Vegan Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry

Name: Vegan Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry
Prep time: 17 min
Cook time: 57 min
Total time: 1 h 14 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil or neutral oil; 1 large (about 1½ cups) (250 g) large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 3 tablespoons (60 g) vegan Indian curry paste (such as madras or tikka masala); 1 cup (200 g) dried green or brown lentils, rinsed in a sieve until water runs clear and picked over for debris; 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth; 1 can (14.5 oz) (400 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices; 1½ pounds (about 2 medium) (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 can (13.5 oz) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well; 5 cups, loosely packed (about 4 oz) (120 g) curly or lacinato kale, thick stems removed, leaves chopped into bite-size pieces; 1 teaspoon (2 g) garam masala; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime; fine sea salt, to taste, start with ½ teaspoon (3 g); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, one-pot Indian-style curry where tender sweet potato and earthy green lentils simmer in a spiced tomato and coconut sauce, finished with kale and a squeeze of lime. Hearty, budget-friendly and easy to make ahead.

Prep: 17 min
Cook: 57 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 19 min
Makes: About 8 cups (4 generous servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil or neutral oil
1 large (about 1½ cups) (250 g) large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 tablespoons (60 g) vegan Indian curry paste (such as madras or tikka masala)
1 cup (200 g) dried green or brown lentils, rinsed in a sieve until water runs clear and picked over for debris
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth
1 can (14.5 oz) (400 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices
1½ pounds (about 2 medium) (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
1 can (13.5 oz) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
5 cups, loosely packed (about 4 oz) (120 g) curly or lacinato kale, thick stems removed, leaves chopped into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon (2 g) garam masala
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime
fine sea salt, to taste, start with ½ teaspoon (3 g)
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or casserole with lid
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Chef's knife and cutting board
Fine-mesh sieve (for rinsing lentils)
Microplane or fine grater
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Use green or brown lentils, not red ones; red lentils collapse into mush and cook far faster than this timing.
Check your curry paste label: some Indian pastes contain fish, shrimp, ghee or dairy. Choose one that is labeled vegan.
Shake the coconut milk can well before opening so the cream and liquid are blended.
Cut the sweet potatoes into even ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes so they all cook at the same speed.
Plan about 80 minutes from start to table; most of it is hands-off simmering on the stovetop. No oven is needed.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Dice the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, peel and cube the sweet potatoes into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces, and stem and chop the kale.
- Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water, picking out any small stones.
- Keep everything within reach of the stove.
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Ready when: Sweet potato pieces are roughly uniform in size and the lentil rinse water runs mostly clear.
Tip: Uniform cubes cook evenly; large chunks stay firm while small ones turn to mush.
2
Soften the onion
- Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
Tip: If the onion starts to brown quickly or stick, lower the heat slightly and add a splash of water.
3
Bloom aromatics and paste
- Stir in the garlic, ginger and curry paste.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, so the paste darkens slightly and loses its raw edge.
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Ready when: The mixture smells fragrant and the paste looks slightly darker and oily around the edges.
Tip: Don't walk away; garlic and paste scorch fast and turn bitter.
4
Add lentils and liquid
- Add the rinsed lentils, vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with their juices.
- Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The liquid is at a steady, rolling boil with bubbles across the surface.
5
Simmer the lentils
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, so the lentils begin to soften.
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Ready when: Lentils are partly tender but still have a firm bite in the center.
Tip: The surface should bubble gently; a hard boil breaks the lentils apart and can scorch the bottom.
6
Cook the sweet potatoes
- Stir in the sweet potato cubes and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
- If the pot looks dry or starts to stick, add ¼ cup (60 ml) water.
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Ready when: A sweet potato cube is easily pierced with a fork, and the lentils are almost tender.
Tip: Stir gently toward the end so the softened sweet potato cubes stay mostly intact.
7
Add coconut milk and kale
- Pour in the coconut milk and stir.
- Add the chopped kale in two handfuls, stirring each until it wilts.
- Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Kale is dark green and tender, lentils are fully soft with no chalky center, and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: If the curry is too thick, stir in a splash of broth or water; if too thin, simmer a few more minutes.
8
Finish and rest
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the garam masala and lime juice.
- Taste and add more salt, ¼ teaspoon at a time, until the flavors taste bright and balanced.
- Let the curry rest, covered, for 5 minutes so it thickens slightly.
- Serve topped with chopped cilantro, if using.
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Ready when: The curry is thick and stew-like, and tastes savory with a bright lime finish.
Tip: Add lime and garam masala off the heat so their aromas stay fresh.

Good to know

Tips

Don't add salt to the lentils early in large amounts; curry pastes and broths are already salty, so season at the end.
Rinse and simmer green or brown lentils only; they hold their shape, while red lentils will dissolve.
For more heat, add ½ teaspoon cayenne or a sliced green chile with the garlic; for a milder curry, choose a mild paste.
Serve with basmati rice, naan or warm flatbread to soak up the sauce.

Make ahead

The curry tastes even better the next day. Cook through step 8, cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It thickens as it sits, so loosen with a splash of water or broth when reheating.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months (the sweet potato softens slightly after thawing). Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring and adding a splash of water or broth, until steaming hot, about 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave in 1-minute bursts.

Substitutions

curly or lacinato kale → Baby spinach (about 5 oz / 140 g) or Swiss chard. Spinach wilts in about 1 to 2 minutes, so add it in the last 2 minutes of simmering.
sweet potatoes → Butternut squash, same weight and cut size. Cooks in about the same time and gives a slightly sweeter, softer result.
full-fat coconut milk → Light coconut milk or unsweetened cashew cream. Light coconut milk gives a thinner sauce; reduce the broth by ¼ cup (60 ml) if you prefer it thicker.
vegan Indian curry paste (such as madras or tikka masala) → 2 tablespoons curry powder plus 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Add them in step 3 with the garlic and cook for 1 minute; add extra salt at the end.