This sweet potato curry is perfect in so many ways. It’s quick and easy to prepare and cook, is wholesome and nutritious, uses lots of store cupboard ingredients and can even become a one pot meal!
I say ‘become’ because the way you take this recipe is up to you. There are some basic ingredients that you need to use but then you can add any of the optional add-ins I’ve suggested – you choose!
In the curry I have photographed I added just a small amount of potato (and therefore served it with rice) and some chicken. However, my youngest who could live off pulses loves it when I add lentils.
At the moment, what with ‘back to school’ and the change of seasons, I’m loving revisiting some of my favourite one pot meals. My Moroccan Chickpea Tagine is perfect served with flat breads and my Cheesy Leeks (which is one of my most popular posts) is great with a simple hunk of freshly baked bread.
If you want to make this into a one pot meal you will need to add a little more potato than I have suggested. To make sure it all cooks well you just need to keep an eye on the liquid in the pan, adding a little more water or stock if necessary.
Sooooo, to make…
Firstly, you need a large pan. Deep and wide is best, your pasta pan for example. Once you get the onion frying you can peel and dice the sweet potato and dice the regular potatoes and chicken if you are using them. As long as you dice everything an even size and you add the root veg and the chicken or lentils all together, everything will cook evenly.
Once the onion is translucent it’s time to add the curry paste. After a minute of cooking, pour in the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk then add the sweet potato, stock and any of the optional add-ins you wish to use. Just 15 minutes later it’s time to add the spinach, thicken the curry (if you think it needs it) and check of the seasoning. Then hey presto, dinner’s ready.
And this is what we need isn’t it. Good healthy food that doesn’t take ages to get onto the table.

Sweet Potato Curry Any Way You Want It
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 3 tablespoons curry paste (I use Patak’s Tikka Masala)
- 1 x 400g tin tomatoes
- 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
- 500 g (2 medium) sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1½ cm dice
- 1 vegetable stock cube in 200 ml boiling water
- 250 g baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon corn flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins
- A handful of skinless boneless chicken pieces (obviously not vegan!)
- A handful of potatoes cut into 1½ cm dice (more if serving as a one pot meal)
- A tin or two of green lentils
Optional toppings
- Salted roasted peanuts (chopped)
- Coriander leaf (Cilantro) (chopped)
- Rice to serve (optional)
Instructions
To cook
- Fry the onion in the cooking oil over a low heat. When the onion is translucent add the curry paste. Stir, and cook for a minute or two.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, sweet potatoes and stock and any of the optional add-ins you wish to use. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked.
To finish
- Tip the bag of spinach into the pan, pressing it down if necessary. Replace the lid and leave for 1 minute. Once the spinach has wilted, stir into the curry.
- If necessary, stir the cornflour into a tiny bit of cold water then stir into your curry to thicken. Season to taste.
- Serve in a deep bowl with any of the toppings you wish to use.
Notes
Nutrition
I think the size of chicken breasts has changed dramatically since Julia Child’s day, which could account for some of her shorter cook time.
YUM! This looks delicious. Very much my kind of recipe! Eb x
🙂 Thanks Eb
Looks so good.
Thanks 🙂
I have been talking to my husband about trying some meat free curries – this looks amazing #cookblogshare
I hope you try it and I hope he loves it! As far as I’m concerned sweet potato is one of the best additions to a vegetarian curry. Well, that or mushrooms, but Dan hates mushrooms…