumin
Salt and Black Pepper
Chilli Flakes – These are optional but add a lovely bit of spice and a nice deep flavour.
Sweet Potatoes – 2 Large sweet potatoes, or 5-6 smaller ones.
Chickpeas – I add the water too.
Spinach – Baby Spinach is fine too.
Full Fat Coconut Milk – I find light coconut milk more likely to separate.
Chopped Tomatoes
You’ll Also Need
I make my curry in my large cast iron Dutch oven. But you can use any flameproof pan or dish. A large frying pan is fine.
Then you just need a spatula, sharp knife, chopping board and peeler.
How to Make Sweet Potato, Spinach and Chickpea Curry – Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into bitesize chunks. I aim for between 1 and 2 cm, but they certainly aren’t neat and even.
Step Two
Add the ghee to a large, non-stick, flameproof pan or dish and melt over medium heat.
Step Three
Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. I absolutely love the smell of onions cooking in ghee.
Step Four
Stir in the chilli, garlic and ginger.
Step Five
Add the curry powder, coriander and cumin.
Step Six
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step Seven
Add the sweet potatoes and chickpeas (with the water from the can – don’t drain!) Stir.
Step Eight
Pour in the coconut milk and tinned tomatoes. Fill one of the empty tins with water and add that too.
Step Nine
Stir together well.
Step Ten
Season with salt and pepper and chilli flakes if using.
Step Eleven
Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat if needed, to maintain a steady simmer.
Step Twelve
Cook for 30 minutes, until potatoes are soft and the sauce has thickened. If your sauce is still very water, mix a little cornflour with a splash of water (or, put the cornflour in a small bowl and spoon in some of the curry sauce to mix) and stir into the sauce, it will work quickly.
Step Thirteen
Add the spinach, stir in and cook until wilted, this will only take a few minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Sweet potato chickpea and spinach curry with coconut milk is perfect with white rice, or basmati rice and naan bread.
You might also want to offer lime wedges to cut through the light sweetness of the potatoes.
For a feast, add things like poppadoms, onion bhajis and samosas.
Just remember to check the sides if you want this to be a Vegan curry.
Variations
Sweet potato chickpea curry, to me, is perfect as it is. But, there are some changes that you can make.
Skip the Spinach
I love this as a Sweet potato spinach coconut curry with chickpeas. There’s a lot going on, but the flavours and textures complement each other really well.
I always think spinach adds some colour, as well as nutrition, making your plate more appealing.
But, it’s not essential, you could skip it.
Turn up the Heat
The pinch of chilli flakes (you might know them as red pepper flakes) means there’s a little spice, but it’s still a pretty mild curry.
For more spice, add more chilli flakes, use hot curry powder, or add some cayenne pepper.
Add Butternut Squash
I love butternut squash in curry, and especially with sweet potato. Using half sweet potato and half butternut squash is a great idea!
Make a sweet potato chickpea and spinach curry without coconut milk
Sweet potato and spinach curry with coconut milk is creamy and delicious. But, if you don’t like the taste you could try cream (or a vegan alternative) or stock if you don’t want the creamy flavour.
Leftovers
Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or on the hob. Just make sure the potatoes are piping hot before serving.
Storage
Store cooled curry leftovers in an Airtight container container in the fridge and use within 2 days.
I never find potatoes do well in the freezer, so don’t recommend this.
FAQ
You could try cream (or a plant-based alternative), yoghurt, plant-based milk, or stock if you don’t want the creamy flavour.
You can, I haven’t tried it in this particular curry though.
Simmer for longer, or mix cornflour with water and stir it into your sauce.
Other Recipes
If you like this recipe you might also want to try:
Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry
Equipment
- Large Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Ghee (or butter)
- 1 Brown Onion (diced)
- 2 Teaspoons Chilli Puree
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger Puree
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Puree
- 2 Tablespoons Curry Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- Pinch Salt and Pepper
- Pinch Red Chilli Flakes (optional)
- 1 Kg Sweet Potatoes (peeled and diced into bite-sized cubes)
- 400 g Chickpeas (undrained weight)
- 150 g Spinach
- 400 ml Coconut Milk
- 400 g Chopped Tomatoes
Instructions
- Add the ghee to a large, non-stick, flameproof pan or dish and melt over medium heat.
- Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the chilli, garlic and ginger.
- Add the curry powder, coriander and cumin.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the sweet potatoes and chickpeas (water from the tin too) and stir.
- Pour in the coconut milk and tinned tomatoes. Fill one of the empty tins with water and add that too.
- Stir together well.
- Season with salt and pepper and chilli flakes if using.
- Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat if needed, to maintain a steady simmer.
- Cook for 30 minutes, until potatoes are soft and the sauce has thickened.
- Add the spinach, stir in and cook until wilted.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
- I cook my curry in my cast iron Dutch Oven, but any large frying pan is fine.
- If the sauce is still very watery, mix 1-2 tablespoons of cornflour with a splash of water and pour into your curry. Stir well. It should work quickly.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
