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Vegan Sweet Potato Curry (Crockpot Recipe)

Published / Updated / 76 Comments

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This vegan sweet potato curry recipe is loaded with good stuff including red lentils, chickpeas, oodles of sweet potatoes, and a vibrant blend of spices. This vegan curry is easily made in the slow cooker.

close-up of crockpot vegan sweet potato curry in a white bowl

With fall rapidly approaching (ugh), I wanted to get some more cozy comfort food on the blog. This Crockpot sweet potato and chickpea curry recipe fits that nicely. It's definitely the best vegan curry I've ever made.

It'll definitely warm you up, and there's nothing quite like the familiar texture of stew. This is the perfect vegan winter comfort food recipe.

This one happens to be pretty healthy and vegan, so it can be enjoyed by all.

How to make vegan slow cooker curry

Like Crockpot recipes should be, this vegan Crockpot curry is easy, and you just chuck everything in the slow cooker and let it do its thing.

A note on cooking time: the photos were taken between 5-6 hours of cooking time. You can see there is quite a bit of liquid. My light was running out, so I had to take the photos ASAP. To fully test the recipe, I put it back in the Crockpot and gave it the 8 hours, and it does thicken up considerably (from the starch in the sweet potatoes mostly), so keep that in mind.

I prefer it with the slightly thicker consistency, which is good if you leave it on while you're at work all day. It's fine to eat after 5-6 hours if you're in a pinch, basically.

I used medium curry powder, so it isn't crazy hot, but it definitely does pack some heat. Mild or hot curry powder would work as well... whatever suits your preferences. If you want this vegan sweet potato curry to be even hotter, you can always add in some cayenne pepper.

You can make this recipe on the stove if you don't own a slow cooker. I included some tips in the recipe card.

collage with two photos of vegan sweet potato curry in a slow cooker and bowl

I think it's pretty apparent by now that I love sweet potatoes. They're so versatile, and I just can't get enough of that sweetness.

I particularly enjoy my recent stuffed sweet potatoes recipe. They're stuffed with a lot of good stuff (I have a way with words), basically, and you may like them too. 🙂

I don't make nearly enough Crockpot recipes. I tend to forget about my Crockpot for months on end, then I use it and I'm like why don't I use it more often? Vicious cycle.

My husband absolutely loves curries, and he definitely relished all the leftovers. They reheat very well.

If you like this vegan slow cooker recipe, you may also like my Thai sweet potato curry recipe (also vegan) and my vegan southwest sweet potato meal prep bowls.

sweet potato curry in a bowl with slice of pita bread

Let me know in the comments below if you've made this vegan sweet potato curry.

Questions? Don't hesitate to ask!

This Crockpot sweet potato curry is loaded with good stuff including red lentils, chickpeas, oodles of sweet potatoes, and a vibrant blend of spices. This is the best vegan stew I've ever made!
5 from 11 votes
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Vegan Sweet Potato Curry

This vegan sweet potato curry recipe is loaded with good stuff including red lentils, chickpeas, oodles of sweet potatoes, and a vibrant blend of spices. This vegan curry is easily made in the slow cooker.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword vegan slow cooker curry, vegan sweet potato curry
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6
Author Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 1 medium to large sweet potato cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 (19 fluid ounce) can chickpeas drained
  • 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1/2 cup red lentils
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 2 cups vegetable broth 
  • Salt & pepper to taste

For serving:

  • Chopped cilantro (optional)
  • Naan bread (optional) 

Instructions

  1. Prepare your sweet potato (I didn't peel it, but feel free to - there's lots of nutrients in the skin) and onion.
  2. Add all ingredients to your slow cooker (you may want to go easy on salt & pepper until after it's cooked, then season to taste). Give it a good stir then cook on low for 6-8 hours. The photos pictured show what it looks like after 5-6 hours of cooking. The full 8 hours makes it more of a thicker stew consistency because the sweet potatoes release more of their starch.
  3. Serve with freshly chopped cilantro and naan bread (optional). Makes great leftovers! 

Recipe Notes

  • I haven't tried cooking it on high, but I would give it 3-4 hours. 
  • This is the 7-quart Crockpot that I use. 
  • Stove top cooking tips: Sauté the onion in a large pot in about a tablespoon of olive oil until it’s lightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients, bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer with the lid slightly ajar. Test the tenderness of the veggies after about 30-45 minutes. You may need to cook it longer. Cooking time will vary depending on size of pot and other factors. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving.

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  2. Carol JPM says

    5 stars
    A terrific "Meatless Monday" recipe that is simple and amazing. If you like Indian food, you will not be disappointed. I followed the recipe to a "t" which is unusual for me. This has a very authentic curry flavor that can be made milder or hotter depending on your personal preference. I didn't make rice, but I believe this would be terrific over or served with it and that completes the protein profile perfectly. This would also be a great side dish to accompany other Indian dishes. Note: We have Indian immigrant friends and instead of Naan, they use flour tortillas.

    Reply

  3. Liliana Chiaraluna says

    Hi Natasha !! This recipe looks so amazing I am trying it today. However my husband doesn’t like chickpeas, will it alter anything if I don’t add them ??

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi!! Thank you! It should be fine without... they just add a bit more protein, flavor, and texture. You could always replace with another type of bean if he likes some other kind (e.g. kidney). I think it should be fine to leave them out, though.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      No... I mean cut it into 1" pieces and dice the onion (as indicated in the ingredients list). 🙂 I just put that extra little reminder in the beginning there, and it also allows me to explain that you can keep the sweet potato skins on if you want to.

      Reply

  5. Adam says

    5 stars
    Great recipe thanks! I also added some baby spinach towards the end of cooking and found it went amazing. Also some fresh coriander to serve makes all the difference.

    Reply

  6. Nicky says

    This was yummy! I cooked it on high in my slow cooker and it took about 4 hours, had to add extra veg stock towards the end of cooking but it didn’t alter the taste. I used medium curry powder and had it with brown rice and didn’t have the yoghurt. There was enough left over to have it the next night with half brown rice and home made sweet potato fries. Will definitely be doing this as a regular thing, many thanks.

    Reply

  7. Amy says

    We didn’t care for this at all. Despite all the seasonings and a lot of ground pepper, it was bland. Threw out the leftovers and I made only a half recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Sorry to hear that, Amy! Possibly a silly question, but did you add enough salt? I find that especially veggie dishes can taste very bland if you under salt them.

      Reply

  8. Jamie says

    Looks and sounds lovely! Want to try it your way, but I am curious if you think it would taste good if I substituted the sweet potatoes for yellow/golden potatoes? My husband doesn't like sweet potatoes. 🙁

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hmm... I think you could for sure give it a try. I can't say that the properties are exactly the same, but it probably will still taste good. Let me know!

      Reply

      • chuck says

        I make curry with white/yellow potatoes all the time (goes great with cauliflower and coconut milk); would probably work fine, though I'd expect the white potatoes to end up a bit softer than the sweet potato in this recipe.

        Reply

          • Carol JPM says

            My immigrant Indian friends make several recipes using white potatoes. As I made this last night, I considered using white potatoes because my husband doesn't like sweet potatoes either. However, the other ingredients marry so well, he didn't even comment about the sweet potatoes, which I decided to use because they are higher in fiber (especially with the skin which became VERY tender, vitamins and minerals.) Yep, I'm a dietitian, and always looking for nutrient dense low fat recipes!!! This one is an absolute winner. NOTE: I used the stove top method, and it took less than an hour to cook.

  9. Andrea says

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Even my food snob uncle liked it. My dad and sister loved it too. I usually have a lot leftover and I've had no problems eating it after defrosting.

    Reply

  10. Noelle says

    5 stars
    My family and I loved it! I made it on the stove and had it at a low simmer for almost 2.5 hours before the sweet potato was soft enough. Incredibly easy to make! This will definitely be in rotation. Thanks!

    Reply

  11. Barb says

    Fall is settling in and I find myself craving comfort food that warms the soul, all day cookers that are ready to go at the end of the day.... This recipe was the perfect answer !
    So easy to mix together, stir and let the crockpot do the rest. A little bit of heat with the slightest sweetness from the potatoes, served over brown rice. Delicious, look forward to the leftovers!

    Reply

  12. Denise T says

    This seems like a simple and delicious recipe. The lentils and garbanzos give it a nice kick of protein but to make it a complete protein I would add a can of corn or serve it with some fresh baked corn bread. Being a confirmed omnivore myself, I might add some chicken or lean pork cubed and browned in olive oil. Yum!

    Reply

    • Carol JPM says

      I did add some poached chicken to part of the recipe I made last night as my husband wanted something more substantial than the "veggie" dish. I was disappointed as it diluted the flavor too much. I will try pork next time and will brown the pork with the onions in olive oil. I also think a mixture of vegetable and beef broth would give it some additional flavor AND the spices should probably be increased accordingly for a more robust flavor. If using chicken, use the same technique, and add some chicken base.

      Reply

  13. Allan says

    5 stars
    Just wanted to say thanks for posting this recipe! I've made it a few times now and have really enjoyed it each time. Very easy and very yummy. I have no problem living off it for a few days straight. 🙂 The only significant deviation I've made is using more lentils for added protein content. I have no doubt I will continue to return to this now and again, as it's an excellent addition to this longtime vegan's repertoire, so thanks once more!

    Reply

  14. Catherine Sargent says

    This recipe was delicious. I added a bunch of chopped kale about 1/2 way through and the juice of 1/2 a lemon and it was perfect. We ate it with rice and quinoa and my 10yo asked for seconds!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Jasmin! So happy you liked it. Sorry, I don't have the nutrition info for this particular recipe. I'm not a trained nutritionist, so I don't really 100% trust the online calculators out there, so I never include anything beyond calories if I'm including any info at all. With that said, plugging the exact ingredients you used into a calorie calculator should give you a pretty good idea of how many calories it is. I know that calories can vary a lot based on some factors e.g. the size of the sweet potatoes, for example, so any estimate I would provide would only be a guess.

      Reply

  16. Angela says

    5 stars
    Just to say this receipe is still going strong in the UK in 2019! My wierd slow cooker only does 100degC (212degF) so even 6 hours is too much. 4-5 hours is plenty. It may be worth putting your slow cooker temperature on the instructions so people can judge cooking times accordingly. It's a really tasty dish, so easy to make and great for a healthy January start! Thanks for the receipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Yay! So pleased you liked it. That’s a good question - I have never investigated what the actual temp of my slow cooker is. I just have a high and low setting.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! I think it should be fine to do that. It may end up a little bit mushier, but I've frozen similar recipes and never had an issue. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂

      Reply

  19. Amy says

    5 stars
    Hi! Looks great! MY husband is allergic to lentils and all legumes (except chickepas !) - can I use barley, rice or buckwheat groats instead?

    Reply

  20. Tina says

    5 stars
    This was delish!! As a new vegan I love trying new and easy dishes and this one was a real winner!! Going to be in my regular dinner rotation for sure!! Keep up the good work <3

    Reply

  21. Mike says

    5 stars
    Hi Natasha,

    I made this yesterday, and it was delicious! I cooked for 8 hours and the sweet potato chunks were a bit mushy, so I might try for 7 hours next time. Perhaps intuition told me this was going to be a tasty dish, so I doubled the recipe. This one is a keeper! I'll provide a photo to you within a day or two. Can't wait to try your Thai Sweet potato Coconut Red Curry.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'm so glad you liked it, Mike! Yeah, getting slow cooking right for your personal preferences can sometimes take a little bit of trial and error for sure. Hope you like the red curry too. 🙂

      Reply

  22. Kristas says

    From what I have heard Naan is very high in calories and carbs (the "bad" ones). Any suggestion on something else to serve it with to scoop it or dip into it like you would with the Naan?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! This is hearty enough that you can eat it without anything. I usually just eat it by itself. Pita bread is a little healthier, but again, it does have carbs obviously.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      You bet! I did give another reader a tip on how to do this in one of the comments below - check that out to see if it helps. 🙂

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Isabelle, I think it definitely would work to cook this outside a slow cooker. This is how I'd do it: fry up the onion in a large pot in about a tablespoon of olive oil until it's lightly browned. I would then add the other ingredients, bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer with the lid slightly ajar. As for as how long this would take, I would test the tenderness of the veggies after about 30-45 minutes. You may need to cook it longer. This is just me guessing, so you may have to adjust cooking time a little... or a lot depending on several factors such as how much liquid is covering the veggies (depending on the size of your pot etc.). And as always, adjust seasonings to taste before serving. Let me know how it goes! Hope it's delicious. 🙂

      Reply

  27. Danielle says

    I have never tried Curry, but I am all over this recipe. I love sweet potatoes and loved when I find a new recipe that incorporates them!
    Thanks for this!!! Can't wait to try it!

    Reply