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Coconut Curried Sweet Potato & Chickpea Stew

The chickpea curry I posted early last year is truly one of my all-time favorite meals. It’s the perfect balance of spicy, savory, and satisfying. This, however, takes that idea to a whole new level. All the classic flavors from that curry show up here, but we’re adding sweet potatoes and coconut milk to bring out a sweet creaminess that is heart-warming beyond measure.

This dish is like the perfect fusion of Indian and West African cuisine. So if we split that distance geographically, it would put us somewhere around the Four Seasons in the Maldives, which, coincidentally, is where the One Ingredient Chef likes to spend his summers 🙂 (Ha!) Seriously though, if you happen to be reading this from your private villa in the Maldives, I’ll happily come make you all the Coconut Curried Sweet Potato & Chickpea Stew you want. No charge.

Sweet Potato Stew Pan

Makes about 5 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried spices: cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, coriander, ground cloves
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  • 1 red chili
  • 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1 can (15 oz) light coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • Jasmine rice, for serving

Sweet Potato Stew

Step One

In a large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil and a small yellow onion (loosely diced). Allow this to soften for 3-4 minutes while mincing the garlic & chili and gathering the spices (which are essential for a good curry).

Step Two

Next, add the garlic, chili, and ginger to the onions with about 1/2 a teaspoon of each spice. As with all good curries, you develop so much more flavor by directly spicing the onions at the beginning as opposed to adding them to the completed dish later on. Stir and allow the spices to mingle with the onions for several minutes.

Step Three

Now, add almost all the other ingredients to the pan – throw in the (drained and rinsed) chickpeas, the can of tomatoes, the light coconut milk*, and about 1 large sweet potato that has been peeled and diced into ~1 inch chunks.

Tip: Your grocery store is likely selling light and full-fat coconut milk at the same price, but the light coconut milk is simply full-fat diluted with water. Save some money and buy one can of full-fat, dilute it with equal parts water, and voila – you have 2 cans of light coconut milk for the price of one.

Step Four

Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and go take a break. This curry will need at least 30 minutes (50 is ideal) to fully break down and absorb all these beautiful spices. Stir occasionally and give the dish at taste after 20 minutes; I often add a lot more spices at this point; especially cinnamon, turmeric, and salt. If you want the dish extra spicy, a dash of cayenne pepper wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Step Five

At the last minute before serving, add a handful or two of fresh chopped parsley to complete this dish. Serve atop fluffy jasmine rice for an unforgettably creamy and comforting meal. Again, this keeps amazingly well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Yay for leftovers!

Sweet Potato Stew

Sweet Potato Chickpea Stew

304 Comments

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  1. This looks incredible!! I am so going to have to make this soon! Also, that idea about getting one full fat can of coconut milk and diluting it? Genius!!

  2. I cannot wait to make this!!!!
    The only thing is I am intolerant to coconut milk, is there any alternative to use?
    Maybe almond milk?

  3. I made this dish tonight and it’s definitely a new favorite. I didn’t change anything — did it exactly as the recipe said. Thanks!

  4. I made this yesterday and as I live in Australia it’s heading into winter and my hubby is indian and vegetarian. This was awesome although I didn’t have Jasmine rice I did have basmati and just as nice. Thanks for a fab recipe.

    • Fantastic! Yes, basmati and jasmine are pretty much interchangeable in my opinion. I’m glad you guys liked it, Chloe!

  5. My two year old (as well as the rest of the family) absolutely loved it! Thank you for the great recipe (and all the rest of your awesome ones)!! It ALMOST makes up for your website introducing my husband to cookie butter… 😉

    • That’s so great, Heather! I’ve actually heard from a few people that their small children loved this – go figure! 🙂

      Haha, I don’t know what I was ever thinking talking about cookie butter on this website, it’s the very product I’m fighting against… I hope I can be forgiven 😀

  6. Hoping you see this ASAP! I know this is called Coconut Curried Sweet Potato & Chickpea Stew but in the picture it looks like what i think of as yams, because they look orange to me?? Or is that just the colour of the sauce? It seems that everyone calls yams and sweet potatoes differently so I want to be sure i’m making this correctly! I think of yams as the more orange vegetable and sweet potatoe as the more yellow/white. If you can let me know what you used that would be great! Thanks!

    • Hi Robyn, this is kind of a complicated issue. Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes aren’t a straightforward distinction. They should be, but supermarkets often label sweet potatoes as yams when they’re really not (most real yams are grown in Africa). It doesn’t really matter what you use though, any orange-fleshed sweet potato/yam will work fine! 🙂

      • Thanks Andrew – you got back so fast! I have just cut up a sweet potato (in my opinion) which is the whiter of the two. I’ll try it this way and next with a “yam”! So weird, they are SO DIFFERENT yet no one seems to be able to form a consensus. It would be like if everyone thought limes and lemons were interchangeable! lol

      • Here in the UK we get white and orange fleshed sweet potatoes. They look pretty similar on the outside and are both sold as sweet potatoes. Both taste sweet.I don’t remember seeing yams anywhere for sale though.

  7. Thankyou for this recipe. We are always looking for new, healthy and tasteful recipes to cook down here in Australia. We aren’t vegetarians, but loved the flavour and texture. I did however, serve on the side, a small amount of stir fried chicken breast, broccoli and zuchhini….SUPERB. Certainly a recipe we will keep on our menu!

  8. This is the dish that introduced me to your site, and I must say that it remains my favourite. I absolutely adore sweet potato, and the taste of coconut, and chickpeas, so this really has many of my favourite things. It gets cooked whenever I have a chance. Thank you for an absolutely amazing recipe.

    • You’re so welcome, Ivan! 🙂 This is one of my favorites too… I don’t make it nearly enough.

  9. I made this for the first time tonight and it was amazing! It, along with various other recipes of yours have been a hit with my partner, who is an incredibly picky eater. As the one who hunts down all the new recipes and cooks many of the meals, I appreciate finding so many delectable recipes in one place. Keep up the good work!

    • Oh, thank you, Megan!! I’m so glad to hear that you’ve been enjoying my recipes — I’ll keep them coming 🙂

  10. Hi there,
    This sounds fabulous! I am wondering if you have any ideas which I could substitute tomatoes for?
    I am not supposed to have nightshade vegetables – for example: Tomato, regular potato, eggplant, bell peppers, etc.
    One that came to mind that might work is zucchini instead of tomato…do you have any ideas for others that may work?
    Thanks for your help!

    • Hey Kristina! I couldn’t say for sure, as I’ve only made the recipe as listed. Your guess about substitutions would be as good as mine. Finely-chopped zucchini sounds good, or you may be able to get by without tomatoes altogether.

    • Hi Emily, you certainly could. I liked the specific blend I had listed in the ingredients, but curry powder might work too.

  11. This is delicious! I leave out the chili peppers because I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy stuff, but other than that I make it exactly as described and it’s been excellent both times so far.

  12. Am going to make this for lunch today! Sounds very interesting. But I will use fresh tomatoes, chick peas( have some left from hummus I made last evening!) And tender ccoconut cream. I chanced upon this cream as I was juice feasting and had an urge to have coconut….I took out the thick meat and ground it and it was a thick cream! Ever since I have been using fresh tender coconuts with thick meat for my ice creams and curries!so I will use that here too!
    Andrew I don’t live in the Maldives but Mumbai in India is a food haven. Would love to have you over !! I have a small proffesional kitchen where you can make chocolates!!

    • I’m coming, Mayavi, I’m coming! 🙂 Seriously, I’d love to visit India at some point and I’ll definitely get in touch if I find myself in Mumbai!

      I hope you enjoy this recipe and you coconut cream idea sounds awesome (why haven’t I tried that before?).

  13. Sounds and looks delicious!!! How is it when it’s reheated? We’re having a birthday bash at work and I would love to make this, but I go to work early in the morning. Was wondering if I could make it the night before hand and heat it up the next morning and it still be as fabulous as it appears to be?

    • Oh it’s amazing reheated, Cindy. I think the leftovers are actually better, as the flavors have a chance to marinate in the fridge overnight.

    • Hi Fabio, this recipe calls for the ground seeds. I know there’s confusion as it can be referred to as different things in different countries, but coriander in the US is the seeds (typically ground) while the leaves are referred to as cilantro.

      • Thanks for replying so quickly, Andrew, I had the chance to read it at the market right before buying it! BTW, would you mind if I send you a couple recipes for you to try out?

        • Glad to hear it! 🙂 Absolutely, feel free to send over whatever you’d like. The contact form on my About page is probably the easiest way to get in touch.

  14. made it tonight, delicious! so happy I have something healthy organised to eat this week 😀 I wonder what the addition of mango would be like?

    • Yay! That’s awesome, Catherine! Hmm, I have no idea what mango would be like in here… why not give it a shot next time?? 🙂

  15. Making this tonight. Are you meant to boil the sweet potato before adding it in the pan or just throw in the raw sweet potato and the 30-50 minutes is long enough to make it soft?

    • Hi Jamie, no there is no need to boil the potatoes first. The small cubes of sweet potato will cook in under 30 minutes right in the curry itself.

      • Thanks so much for getting back to me so fast. I made this last night and it turned out great. I had to leave out the chile as my partner doesn’t like “hot things”. I am wondering if adding chicken to this recipe would work

  16. Awesome flavor combination! We had everything but the sweet potatoes so we substituted butternut squash and it was fantastic. Thanks for the recipe.

  17. Great recipe, thanks for sharing! I saw in your photo that you accented the dish with lime juice. I added some to mine as well, it really rounded out the flavor. I was thinking about this dish and looking forward to making it all day, it was so worth the (minimal) effort. Thanks again!

  18. Made this last night and it is delicious! The melding of the different spices and ingredients was superb. I let the curry simmer on the stove for 50 minutes and the resulting flavor was amazingly rich and creamy. This is definitely one for the recipe book. Thank you for sharing!

  19. I don’t have canned chick peas but in a bag (dry). Does that make a difference? Do I need to cook the peas before hand or soak them? Can’t wait to make this tomorrow.

    • Hi Alejandra! Yes, dried chickpeas will work fine, but you will need to cook and drain them first. I hope you love the curry! 🙂

  20. Thank-you so much for your speedy reply! Really shows how passionate and dedicated you are to promoting and helping people live a more healthy life style! You’re awesome Andrew! I will be trying this recipe tonight and will defiantly be commenting with my results!

  21. I made this today. OMG! Hearty and satisfying. It was delish! I also added cubed butternut squash. I can’t wait to prepare this again!

    • Cool! I love the addition of butternut squash. Thanks for sharing your results, Regina! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂

  22. Is the recipe correct that you only use a half teaspoon total of the combined spices in the first stage of the recipe? Seems so little.

    • Ah, you could use a number of things. Dried chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or just a green chili like Jalapeño. Anything spicy and chili-related should do the trick! 😉

  23. I just found this recipe, directed from another site, and just have a quick question… I love the look of this, lots of great flavours and textures – but – could you recommend anything to use instead of tomato? I am intolerant and that much would do me some damage – would this work as well if I just used extra coconut milk? Or could you recommend something I could substitute? I cannot eat any nightshades, so no capsicum either! Thanks in advance, off to explore the rest of your site 🙂

    • Hi Nic! Hmm, thats a tough one. Tomato adds a lot of flavor here. My first suggestion would be to use eggplant, but that’s a nightshade too! I think there’s a comment above about using diced zucchini? Maybe that would work.

    • Hmm, sorry to hear that Jaclyn. With just coconut milk for liquid, I couldn’t imagine how it would get too watery unless the chickpeas weren’t drained or the can of tomatoes was too watery. One trick to thicken things like this in the future is to mash some of the chickpeas as its cooking, which will release more starches that soak up some liquid.

  24. Oh My Goodness! This recipe was amazing! Thank you soooooo much… My taste buds could not figure out if we were still in the United States. Definitely making this again next week.

  25. Hey, I’m going to try making this recipe over the weekend-it looks delicious!
    Do you think adding lentils as well would be okay?

    • Hi Melissa! Ah, I like it quite a bit with just chickpeas, but feel free to experiment with lentils and see how it works. 🙂

    • Hi Carly! So glad you liked it, I’m not sure how well it freezes because I haven’t tried (though I don’t imagine any problems). It also stores very well in the fridge for several days.

  26. I’ve been searching for a great chick pea recipe and this sounds amazing. Just wondering how it would fare in a slow cooker/crockpot…yay or nay? If yay- how long would you recommend?

    • Hi Sharmane, I couldn’t speak to the slow cooker idea, as I haven’t tried that. It might be okay though – definitely worth a shot! 🙂

  27. Hi, planning to make this tomorrow. I can see limes on the photo but on the recipe, can you tell me what they are used for? And how can I make jasmine rice? Many thanks ?

    • Hi Lucy! The lime was just a garnish, you could easily do the same but it’s not essential. Sorry for the confusion. Oh, and jasmine rice is just a variety of rice from Thailand that naturally has a vague jasmine scent.

  28. I’ve been on a mission to work more sweet potatoes into my diet and this dish has been on an almost weekly rotation in my house ever since I first made it in November. I make it just as written, with a little squeeze of lime before serving. Perfection. I’m waiting for a skillet of it to finish simmering as I type!

  29. Hi! Like many others on here, I found this website based on this exact recipe… and I’ve just got back from the supermarket with all my ingredients. I’ll be making this tonight. I have to say, aside from being cute, you’re really kind to reply as promptly as you do! Your site is now bookmarked and I’ll be working my way through more of your recipes!!

  30. I am cooking this right now and it is smelling AMAZING! I also have the trouble with it being too watery.. the only canned tomatoes that you can get here are very watery so I didn’t think anything of throwing it all in since you did not say to drain.. It wasn’t until I read the comments that I realized that I should have drained a bit off! I’m sure it is still going to taste delicious though.. just won’t be creamy!

    • Awesome, Samantha! I hope it was delicious! One tip if it’s too runny: use a fork to mash some of the chickpeas. This will release the starches inside the chickpeas which will absorb some of the excess liquid 😉

  31. Are you able to freeze the leftovers and serve at another time? Just wondering if it will hold up or if you don’t suggest that. Thanks.

    • Hi Ali! I would assume so… I haven’t tried freezing this myself but I couldn’t imagine any problems with it… give it a shot! 🙂

  32. Omg! What a tasteful recipe! I followed this recipe earlier today and it was an epic success! My dish looked exactly like the picture which I was ecstatic about. The cinnamon really added flavour to the dish, which I absolutely loved.

    I cant wait to make this dish again!!!!! Thank you so much 🙂

  33. Um, I made this tonight as a Lent meal and it was 250% incredible. My husband, who’s a serious foodie, wasn’t so sure about the situation based on what he could smell from the living room but the final product was met with resounding applause and a very quickly emptied bowl. (And for the record I thought it smelled amazing) I also added sautéed shrimp right at the end just for added protein. This recipe is a winner! 🙂

    • But… why not 300% incredible?! Hahaha, thanks so much for reporting back, Harper! I”m so happy you both enjoyed this 😀

  34. Hi! So I just made it and am literally eating while I write this, I used the normal coconut milk and I added a bit of cayanne pepper.. It was a bit acid (I used to much tomatoes) so I added about 3 table spoons of brown sugar.. Came out amazing! Thanks for the recipe!

    • Cool! I’m so glad you liked it, Sally. 🙂 I’m not sure if this was the issue with the tomatoes, but one thing to keep in mind is that the acid in tomatoes tends to be much harsher before they fully cook. In other words, if you taste a curry just after adding tomatoes it will be super acidic, but 20 minutes later they will have mellowed out quite a bit. Hope that helps!

  35. I’ve made this recipe twice now, and WOW. Is it ever good! It was exactly what I was craving when I searched for coconut milk-sweet potato-curry. I shared it with friends and they raved over it too. Thank you for this awesome recipe! I will have to check out the rest of your site.

  36. Hi Andrew,
    I was wondering if I can make and than freeze this meal? If I can do I need to cook it differently?

  37. So… I just made this, subbing 2 t curry powder and 1 t garam masala for the spices and chili… ’twas SO good. The creaminess was perfect. Soooo easy, thanks!!

  38. Hi! I am going to make this tonight (looks amazing!). Do you think I can substitute the sweet potato with butternut squash?

  39. Holy Cow!! Just made this using butternut squash and it was AMAZING … not to mention super easy! Thank you so much for sharing! I will certainly be making this again 🙂

  40. Hi I made this and didn’t know if I should add the can diced tomatoes with its juice or not. I did anyways and it sure didn’t look like your -_-

    • Typically I add the juice, but that isn’t going to make much of a difference either way. There’s so many variables with the liquid content of this curry. If you find that it’s too runny, using a fork to mash some of the chickpeas will release more starches that can soak up some of the liquid.

  41. Hi Andrew,

    I really want to try your recipe, but I have a question about the spices – do I just create a mixture of equal amounts of each spice then use 1/2 teaspoon of that? Or do I use 1/2 teaspoon of each (that seems like a lot, but then again curries are spicy, so…).

    Thanks a lot.

    Looks amazing!

    Amy

    • Hi Amy, yes it is 1/2 teaspoon of each. We’re talking about 4+ servings here, so it’s really not that much. However, it’s always best to start with less and slowly add more spices until it reaches the right level of spiciness for you. Hope you like this! 🙂

  42. I just made this today and I had a foodgasm, such amazing food 😀
    Thanks for putting this recipe up, I’ll treasure it dearly.

  43. Hi Andrew, I am really excited to try this recipe. Would it be the same if I added about 2 1/2 tsp of curry powder instead of all the spices separately? These are not in my cupboards and spices can be expensive!

    • Hi Karen! That’s a good question, and I actually did something similar when making this curry on vacation recently. I just had one bottle of curry powder and used a bunch of that instead of the individual spices. I did feel like the spices would have been stronger if I used them individually, but it wasn’t a huge difference. Go for it! 🙂

      • Hi Andrew, I couldn’t wait so I tried it anyways with the curry powder and as you suggested, I added a little more at the end with some cayenne pepper. We loved it on it’s own and kept eating it out of the pot as it was cooking. My son has requested it again and I am making a double batch tonight! Thanks for a delicious recipe!

  44. Quick question, I am planning on making this tonight because it looks so divine. I don’t have coconut milk but I do have almond milk would that work? I have vanilla and just regular which one should I use?

    • Hi Katy, I would hesitate to use almond milk. What I’m talking about here is not the coconut-flavored non-dairy beverage but the real coconut milk in a can which is very different than something like almond milk, plus the coconut favor is a big component of this dish. If possible, I would try to get a can of coconut milk before trying this recipe. Good luck!

  45. I made this today and I was very sad:( Too much clove flavour. It tasted like clove curry:( I would do 1/8 tsp of clove next time

  46. Hi Andrew! I just wanted to thank you for the recipes! I am trying to eat cleaner. This curry has become a staple dinner in our house and I have probably made it 5+ times. Last night we dined on this and the Super-Fresh Sunflower Chard Wraps. Yummy!

    • Cool! I’m so glad to hear that you’ve been enjoying the recipes, Theresa! Thanks for letting me know 🙂

  47. Just made this and wow! It was amazing!!!! Only one problem…I’m not sure there’ll be any left over for leftovers!!

  48. Made this and loved it! So simple yet so delicious. My hubby and daughter are very picky eaters yet they both liked it. Yay! Thank you.

  49. Perfect! I was trying to replicate a curry made in a local restaurant and added a few handfuls of peanuts and a few small carrots. About a tablespoon of lime juice makes all the difference. So, so good.

  50. I made this last night for my fiancé and I! It was absolutely delicious – we both loved it. I served it with brown rice. I really love your ethos about using food in it’s natural state. I aspire to cook everything from scratch and grow as much of my own food as I can!
    Katie, 20 from Cleethorpes, England

    • Awesome, Katie! I’m so glad you both liked it 🙂 Yes, I just started a garden this year and it’s so rewarding to grow your own food. Thanks for comments!

  51. Hi!

    To answer the question that keeps on popping up: YES, this freezes well!

    I’m making this for the third time tonight and always freeze my leftovers and they taste equally delicious 🙂

    (I freeze just the curry and cook new rice when I’m ready to eat it)

    • Thank you for letting us know that it freezes well!!
      I’d been wondering the same thing, as I’d like to make a double batch and freeze some portions for busy weeknights!

    • Hi Jen! Hmm, I think it would be fine for up to an hour… but you might want to watch it closely after that to make sure everything isn’t falling apart.

  52. I finally made this tonight — super easy and very tasty! I think next time I make it (there will be a next time!) I’ll use cilantro instead of parsley and maybe throw in a handful of raisins (!) as it finishes cooking. Serve w coucous, plain yogurt, and toasted almonds. SO TASTY.

    • Very cool! 🙂 I’m so glad you like it. I’ve actually made this with cilantro as well and it’s just as good. Raisins sound like an awesome addition too!

  53. Does it work with fresh spices? I live in Thailand and we don’t really get the dried species in my town but we have plenty of each fresh.

    • Oh definitely, here in the US it’s harder to find fresh cumin, coriander seed, etc. but fresh would be even better – you just might need to adjust the quantities as fresh spices can be more potent.

  54. Help! The diced tomatoes I bought are in tomato juice. Do I drain them first or just dump the whole can in?

    Hoping you see this ASAP!

    Thanks for the recipe!

    • Either way. As long as it isn’t a significant amount of liquid, feel free to add it into the curry. Also, if the curry is too runny, use a fork to mash some of the chickpeas which will release starches that absorb excess liquid 😉

  55. hi,
    Mine never seems to come out as thick as yours. I don’t strain it because all the flavor is in that delicious juice. Do you drain the tomatoes before adding them?

    Thanks!

  56. Love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times now substituting based on what I had at home at the time and every time it’s turned out great!

    I was looking for something different to do with sweet potatoes and came across this.
    Great curry….you don’t even notice there’s no meat in it.

    The firs time I didn’t have any chick peas or ginger, but I added mushrooms instead (as I had a bunch at the time) and I thought it was great!

    The next time I made it with mushrooms again and added courgettes (again, as I had some at home) …also great!!

    My husband also really liked it and has been asking for me to make it again. 😉

    Thanks so much!

  57. I made this last night and it was FREAKING AMAZING!! I added raw cashews but I love curry with cashews. Great recipe! Thanks a lot!!

  58. I just made this stew today and it is awesome!! I love when I find a great, easy, healthy recipe that I can add into my rotation of meals! This is a keeper and will be made many more times! Thank you so much for sharing!! I look forward to making more of your recipes!

  59. Absolutely delicious! We’ve made it twice now, and will no doubt make it again. Today we added some Swiss chard & had it with homemade flat bread instead of rice. Thanks for an inspiring recipe!

  60. Made this tonight. Used sweets out of my garden, Thai chilies from my garden, full fat coconut milk, elephant garlic cause that’s what I had, organic tomatoes again from my garden. Also had about a half cup of raisins left over from another recipe , so I tossed them in as well. This is undoubtedly one of the best recipes I’ve tried Ever! . So much flavor! I squeezed a half lime over it, no rice, heaven! Putting this in my back pocket to use again and again! Thanks Andrew.

    • Thanks for the nice comments, Nancy – I’m so glad you liked it. It’s great that you used ingredients from the garden. My thai chili plant is going *crazy* right now… it must have 200 chilis on it and there’s no way I’ll be able to eat all of them 🙁

  61. I’ve made this recipe several times and everyone I shared it with loves it! Iusually add 1/2-1 small white potato in addition to the sweet potato. I’ve also made an adapted recipe from this when I want something a little bit different and it came out delicious. For the second version of this recipe, I sub Japanese sweet potato for the sweet potato, and kidney beans for the chickpeas. Also, omit the cumin for the second version. Both versions are delicious! Thanks for the fantastic recipe 🙂

  62. Been making this one for awhile now and it never gets old. Just love the flavours and all 3 of my kids love it too. I do omit the chilli as it would be too spicy for the family, but it’s one great recipe! It’s a keeper!

  63. Hi Andrew!

    I just made the stew and it is absolutely delicious! I cooked it in my new pressure cooker in under 20 minutes and the flavour is rich, spicey and comforting.

    I’ll serve it to my guests tomorrow and I’m sure already that they’ll love it.

    Thanks,
    Maja

  64. omgggggggg is all I can really get out at first! I’ve been vegetarian for a month and so far this is ABSOLUTELY THE BEST dish I’ve made thus far!!! My house well my small 2bedroom NYC apartment smells amazing. It’s very cold right now out and raining, this is the prefect dish for dinner tonight!!

  65. I am making this right now! I had two big sweet potatoes that needed to be used, so I kinda doubled the batch 🙂 Had to transfer all ingredients from my large skillet into my cauldron lol … I used one full can of full-fat coconut milk and diluted it with water = two cans lite coconut milk. Chick peas – didn’t have any on hand so I substituted a 16 oz. bag of frozen baby green peas and it is still delicious! Didn’t have any parsley on hand either, but I will be prepared next time. Since I made so much, I’ll be test-driving the frozen curried sweet potato & chick pea (green peas for me) stew … thanks Andrew!

    • Haha, a cauldron of curry? That sounds amazing! 😀 Ooh, I like the idea of green peas… maybe I’ll try that next time.

  66. Was just in Bristol UK and enjoyed this dish so decided to search for the recipe on the web, but the kicker was the naan bread with mango chuttney on the side that the place I was staying at (Mercure Bristol North, The Grange Hotel) combined it with. Wow! What a great combination of flavors!

  67. Tried to make this tonight and the ground clove was so overwhelming I had to throw it out! Just wondering If it was meant to be like this and my taste buds are off or anyone had any tweets that might be useful?

    • Hmm, that’s a bummer. I definitely didn’t find the clove overpowering. I can’t imagine how 1/2 teaspoon made the entire dish overwhelming, but spices can be tricky. Always good to use a little less build up to taste.

  68. I just made this for dinner. I had diced fire roasted tomatoes and used Basmati rice. I normally do not add cloves or I would have used Garamond Marsala. I did not add red pepper. This was the most aromatic dish I have ever eaten. Outstanding recipe, and will be a staple in my cuisine. My home smells so good. Thank you for the recipe.

    • No, the spices listed are basically the individual components of curry powder 😉 This way, you can adjust the amount of each spice to get it just right.

  69. Hi Andrew,
    I confess I haven’t been adhering to my vegan ‘good intentions’, but I came across this recipe this morning and thought….why not?
    OMG it’s so delicious. Everyone loved it! It will definitely be served again in our house.
    Thanks so much.
    Katherine

  70. Wonderful recipe with just the right balance of sweet to savory. I have sent the link to this recipe to several friends and family members. Love that I have leftovers and can enjoy it days afterwards because it just gets better with time. Thanks for a delicious recipe!

  71. This recipe was fantastic! I’ve never made a vegetarian curry before and I was a bit worried because I’m such a meat person, but I didn’t miss it at all. One of the best curries I’ve ever made! Thanks so much for sharing!

  72. This dish is just gorgeous – absolutely perfect on a cold winter night. We didn’t have a red chili on hand, but 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes did the trick. Quite the tastiest curry I’ve ever eaten… and I’ve had quite a few.

  73. Loved this recipe! Thank you! Great flavor without being overpowering due to the addition of the coconut milk. Great idea! My modifications: I used 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes instead of the chili since I’m not big on spicy hot food, the used fresh cilantro instead of parsley. Amazing flavor boost!

    • I’m glad you liked it, Kristina! Thanks for reporting back and letting me know. Your modifications sound delicious 🙂

  74. The flavours are amazing! So simple to make and fantastic tasting. But mine turned out super liquidy and your pictures look like its supposed to be thicker, like a traditional curry. I followed the recipe exactly…

  75. Wow! This is great! The first time I made it, I used canned diced tomatoes which seemed to give it an acidic taste. Maybe it was the brand I used. Tonight we used a big fresh tomato and it was much better, Since I only had curry powder (with turmeric and other spices), I used that instead of plain turmeric. I also go a little heavier with the other spices listed. Can’t find any chili peppers down here in sunny south Florida so I used a jalepeno the fist time and a Serrano pepper this time. Neither were spicy enough. We love love love this recipe. As a new vegetarian, it is so hard to find easy and tasty recipes. Thank you!

    • I’m glad you liked, Amy! Fresh tomatoes are a great idea, but in my experience the cause of acidic tomatoes is typically related to how long they cook. Raw tomatoes (even fresh ones) are very tinny and acidic, but after cooking for 20+ minutes the flavor usually softens.

  76. This is absolutely delicious. I’m not a veggie and neither is my other half but we both thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t miss meat at all. Teamed it with a home made flatbread (1 cup of chickpea flour, 1 cup of water and a tablespoon of olive oil mixed well cooked on a hot griddle) perfect.
    Thank you for this recipe. It will be a regular for us now.

  77. Andrew, this dish is just GREAT!
    I added a yellow bell pepper (which was starting to feel lonely in my storage as all the other veggies hopped straight into this faboulus meal ;-)) and it was exactly the thing I needed on this cold, foggy day here in Germany.
    Love your site!

  78. The confusion between yams and sweet potatoes in the US is largely one of nomenclature, those yellow, white or purple ones you see in 99.9% of American grocery stores are ALL sweet potatoes.

    Actual yams are a totally different species and they’re really hard to get in the US, unless you know a friendly grocer who imports them from the Caribbean or Asia. I grew up in Asia and yams are so different that if you’ve tasted one you’d never mistake it for a sweet potato again, they taste drier, closer to parsnip or tapioca (the tuber not ground tapioca), the flavour is really different too, they don’t taste particularly sweet.

    This article might help dispel some confusion: http://colinpurrington.com/2011/yams-versus-sweet-potatoes/

  79. On a chilly January night in Manchester, UK, this yummy recipe absolutely hit the spot! I upped the spice levels a little – proportionately, so as to stay true to your balancing – and, at the 20mins stage, added a tsp of Kashmiri red chilli powder. Really very lovely! Moreover, I very much enjoyed the narrative that got me to the final result. Thank you a lot!

  80. One word… Delicious! made this tonight, and now I’m waiting for my jasmine brown rice to finish. I can eat it without the rice.
    Simple to make. Off to the next recipe!

  81. Silly question: is it half a teaspoon of each spice individually or half a teaspoon combined spice?
    I’m keen to cook this lovely looking dish.

  82. Phenomenal recipe. Made it for the family tonight, this is the best chickpea/sweet potatoes recipe I’ve come across,mane I’ve tried several. This is now the “go to” for this recipe. It isn’t a quick recipe (but it’s not a difficult one either), but the results are well worth it. Only thing I’d add is it does need a little salt, and I’d get rid of the “often” in step four–it does need more spices at that point, but you can change it to your preference. For me that was about a teaspoon of turmeric and cumerin and and half as much of the rest, including salt. And substituted a seeded/deveined fresh halepeno, minced, for the chile pepper (only because the store was out of chile peppers), and took the suggestion and added a little red cayenne. Fantastic!

  83. This recipe is amazing! You do such a fantastic job with this website. The ingredients are simple and common, I can always find a recipe to use up whatever vegetables, spices, and other ingredients I have around home. Thank you for posting such delicious and healthy meals.

    • Oh, thank you so much Paige. I really appreciate those nice comments and I’m glad you enjoyed the curry 🙂

  84. Hi, Andrew —

    Thanks for this recipe, which I’ve now made three times. It always smells absolutely heavenly, looks beautiful, and then tastes … bland. I’ve increased the quantity of spices and topped it with plain Greek yogurt. Both ideas help some (the yogurt is a nice complement to the sweetness of the potatoes), but they both make the coconut flavor disappear, and I find that flavor faint to begin with. Do you have any suggestions for making the coconut flavor pop? Coconut extract, perhaps?

    Also: Several people have asked why the sauce comes out so watery. The steam that builds up in the closed pan helps cook the potatoes, but it adds to the water content in the pan, as well. I’ve found that removing the lid for the last few minutes of simmering cooks that liquid right out.

    Why serve this over jasmine or basmati rice, when farro, quinoa, whole wheat couscous or brown rice can pack a more powerful nutritional punch?

    Again, thanks for this dish. It warms up windy nights in Chicago!

    • Hi Naomi! Hmm, it’s hard to say why it’s coming out more bland than you would like, I’ve never had that issue. Salt can be a big part of it and tends to brighten flavors. When I’m making something like a curry I taste regularly and always adjust the spices + salt until the flavors really pop. I also find that they brighten up a bit after the 30 minute mark. Allowing it to simmer a little longer can help. If you’re referring more to the coconut flavor specifically, I wasn’t really trying to highlight that, it’s more about the creaminess and slight flavor compliment to the potatoes and spices.

      Yes, in terms of thickening the sauce you can leave the lid off so that some moisture can evaporate and also mash some of the chickpeas to release starches that will absorb liquid.

  85. I’m cooking this right now. Last week my daughter requested sweet potatoes and hasn’t got round to using them. I googled sweet potato and this popped up. Can’t wait to try it – Smells delicious.

  86. I made this and… Wow. I felt feelings that I didn’t even know we’re possible. My only regret is that I didn’t double the recipe. I feel that my life can’t get any better from this point forward (as I just ate the last bowl) but I think I’m ok with that. Do yourself a favor and make this stew.

    • Haha, that’s awesome! Thank you. Your life can only go downhill once you finish the last bite of this stew right? :p

  87. Just made this for my whole family (including my two year old) and we all loved it! My 2 yr old is weird with chick peas, so we just mashed them up and he ate all of it! Going in the recipe book! Thank you!

    • Awesome! That’s so cool, I’m glad everyone (especially the two year old) enjoyed it. Thanks for reporting back and letting me know, Holly.

  88. This dish has become a firm favourite in my house. It ticks all the boxes for my 2016 healthy eating campaign. It freezes beautifully and makes for an excellent lunch at work!

    Now to be brave and try something different like tofu

    • Very cool! I’m glad you like it. Yes, be brave and try tofu, it’s not nearly as terrifying as you might imagine :p

  89. Amazing recipe!! Really enjoyed it, thank you 🙂
    Did put slightly less cloves in second time I made it.
    Lovely with fluffy rice & a squeeze of lime

    • Awesome, I’m glad you like it! 🙂 Yes, spices are always tricky because some are more potent than others, etc. and it’s something you have to adjust to taste.

  90. Was looking for a recipe for a vegetarian friend who just had a baby and came across this dish. I just dropped it off at her house and am really regretting not doubling the batch so I could have some for myself. The little tiny bit that I ate and the smell in my house is driving me crazy! I guess I’m heading back out to the grocery store!

  91. This is a restaurant quality recipe. Very tasty! I added chicken only because we are not vegetarian. For those who are, this is the “go to” recipe. You will not be disappointed. I did not add the lime slice, but, it would be a nice touch.

  92. My family has decided to start eating vegan! Well, this was our very first vegan dinner & it is DELICIOUS. Already plan on making this, again. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe! <3

    • Aw, that is so cool. I’m honored that one of my recipes was your first vegan meal. Thank you for letting me know and best of luck on the new vegan journey! 🙂

  93. Just tried this for the first time and my tastebuds are tingling with delight! Only had cream so used that instead with lentils and quinoa instead of rice, looking forward to trying it with coconut cream and chickpeas thanks for the great recipe

  94. I adore this recipe! It’s been my weekly go to for a year (always without chilli but that’s just me ) and I’ve been a regular in your website ever since. Thank you so much for sharing!

  95. I cannot find a print view. Am I missing it? I would love to have the option to print your recipes on one-two pages without all the giant images, advertising, etc. Is that possible?

  96. Possibly the best curry I have ever made. I did a green chilli instead of red, because that’s what I had, I added a red bell pepper for color. Everything else, was exactly as your recipe. I am excited to use these great base curry flavors with other veggies. Already looking forward to dinner tomorrow with leftovers!Thanks.

    • Nice! I’m so glad you liked it Cath! This would be a great base for other curry experiments. (The leftovers are ever better) 🙂

  97. Hi Andrew! Quick question, is there any way I can use some preserved lemons that I have on hand if I don’t have any fresh limes?

    Lovely recipe, thanks!

  98. Wow, this was absolutely amazing. Hands down the best curry I’ve ever been able to make. Thank you so much for this recipe.

  99. Yummy! 5 stars dish, thanks for the details on the instructions and tips, I make the garbanzo from scratch and use fresh dice tomatoes instead of cans take more time but IT IS worth it.
    Thanks

    • I’m glad you liked it, Lorna! And you get extra points for making the beans and tomatoes from scratch (they’re always better that way)! 🙂

  100. We have made this quite a few times now and the whole family love it! It is a great dinner when the budget is a bit tight and fills up hungry children perfectly, great tip on the coconut milk too. We serve it with brown basmati rice for extra full tummies Thank you x

  101. This was such an easy recipe to follow and it came out SO GOOD! I have wanted to make a curry dish for a long time and was afraid of messing it up, but this was seriously simple and now I will make this ALL THE TIME. Thank you for sharing this!

  102. This was my first time making curry ever… I was so surprised with how easy it was and my dish turned out delicious! I’m also just discovering your website so I’m excited to try more recipes. Totally up my alley!

  103. Thanks for the yummy recipe! My hubby loved it, which is saying something because our meatless adjustment is hard for him. Even my picky 3-year-old loved it! 🙂 The one thing I changed was I didn’t have parsley on hand but it needed the color so I tossed in some green peas, and they were so yummy I add them every time now. Also, sometimes I like to serve this over quinoa. Not everything handles the earthy taste and texture of quinoa, but this sweet creamy curry pairs perfectly with it! I love to use the other half of my can of coconut milk (per your shopping tip) as part of the liquid in my quinoa. It makes it more tender and less bitter.

    Thanks again! This recipe brought me to your blog, and I’m so glad it did! I love your recipes, your style, and your friendly and helpful responses to people’s comments! I’m definitely recommending your blog to friends & family.

    • Hi Angela! Very cool, I’m so glad the whole family liked it 🙂 And adding peas sounds awesome… I really like the idea of having this with quinoa too. Curries and quinoa can be great together!

  104. Hi there! This looks delicious. I’m considering making it for a friend who is due with a baby. What are your tips on freezing it?

    Thank you!

    • Hi Mary, I’m not sure I’ve ever freezed this recipe, but I would expect it to freeze fine. Perhaps allow it to cool to room temperature, then freeze in a Tupperware container.

      • This recipe freezes really well!
        After you make it just let it cool and put in a heavy duty ziplock bag. Defrost it in the fridge and then just heat in a pan and serve over fresh rice.

        Also, Andrew, really love this recipe and it has become my go to meal when it comes to making food for others (e.g. new moms) and everyone LOVES it.

        Thank you. I thought I’d be the weirdo commenting on something 3 years after the original post but I’m not surprised to see the positive ongoing feedback.

        • That’s great to hear! I’m glad it freezes well and that you’ve been enjoying it.

          I know, it’s funny how 270 of my recipes get lost to time but the other 5 just keep living on… 🙂

  105. Just made this for my four year old and the 3 and 5 year old kids I watch ( I used a sprinkle of Red chili flakes in place of a chopped up red chili) and they love it and so do I! Such great flavor!!! I will definitely be making this again!

  106. Hello,
    Made this on Tuesday and had ‘leftovers’ for lunch today….yum! Shared with co-workers and was asked if I knew the calorie count per serving…..I am not able to find this and was wondering if you have a calorie count including the rice and without the rice 🙂
    Thank you!

  107. This sounds amazing! Do the ingredients break down in the leftovers? I was thinking of making a day ahead for company and curious if i should under cook at all if doing this.

    • Hi Andrea! Oh no, leftovers are even better. Something about letting it sit in the fridge overnight seriously improves the flavors.

  108. This looks wonderful, and I have all the ingredients on hand. (Am soaking the chickpeas right now.) I have a question- the ingredients list says “a red chile,” but the directions say nothing about whether to leave it whole or chop it up. How do you prep the chile? Thanks!

  109. A splendidly bright colored and wholesome vegetarian dish with aromatic spices that blend so well together. The coconut milk also provides an Asian feel to the recipe and so does a serving of hot white rice.

    • Thanks, Ashley! I haven’t tried that myself but I could imagine this would work well in a crock pot… maybe give it a shot?

  110. Is the offer still up for a private meal in the Maldives? This is one of our favorite recipes, and my hubby and I will be there for our honeymoon in January!

  111. I LOVE this dish; made it 3 times and serve it over brown rice. I do, however, tweak slightly; I use only 1/4 tsp. of ground cloves because I find 1/2 tsp. too strong and I use a habanero, instead of a red chili because I usually have habanero handy. Thank you, Andrew!

  112. Just made this for my family of fussy eaters and it was a success. They really liked it. The only thing they asked, was where is the meat?

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