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This Thai sweet potato curry is a hearty plant-based meal that’s incredibly flavorful, comforting, and filling. It’s easy to cook and makes fantastic leftovers!
Got sweet potatoes to use up? Try my Sweet Potato Tacos or Turkey Sweet Potato Chili next.
Why you’ll love it
I love making Thai-inspired recipes, and this coconut curry might be my all-time favorite. It’s really simple to throw together and makes great meal prep or work lunches since it reheats like a dream. The sweet potatoes melt in your mouth!
Some of the bright, fresh flavors in this 40-minute vegan Thai curry include zesty ginger, lime juice, red curry paste, and basil and cilantro. It’s a flavor medley that you’ll find yourself craving. And the sauce is ridiculously good.
Is this Thai curry spicy?
- Not as written! I use Thai Kitchen brand red curry paste, which is on the milder side. The coconut milk also mellows things out even more. Be aware that other brands of curry paste can be hot, though.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – our tasty aromatics. I like sweet (Vidalia) onions here.
- Ginger – for that signature zip. You can either finely chop or grate it.
- Vegetable broth – the base of the sauce
- Thai red curry paste – it typically has red chili peppers, lemongrass, and fragrant herbs. I highly recommend Thai Kitchen brand.
- Sweet potatoes, carrots, bell pepper – they’re filling and the veggie stars of this curry
- Coconut milk – the full-fat version makes it luxuriously creamy. Some brands can be thin and watery, so I recommend Thai Kitchen.
- Soy sauce – a hint gives savory depth
- Lime juice – a pop of acidity
- Brown sugar – it gives balance to make this well-rounded
- Basil and cilantro – I suggest using at least one of the two herbs; it really does add another dimension of flavor and freshness to this bowl of comfort!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use this Le Creuset Dutch oven for my soups, curries, and stews.
- Grating ginger is actually easiest from frozen (and it stays fresh longer!) using a Microplane zester.
- Mince garlic effortlessly using a garlic press since you don’t need to peel the cloves first, and store the rest in a garlic keeper.
How to make Thai sweet potato curry
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Sauté the onion in a soup pot until golden. Add in the garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute. Stir in the broth, red curry paste, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover slightly and simmer.
After about 10 minutes, add in the coconut milk, soy sauce, bell pepper, lime juice, and sugar. Increase the heat slightly, and simmer until the veggies are softened and the sauce thickens. Right before serving, add in the chopped fresh herbs.
Pro tip
- The juice from half a lime goes into the pot while cooking this meal, but I suggest serving it with extra lime on the side so everyone can adjust this recipe to their individual taste preferences. It’s a little sweet and a little sour and a whole lot of delicious.
Substitutions and variations
- This curry is pretty flexible, and you can easily make it with more veggies than indicated. Simply add a little more broth to the pot if needed so the vegetables are mostly submerged when you’re simmering them.
- You can also adjust the amount of curry paste to suit your preferences. If you like it bolder, feel free to add some more or use a more spicy brand instead.
What to serve with vegan Thai curry
- I serve this with rice, but that’s totally optional! It’s pretty hearty on its own. Pair with a slice of fresh crusty bread or even naan or roti bread to round it out.
- If you’re in the mood for a fresh salad pairing, try my Thai Quinoa Salad for more rich Asian-style flavors.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftover curry in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- Reheat over a low heat in a saucepan, or microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
- You can freeze leftovers of this recipe for later. I like to usual individually portioned containers for ease.
More Thai-inspired recipes
I really hope you enjoy this vegan Thai coconut curry recipe! If you made it, please leave a star rating and review below. You can also find me on Instagram.
Thai Sweet Potato Coconut Red Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste see note
- 1 pound sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1 large carrot peeled & sliced
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- Juice of 1/2 lime + extra lime wedges for serving
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 handful fresh basil chopped
- 1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. It's ok if it goes a little brown – that adds more flavor.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pot and cook for about a minute.
- Stir in the veg broth, curry paste, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Increase the heat so it comes to a gentle boil, then cover the pot with the lid slightly open and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, red bell pepper, lime juice, and sugar. Increase heat to medium-high and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes (if it's bubbling furiously, reduce the heat). The sauce will thicken up a bit and the veggies will fully soften.
- Before serving, add the chopped herbs to the pot. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- I sometimes serve this recipe with rice, but that’s totally optional! I typically measure out 1 cup of uncooked rice to serve 4, but feel free to make as much rice as you normally do. Start the rice before the curry so that it’s ready at the same time.
- Sweet potato sizing can vary, so it’s best to go by weight. I used one sweet potato that weighed about a pound (16 ounces). Some grocery stores carry smaller ones, so you may need more than one to make up a pound.
- I use Thai Kitchen red curry paste in this recipe. It’s vegan. Some others contain fish ingredients so just make sure to read the label if that’s an issue. This brand isn’t particularly spicy but some others are, so be aware that not all curry pastes are interchangeable and you may need to adjust quantities.
- The brand of coconut milk matters! I use Thai Kitchen brand because it’s less watery/richer than other brands I’ve tried.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It does NOT include rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on March 16, 2017. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
I made this with Butternut Squash because it’s what I had on hand, and it was delicious! And easy! Thanks Natasha!
You’re very welcome! 🙂 Glad the butternut squash sub worked well.
I couldn’t decide between this recipe and another one I found so I combined them, mainly using this recipe for the spices, sauce, and instructions.
Makes a lot. My vegetarian son loved it. Even my meat-eating huz liked it. It was a bit spicy, but only seemed so at first, but I did add Thai Garlic Chile Paste (a little) because I like spicy. I used a VERY big sweet potato and no carrot, and added a can of chickpeas, and a cup of red lentils, and some canned diced tomatoes. But I give kudos to this recipe for its flavor, and ingredients.
I’m so glad it was a hit!