This hearty sweet potato curry is easy to make and packed with plant protein from chickpeas and a nutty garlicky flavor from peanut butter and loads of veggies! This is the easy vegan comfort dinner recipe to keep you warm all winter long!

bowl of sweet potato curry with lime wedge

Why you’ll love this sweet potato curry:

If you’re looking for cozy comfort food to keep you warm and content, then this deliciously rich and hearty sweet potato curry is a must for your weekly rotation.

It’s quite literally my family’s favorite dinner recipe, and my favorite to make because not only is packed with nutrients and healthy plant protein, but it’s also packed with flavor that the sweet potatoes and chickpeas just soak up so well!

This sweet potato curry is thick and creamy, and full of savory veggies, chickpeas, and deliciously soft chunks of sweet potato- all with notes of nutty peanut butter that pair so well with Thai red curry paste and a squeeze of fresh lime juice! 

close up of sweet potato curry

And guess what? This curry is naturally dairy-free and vegan- yet you’d never know. 

Like my sweet potato lentil salad, this sweet potato curry comes together so easily and quickly too- it’s great for beginner cooks or anyone starting their plant-based/vegan journey because it uses pantry staples, and it’s a dish that everyone can enjoy- not just the veg-heads 😉 

The key is chopping the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes, as that’s what helps all of the flavors evenly simmer into the sweet potato and the curry to thicken nicely, very similarly to a vegetable stew!

Now, this sweet potato curry is more Thai-inspired (more on that below!), and I actually got my main inspiration from A Couple Cooks’ recipe with the idea of using peanut butter! 

Serve with a side of white rice or basmati rice, or even some naan bread for a comforting weeknight dinner or even date night dish!

The key ingredient to this sweet potato curry recipe:

As I mentioned above, this is more of a Thai-inspired curry than an Indian-inspired, and that’s because we’re using curry paste (which is traditionally found in Thai-based curries). 

Curry paste adds a really robust flavor of spices that, when soaked up by the sweet potatoes and thickened with coconut milk, really make this sweet potato curry stand out. 

I personally love it more than using curry powder for this recipe, but curry powder is also really lovely in more Indian-inspired curries! Both usually have turmeric, but curry powder usually contains the black pepper and cumin as well, whereas paste usually contains lemongrass and garlic. 

sweet potato curry in a pot

Ingredients & Substitutions:

  • Sweet potatoes: I used orange sweet potatoes here, but if you don’t have sweet potatoes on hand, you can also use butternut squash!
  • Carrots & celery: Feel free to add in chopped bell pepper as well!
  • Onion & garlic: We’ll start off sautéing the garlic and onion together for flavor.
  • Coconut milk: You can use light coconut milk if you’d prefer, but full fat coconut milk is recommended for a super thick and creamy rich sweet potato chickpea curry!
  • Red curry paste: I love a bit of spice, and Thai curries tend to be on the spicier side. However, you can also use a green curry paste for a bit less heat. I love Mike’s Organic Curry Pastes, they have great variety. 
  • Veggie broth: I love to make my own vegetable broth, which is so easy, and then can be used for more soups later on! However, you can also just use water, and add a touch of salt to taste.
  • Peanut butter: If you’re nut-free, you can omit the peanut butter!
  • Chickpeas: This is the source of protein in this dish; however, if you’d like you can use tofu, which is definitely more of a Thai-inspired curry ingredient!
  • Kale: You can also add in spinach instead.
close up of sweet potato curry in a bowl

Overview: Step-by-step how to make sweet potato curry:

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

sautéing the onions and garlic in a pot
We’ll start by sautéing the onions and garlic together in a pot with the coconut oil.
sautéing the carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes in the pot now.
Then add in the carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes, sautéing for a few minutes, then covering to cook on low heat until just starting to soften.
red curry paste and peanut butter mixed together
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, mix together the Thai red curry paste and peanut butter with a touch of water or broth.
all the ingredients for sweet potato curry in a pot before cooking
Then add in the chickpeas, coconut milk, remaining broth, and the curry peanut butter paste, along with the spices, and stir to combine. Then cover to cook for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
thickened sweet potato curry after cooking
The sauce will thicken and the curry will look nice and creamy! Add in the kale or spinach here, and cover to cook for a few more minutes until wilted.
sweet potato curry served with white rice in a bowl
Then serve with rice, lime juice, and herbs on top!

Can I meal prep this curry recipe?

Yes, you can! This sweet potato curry is the perfect recipe for meal prep, as it makes so much (6 full servings!).

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days.

close up of sweet potato curry with a spoon

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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bowl of sweet potato curry with lime wedge

Easy Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas & Kale

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Thai
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This hearty sweet potato curry is easy to make and packed with plant protein from chickpeas and a nutty garlicky flavor from peanut butter and loads of veggies! This is the easy vegan comfort dinner recipe to keep you warm all winter long!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 6–7 garlic cloves
  • 1 onion
  • 3 large carrots
  • 1 head of celery
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes or 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 15 ounces chickpeas
  • 1 15-ounce can full fat coconut milk
  • 2–3 cups (480–720 mL)  low sodium vegetable broth or water
  • 3 tbsp red or green curry paste, depending on
  • 4 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 cup chopped kale

Optional toppings:

  • Lime juice
  • Fresh cilantro or parsley
  • Cashew cream
  • Chopped peanuts

Instructions

  1. Prep: First start by prepping all of the veggies. Mince the garlic, chop the onion, peel and chop the carrots, chop the celery, and chop the sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Make sure the chickpeas are drained and rinsed as well.
  2. Cook the garlic & onion: Heat the coconut oil in a large pot on medium heat via the stovetop. Add the minced garlic, and sauté until lightly fragrant. Then add in the onion, and continue cooking the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent.
  3. Cook the carrots, celery, & sweet potato: Once cooked, add in the carrots, celery, and sweet potato. Saute the veggies on medium for 3-5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low, and cover to cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Make the paste: While the veggies are cooking, we’ll make our peanut butter curry paste. Add about 1/4 cup of coconut milk to a bowl, along with the curry paste and peanut butter. Mix until combined and it’s formed one thick paste.
  5. Finish the curry: Remove the cover on the pot, and pour in the remaining coconut milk, water or veggie broth, peanut butter curry paste, chickpeas, ground ginger, and cumin. Stir to combine, making sure that the curry paste is completely mixed in. You can add in sea salt to taste if desired. Keep the heat on low, and cover again. Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and fork tender.
  6. Add in the kale: 10 minutes before serving, stir in the kale, and cover to cook.
  7. Serve and enjoy! Once thickened, serve the curry over rice, and top with chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Equipment

Notes

See blog post for all tips & tricks!