sweet potato curry

Sweet Potato Curry Recipe

By Swasthi on May 24, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe

This Sweet Potato Curry is the ultimate comfort curry, made in Indian style with fresh seasonal sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, spices and herbs. For a hearty and delicious meal serve it over steamed rice, quinoa, and millets or with roti, paratha, dosa or any flatbreads of choice. You can also make this ahead and refrigerate for 2 days. In Indian cuisine, we often use sweet potatoes to make stir fry, curries, sambar, stew (pulusu), cutlets and halwa.

Sweet potato curry

About Sweet Potato Curry

Sweet Potato Curry is a simple curried dish made by simmering diced sweet potatoes with curry leaves, onions, tomatoes and spices. Like any other Indian curry, whole and ground spices are the heart of this dish as they impart tons of flavors and taste to the sweet potatoes.

Sweet potato curry is a staple in my home and is made often for our meal. Hot steamed rice served with this curry, a drizzle of Ghee alongside some papads and Yogurt is an absolute comfort food. It is flavorsome, slightly spicy, sweet and delicious.

This Sweet potato curry is made much the same way as we make potato curry. My kids love change, so I keep tweaking the recipe often. Sometimes I add a bit of tamarind to impart sour tones. If we are in mood for a coconutty curry I add some coconut milk at the last stage.

Down in South India, a lot of people love to cook sweet potatoes with eggplants. Young and tender eggplants literally melt down in the curry and produce a thick, buttery and flavorsome gravy.

Sometimes we also add Vegetable Drumsticks and if you have ever eaten them, you can imagine how good this curry tastes with vegetable drumsticks.

More curry recipes
Cauliflower Curry
Eggplant Curry
Potato curry
Cabbage curry
Bhindi masala

sweet potato curry recipe

How to Make Sweet Potato Curry (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation: Chop 1 large onion (about 1 cup fine chopped onions) & 2 tomatoes (about 1 cup fine chopped), slit 1 green chilli & grate ½ inch ginger.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds & ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. When they splutter add 1 sprig curry leaves & a pinch of hing (optional). When the leaves turn crisp, add 1 teaspoon grated ginger (or paste) and fry till aromatic, for about 40 seconds.

tempering cumin mustard in pan for sweet potato curry recipe

2. Add 1 cup fine chopped onions, 1 slit green chili and ¼ teaspoon salt. Saute the onions on a medium heat. Meanwhile, wash, peel and cube sweet potatoes. I have used 2 heaped cups diced sweet potatoes. Add them to a bowl of salted water (2 cups water with half teaspoon salt) till used else they get discolored.

frying onions in pan for sweet potato curry

3. When the onions turn transparent add chopped tomatoes or tomato puree. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon turmeric. Saute well for 2 mins & simmer until the tomatoes breakdown and become mushy.

sauteing chopped tomatoes for sweet potato curry

4. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder & ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder. Stir and saute for a minute.

addition of spice powders to pan for sweet potato curry

5. Add cubed sweet potatoes to the pot.

adding cubes veggies for sweet potato curry

6. Stir well.

stirring to fry veggies for sweet potato curry

7. Add the water we used to soak the sweet potatoes just enough to immerse them. Bring the water to a rapid boil.

pouring enough water for sweet potato curry

8. Reduce the heat. Simmer and cook till sweet potatoes turn tender and cooked fully but not mushy. Keep stirring in between so they cook evenly. Taste test and add more salt if required. If you want less watery curry, evaporate the excess moisture on a high flame. If you want you may add 4 tablespoons thick coconut milk. Turn off the heat after adding the coconut milk.

simmer the mixture to make sweet potato curry

Serve sweet potato curry with rice & ghee or with roti, paratha or dosa.

sweet potato curry

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

sweet potato curry

Sweet Potato Curry Recipe

This Indian Sweet Potato curry is simply delicious, easy to make and uses only pantry staples. Serve it over rice, quinoa or with roti, paratha or any flatbreads.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings3
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 cups sweet potatoes cubed (1 inch pieces)
  • 1 cup onions chopped finely
  • 1 cup tomatoes red ripe , chopped or pureed
  • 1 green chili slit (optional, serrano peppers/ Thai or Indian chili)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated or ginger paste
  • 1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
  • 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder (optional)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala or any curry powder as desired
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons Oil (adjust to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 pinch hing (asafetida, optional)
  • ¼ cup thick coconut milk (optional)


Instructions

How to Make Sweet Potato Curry

  • Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, mustard, and allow them to splutter. Add hing, ginger and then the curry leaves. Fry together till you smell the ginger good. Do not burn.
  • Add onions, & green chilies. Fry till they turn golden.
  • Next add tomatoes and sprinkle salt, turmeric. Saute for 2 mins
  • On a low flame cover and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. The onion tomato mixture should blend well.
  • While the tomatoes cook, you can peel and cube the sweet potatoes, add them to salted water (2 cups water with ½ teaspoon salt) till we use.
  • Add chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder and red chili powder. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes without burning.
  • Next add sweet potato cubes, pour the same water we used to keep them. Just use enough water to immerse the sweet potatoes. Bring it to a rolling boil, reduce the heat.
  • Cook on a low flame, till the sweet potatoes are soft cooked but not mushy. Taste test and adjust salt as required. If the curry looks runny, turn the flame to high and sook for a little longer so some of the water evaporates.
  • If you want you may add coconut milk at this stage (optional).
  • Keep covered for about 15 minutes for the flavors to absorb well by the sweet potato curry. Garnish with coriander leaves.


Notes

  • You can skip tomatoes and use tamarind paste or amchur powder, but you might get lesser gravy.
  • Some people like to use sweetener, you can use little jaggery to suit your taste.
  • We love to add a teaspoon of kasuri methi at the last stage. If you want you may add it.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Curry Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 134
% Daily Value*
Sodium 218mg9%
Potassium 607mg17%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 12905IU258%
Vitamin C 29.6mg36%
Calcium 66mg7%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Sweet Potato Curry Recipe

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
Delicious and very easy recipe. I did add the coconut milk in the end and that realy made it. Will definitely make again!

5 stars
I never knew sweet potato can be used in curry. I have always used them to make tikki and simply ate them boiled. This sweet potato curry is such a new and innovative dish. Made it last night and the entire family loved it. Thank you!

5 stars
I’m so thankful I found your page! Another delicious curry! I used hing for the first time wow what an awesome addition! Thank you so much for sharing!

5 stars
Basic homemade taste, and I like the hot green chili.

Hi Swasthi, Can I make this in a cooker with 1 whistle? Assuming it doesn’t get smashed

Can we keep the skin on the cubed sweet potatoes? Love this recipe, thank you so much!

5 stars
Tempting recipe swasthi gaaru, when i am kid my grand maa used to cook remembered those days…. here many kinds of sweet potatoes are available which one will be good?

Your cooking have been a life saver for me! My husband is South Indian, vegetarian, and only likes home cooked meals. I’m Chinese and I had no idea how to cook Indian cuisines. I found your site and have made at least 10 different meals and my husband loves it. Thank you so much! I’m forever grateful!

Tammie

Thank you for your recipes, Swasthi. They are so clear, specific and easy to follow. We started with your samosa recipe because we felt we needed the step by step pictures you provide. Such a tricky thing to make the first time and yet they came out beautifully, thanks to your careful, detailed instructions. Now we look to you for all new Indian dishes we want to try. Such a nice service you give us all!

5 stars
Tastes Yummy Swasthiii…. Hugs… Thank u so much…
Question though: the sweet potato doesn’t have to be pre cooked?.. cuz it’s still kinda hard in the curry…

Newly married and I have no one to guide or help me cook. Swasthi has been my go to blog everytime. A life saver..

5 stars
It looks delicious! I have a few different types of sweet potato, including red and hawaiian, will they still work? Thanks

This is a wonderful recipe….thank you for sharing it…turned out so good!

When you say mustard are you talking about black mustard seeds?

I had a few problems with the recipe. It has hing and garam marsala listed in the ingredients. I put them all next to the stove and when I finished, it never said when to use those two. It did however say to use red chili pepper and chili pepper in one step. So, is one of the two above considered a chili pepper or red chili pepper? Not sure which one, so I guess I’ll try it without garam marsala and without the hing. Haven’t tasted it yet but thanks for providing it.

5 stars
Tried the receipe today..a dash of lemon at the end took it to a whole new level

5 stars
This looks delicious! Just what I was looking for.

Just something to consider: If something has calories (1 g carbohydrates = 4 calories), then it contributes to weight gain.