Let's say you have some omnivore family members at the table who say vegetarian food is bland. They roll their eyes, maybe they paw at the floor and whinny. Ok, maybe only my husband does that. But if this happens to you, then you need this Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry to completely change their minds. Forever.
A week ago, I posted about ways to up the flavor in vegetarian and vegan dishes. And by flavor, I'm talking about the umami flavors in food that make our taste buds sparkle and dance and ask for more.
This Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry delivers on the promise of full-bodied flavor thanks to several of the umami flavor enhancers I mentioned in the post.
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Vegetable Bouillon
- Balsamic Roasted tomatoes
- Roasting the sweet potatoes instead of cooking them by simmering in liquid
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry Ingredient Tips
If you don't have Better Then Bouillon Paste on hand, substitute 1 vegetarian bouillon cube. Red miso paste is another good option.
If you don't have my Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes tucked away in your refrigerator (shame on you!), substitute one (14.5 ounce) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar for the umami kick. It doesn't take much.
For more heat, use the whole Serrano pepper. For less heat, use 1/2 jalapeño pepper and trim away all of the pith and remove the seeds.
Either full-fat or lite coconut milk works well.
As an optional ingredient, Halloumi is a Greek cheese typically made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk. It's a semi-hard, unripened brine cheese that has a high melting point. This means you can grill, fry, and pan sear it with excellent success. As a note, halloumi traditionally uses an animal-based rennet, but a vegetarian halloumi is available. Be sure to check the package before purchasing. Paneer cheese can be used in place of halloumi cheese, which is vegetarian. Paneer cheese typically doesn't use a rennet for coagulation.
If you don't have fresh mint on hand, Thai basil works well too.
Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry Make-Ahead Tips
If you make this curry ahead of time, the flavors will intensify even further. But while it rests, the chickpeas will absorb some of the liquid. When you reheat it, just add some water to the pot to restore the texture.
#1. Have your chickpeas already cooked before starting this recipe, or use canned. I personally don't care for the flavor of canned, so I make batches regularly using one of my electric pressure cookers. (Yes, I have 2 – which my husband doesn't at all understand, lol.) I use (and love) this 6 qt. Instant Pot and this 8-qt Mulitpot by Mealthy.
#2. Roast up the Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes ahead of time.
#3. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes ahead of time, and store in the refrigerator in a sealed bag.
This curry keeps well in the refrigerator in a covered container or jar for a few days. It also freezes well up to 6 months.
Make It Faster + Ways to Simplify
When I was in culinary school, I spent my evenings blocking out the most efficient way to make the next day's recipes, so I could keep focused during the chaos of the day in the kitchens.
Our dishes had to be up at a precise time for sharp scrutiny by chef and the school owner, and it didn't go well if your dish was missing. Here's how this one can be ready in about 30 minutes.
- Cook the chickpeas and make the Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes in advance.
- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. The smaller they are, the faster they roast.
- Cube the halloumi, if using.
- Roast the sweet potatoes and start the rice, if you plan to serve it over rice.
- OR: Skip the roasting step and add the diced sweet potatoes to the pot with the coconut milk. This option requires a slightly longer simmer time of 15 minutes, but shortens the overall recipe preparation time by 10 minutes, and saves a pan from needing washed. Dice the sweet potatoes a little smaller to avoid any additional simmer time.
- Make the rest of the curry.
- Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the curry.
- While the curry simmers, pan-sear the halloumi, finish the rice, slice the mint and cut up a lime.
Prep Tips
Use a Y-shaped potato peeler to peel the sweet potatoes. They're easier to work with, faster, and create (IMHO) fewer fingernail injuries. I lean towards OXO products, because I like how they generally fit my hands, but anyone's will do the trick.
If you dice the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces, for example 1/2″ dice, the roasting time will shorten to about 10 minutes. The only difference is that large chunks make this curry, well, chunkier, so it's really according to your own preference for curry texture.
Serving
Acid sharpens flavors, and a hearty squeeze of lime juice really brings all the flavors in this curry into focus.
I serve this with rice and warmed na'an, but it's hearty enough that it does fine with just a salad as the sole side dish. If you choose to go with rice, check out my post for 6 Tips for Perfect Rice.
Make it Vegan
Eliminate the halloumi cheese.
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4" cubes, about 2 cups
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 Serrano chile, seeded and minced
- 1 – 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 1/2 cups Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes, chopped with juices, or 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (see notes)
- 1 (13.5-oz) can Coconut milk, (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (14.5-oz) can
- 1/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Bouillon Paste, or 1 bouillon cube, (see notes)
- 4 ounces Halloumi cheese, optional cut into 1 1/2" cubes (see notes)
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, optional
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced mint leaves, optional
- 4 lime wedges, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (I use my Breville toaster oven for this to save time and energy.) Toss the diced sweet potato in 1 teaspoon olive oil, and lightly season with kosher salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast until slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. (The length of time will be determined by the size of your sweet potato chunks.)
- Warm the remaining olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. I use this one from Le Creuset. Sauté the Serrano chile and and red curry paste for 1 minute, until aromatic.
- Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, cooked chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and bouillon paste. Bring to a simmer, and add the roasted sweet potatoes when roasting is complete. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the curry simmers, sear the halloumi cheese, if using. Heat up a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Halloumi cheese cubes to lightly brown. I typically sear 2 sides of the cheese, about 2 minutes per side, but you can sear them as much as you'd like. Stir into the curry.
- Serve topped with cilantro, thinly sliced fresh mint and a squeeze of lime to sharpen the flavors.
- Note: Thanks to the bouillon, I don't add any additional salt, but feel free to adjust this to your own tastes.
- Serve with rice and na'an flatbread, or with a big green salad. I particularly like a kale salad with this dish.
Notes
Ingredient Tips
If you don't have Better Then Bouillon Paste on hand, you can substitute 1 bouillon cube, but be sure it's vegetarian if that's the diet you follow. I've also made this with red miso paste instead of bouillon with success, although I still prefer the bouillon approach. White miso paste isn't quite savory enough for this particular recipe.
If you don't have my Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes tucked away in your refrigerator (shame on you!), substitute one (14.5 ounce) can of fire-roasted or regular diced tomatoes, but be sure to add at least one teaspoon balsamic vinegar for the umami kick. It doesn't take much.
Use the whole Serrano pepper if you like a little more heat, and use 1/2 jalapeño pepper if you want less heat. If you like less heat, also be sure to trim away all of the pith and remove the seeds.
You can swap out the Thai red curry paste out for ground curry powder, but know that the flavors won't be as full. There's a special robustness to the flavor of Thai red curry paste. And the flavors are very different even without that. If you decide to use curry powder, because that's what you have, I recommend starting with 1/2 tablespoon.
I used full-fat coconut milk, but the lite version works just as well.
As an optional ingredient, Halloumi is a Greek cheese typically made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk. It's a semi-hard, unripened brine cheese that has a high melting point. This means you can grill, fry, and pan sear it with excellent success. As a note, halloumi traditionally uses an animal-based rennet, but a vegetarian halloumi is available. Be sure to check the package before purchasing. Paneer cheese can be used in place of halloumi cheese, which is vegetarian. Paneer cheese typically doesn't use a rennet for coagulation.
If you don't have fresh mint on hand, basil works well too.
Make It Faster + Ways to Simplify
- Cook the chickpeas and make the Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes in advance.
- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Cube the halloumi, if using.
- Roast the sweet potatoes and start the rice, if you plan to serve it over rice.
- OR: Skip the roasting step and add the diced sweet potatoes to the pot with the coconut milk. This option requires a slightly longer simmer time of 15 minutes, but shortens the overall recipe preparation time by 10 minutes, and saves a pan from needing washed. Dice the sweet potatoes a little smaller to avoid any additional simmer time.
- Make the rest of the curry.
- Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the curry.
- While the curry simmers, pan-sear the halloumi, finish the rice, slice the mint and cut up a lime.
Make Ahead Tips
Have your chickpeas already cooked before starting this recipe, or use canned. I personally don't care for the flavor of canned, so I make batches regularly using one of my electric pressure cookers. (Yes, I have 2 – which my husband doesn't at all understand, lol.) I use (and love) this 6 qt. Instant Pot and this 8-qt Mulitpot by Mealthy. Roast up the Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes ahead of time, if that's your path with this ingredient. Otherwise use canned tomatoes – and fire-roasted tomatoes if at all possible. By the way, if you're looking for truly fabulous fire-roasted tomatoes in a can, these by DeLallo have won well-earned taste challenges. They are definitely a step above the rest.Prep Tips
Use a Y-shaped potato peeler to peel the sweet potatoes. They're easier to work with, faster, and create (IMHO) fewer fingernail injuries. I lean towards OXO products, because I like how they generally fit my hands, but anyone's will do the trick. If you dice the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces, for example 1/2″ dice, the roasting time will shorten to about 10 minutes. The only difference is that large chunks make this curry, well, chunkier, so it's really according to your own preference for curry texture.Serving
Acid sharpens flavors, and a hearty squeeze of lime juice really brings all the flavors in this curry into focus. I serve this with rice and warmed na'an, but it's hearty enough that it does fine with just a salad as the sole side dish. If you choose to go with rice, check out my post for 6 Tips for Perfect Rice.
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Yasuko Margolis says
I recently made this while adding this and that. It came out great and it’s becoming our favorite meal!! Sweet potatoes add natural sweetness, flavor, and help making thicken the sauce served over a bed of brown rice or farro. Than-you!
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
I so happy you and your family like this so much!! It’s a regular dish here too 🙂