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In the cooler months this Sweet Potato Lentil Curry will warm you up. Sweet potatoes, vegetables and lentils are simmered in broth, coconut milk, warm spices, and finished off with fresh herbs. This is an easy curry dish to make and perfect for a weeknight meal with a salad and naan bread.
The secret to this Sweet Potato Lentil Curry’s thick, creamy texture isn’t cream, it’s the red lentils. They break down as they simmer and essentially melt into the sauce, creating that rich consistency. Pair that with tender sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and warm spices, and you’ve got a one-pan dinner that tastes like it took far longer than 45 minutes. Here’s what you should know before you start cooking: red lentils don’t need soaking, they cook in about 20 minutes, and unlike brown or green lentils, they break down completely as they simmer, which is exactly what gives this curry its body. No blending, no cream, no extra steps.
This Sweet Potato Lentil Curry has become one of my most-made fall and winter dinners. I love it because it comes together in one pan, uses mostly pantry staples, and reheats beautifully, which means it’s just as good on Thursday as it is on Monday. The sweet potato adds a natural sweetness that balances the warm spices, and the coconut milk rounds everything out into something that feels genuinely comforting without being heavy. Serve it over rice or quinoa with a piece ofEasy Homemade Naan on the side and you have a full dinner that the whole family will ask for again.
Why We Love this Sweet Potato Curry
This Sweet Potato Curry is packed with flavor and the perfect plant-based meal. Here is why we love it:
• Easy to make: If you are looking for an easy meal this is for you. Just chop, sauté, simmer, serve, it really is that easy. If you like easy curry dishes try my Easy Eggplant Curry.
• Low cost: With a mixture of vegetables and store cupboard ingredients, this dish is also wallet-friendly. Perfect for weekday dinners, or affordable entertaining.
• Protein and Veggie Packed: This curry is packed with sweet potatoes, vegetables, spinach and lentils. The lentils will fill you up with protein and keep you feeling full. You will love this cozy recipe!
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions:
These simple pantry staples are all you need. See the recipe card below for exact amounts and printable instructions.
- Tomato — fresh or canned both work. Canned diced tomatoes are actually great here because they’re more consistent and break down faster.
- Curry paste — this is where a lot of the flavor comes from, so use one you actually like the taste of. Mild, medium, hot, totally up to you. If you only have curry powder on hand, start with about half the amount called for and taste as you go. Paste is more concentrated than powder.
- Coriander and ginger — warm, earthy, and slightly floral. You can use ground ginger or grate in fresh — fresh gives a slightly brighter flavor. I also love adding a pinch of cumin or turmeric if I have them out.
- Sweet potato — peel it and cut into even, small cubes so everything cooks at the same rate. Aim for about ¾-inch pieces. Butternut squash is a great swap if that’s what you have.
- Red lentils — this is the one ingredient I’d strongly recommend not swapping out. Red lentils break down as they cook and create that naturally thick, creamy texture. Green or brown lentils stay firm and will give you a completely different (thinner, chunkier) result. Rinse them well before adding, just 30 seconds under cold water removes any dust or debris.
- Coconut milk — full-fat gives you the richest, creamiest result. Light coconut milk works but the curry will be a bit thinner. Give the can a good shake before opening.
- Vegetable broth — adds depth and helps everything simmer to the right consistency. Chicken broth works too if you’re not keeping it vegetarian.
- Baby spinach — stirred in at the very end. It wilts in about a minute and adds color and a little nutrition without changing the flavor. Kale or Swiss chard work too, just add them a couple of minutes earlier so they have time to soften.
- Fresh cilantro, yogurt, crushed red pepper — don’t skip the toppings. The cool yogurt against the warm spiced curry is one of the best bites in the bowl.
Recipe Modifications
- Add more vegetables: You can pack out this curry with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Cauliflower and green beans go particularly well in a Sweet Potato Lentil Curry, but you could also add red bell peppers, carrots or peas, have fun experimenting!
- Add meat: If you have a friend or relative that loves a nice curry, but isn’t as keen on eating vegetarian food, you could add a protein. I recommend chicken thighs, which have lots of flavor and will stay nice and juicy when simmering in the coconut broth. Another protein friendly curry is this Coconut Fish Curry.
- Swap paste for powder: If you don’t want to buy an extra ingredient, and you have curry powder already in the store cupboard, it’s absolutely fine to use that instead of curry paste. But make sure to start by adding about half the amount, and work up from there. You don’t want to accidentally over-spice your dish!
How to make Sweet Potato Lentil Curry
Step 1: Make Sauce: Heat a medium sized pan, over a medium heat. Add the olive oil, and sauté the garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add the tomato and a splash of water to loosen. Cook for a further 3-5 minutes. Add the curry paste, coriander and ginger, as well as a dash of salt and pepper to taste, and stir well.
Step 2: Add Sweet Potatoes and Lentils: Add the sweet potato, lentils and coconut milk. Bring the curry to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Add Broth: Remove the lid and pour the vegetable broth into the pan with the other ingredients. Stir well, re-cover, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
Step 4: Stir in Spinach: Stir in the spinach and let it wilt, this will only take a minute or so. Scoop into bowls, pre-loaded with rice or quinoa. Top with fresh cilantro, a dollop of yogurt, and chilli flakes with a piece of warm naan on the side.
If you like sweet potato recipes try my Cheesy Ground Turkey Sweet Potato, Skillet Sweet Potato Chili, Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds or this Sweet Potato Soup with Lentils.
Tips for this Sweet Potato Lentil Curry:
- Rinse your lentils. It takes 30 seconds and it matters. Red lentils are harvested and processed in a way that can leave behind dust, debris, or the occasional small stone. Run them under cold water in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. You’ll also want to pick through them quickly and discard any that look shriveled.
- Cut your sweet potato small and even. This is the most common reason curry comes out unevenly cooked. Aim for pieces no bigger than ¾ of an inch. If some pieces are bigger than others, you’ll end up with some that are perfectly tender and others that are still firm.
- Don’t skip blooming the curry paste. Add it to the pan after your tomatoes have cooked down, and let it cook with the onion and garlic mixture for a minute before adding any liquid. This step deepens the flavor significantly, it’s the difference between curry that tastes like it simmered all day and curry that tastes like it came out of a jar.
- Taste and adjust the spice level. Curry pastes vary wildly by brand. Some are very mild, some are surprisingly hot. Start with the amount in the recipe, then taste after everything is simmered and adjust from there. A pinch of cayenne adds heat; a splash more coconut milk mellows things out.
- The curry thickens as it sits. If you’re reheating leftovers and it looks thicker than you remember, just stir in a splash of broth or water to loosen it back up. The flavor is actually better on day two.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Let the curry cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days, and honestly the flavor gets better on day two once the spices have had time to settle in.
- Freezer: This curry freezes beautifully. Portion it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. The curry will thicken up in the fridge, so add a splash of broth or water to loosen it back to the right consistency. You can also reheat in the microwave in 60-second intervals, stirring in between.
More Curry Recipes
Vegetarian
Red Lentil Curry
Vegetarian
Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
Vegetarian
Cauliflower Curry Recipe
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Sweet Potato Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup tomato, chopped or 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons curry paste
- 1 teaspoon dried coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 large size sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup dry red lentils, picked through, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups of baby spinach, pieces torn
- 1 – 14 ounce can coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Yogurt for serving
- Crushed red pepper for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a medium size pan with oil on medium heat. Sauté garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add tomato and a splash of water. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add curry paste, coriander and ginger and stir. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
- Add the sweet potato, lentil and coconut milk. Bring this mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in vegetable broth. Stir well, cover and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender. Stir in the spinach and let wilt.
- Remove and serve in bowls with rice or quinoa topped with fresh cilantro, a dollop of yogurt and crushed red pepper and a piece of naan bread.
Notes
- Rinse your lentils: Before cooking, make sure you rinse your lentils well in cold water and pick through them. This is to remove any shriveled lentils and unwanted dust or debris (because of how they’re grown, it’s not unusual to find a little stone lurking!)
- Play with spices: Indian food is known for its incredible array of spices. I’ve kept this recipe simple, but you could compliment the dried coriander with dried cumin and turmeric. Or experiment with whole spices – cumin, coriander, and mustard seeds all make delicious additions to a curry, as do star anise and cardamom (just remember to remove these before serving).
- Leftovers – Once cold, transfer any leftover Sweet Potato Lentil Curry to an airtight container. It keeps well, and can be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating – To reheat the Sweet Potato Lentil Curry, gently warm up in a pan over a medium heat (no need to bring it all the way up to boiling), or heat up in your microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made it for the first time tonight and loved it. Very filling over rice and a healthy dinner option
So glad you liked it! Good idea to serve over rice!
My meat eater husband loved it, so satisfying, I held back on the spices but next time I’ll use the recommended amount.
I am so glad to hear that!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!