Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Curry dinner of chickpeas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and coconut milk in a Le Creuset pot.

5 from 15 votes

Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potatoes Recipe

A deeply savory curry main vegetarian dish with sweet potatoes, chickpeas, roasted tomatoes, coconut milk and fried halloumi cheese.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Vegetarian Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chickpea curry, sweet potato and chickpea curry

Servings: people

Calories: 304kcal

Author: Susan Pridmore

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes, about 2 medium - small sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
½ Serrano chile seeded and minced
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (up to 2 tablespoons, depending on your preferences)
14.5 ounce can Fire-roasted diced tomatoes or 1 ½ cups Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes, chopped with juices
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar not needed if using Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes
13.5 ounce can coconut milk full fat or low fat
14.5 ounce can cooked chickpeas or 1 ½ cups
¼ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
½ teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Bouillon Paste, (up to 1 teaspoon, depending on your preferences) or 1 bouillon cube, (see notes)
4 ounces Halloumi cheese cut into ½" slices
coarsely chopped cilantro, for garnish
thinly sliced mint leaves, for garnish
lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425˚F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roast the sweet potatoes. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Toss in 1 teaspoon olive oil, and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
The amount of roasting time is dependent on the size of the diced pieces.
Make the curry broth. Warm the remaining olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Sauté the Serrano chile and and red curry paste for 1 minute, until aromatic.
Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and bouillon paste. Bring to a simmer, and add the roasted sweet potatoes when roasting is complete. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
Sear the halloumi. Heat up a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Halloumi cheese cubes to lightly brown, about 2 minutes per side. Stir the cheese into the curry.
Serve. Serve topped with cilantro, thinly sliced fresh mint and a squeeze of lime to sharpen the flavors.

Notes

Ingredient Tips

Better Then Bouillon Paste

If you don't have any on hand, substitute 1 vegetarian bouillon cube. Red miso paste is another good option.

Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes

This should be a staple in your kitchen to add to all kinds of dishes. But if you don't have them on hand, and you're in a hurry, substitute one (14.5 ounce) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar for an extra umami kick.

Serrano Pepper

The heat is in the pith and seeds. Include them for more heat, remove them for lower heat. For even less heat, use ½ jalapeño pepper.

Coconut Milk

Either full-fat or lite coconut milk works fine in this recipe.

Halloumi , optional (not vegan)

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.

Note: halloumi traditionally uses an animal-based rennet, but a vegetarian halloumi is available. Check the package before purchasing. Paneer cheese can be used in place of halloumi cheese, which is almost always vegetarian.

Make-Ahead Tips

If you make this chickpea 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.

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.

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.

Nutrition