Sweet potato curry – Simple, quick, healthy & delicious sweet potato curry made in South Indian style. Sweet potatoes are rich in iron, vitamin B, C, D and have many health benefits. They are good for peole of all age groups. Though they are high in carbs. Due to their high fiber, they don’t spike the sugar levels even in diabetics and don’t contribute to weight gain. Hence make them a better food than potatoes. With so many health benefits, it’s a good idea to include them in our diet.

sweet potato curry is easy to prepare and can be done under 30 minutes. It tastes mildly spicy and sweet. We absolutely love the quick sweet potato stir fry. i also make potato and sweet potato pulusu, a sweet and sour tasting stew from Andhra cuisine.
To make sweet potato curry, we don’t need to grind any masala or paste. We can make use of any light spice powder or garam masala powder or only coriander powder will be fine.
How to make sweet potato curry
1. Wash, peel and cube sweet potatoes. Add them to a bowl of salted water till used otherwise they get discolored. Heat oil. Add mustard & cumin. When they splutter add curry leaves & hing. When they turn crisp add ginger paste and fry till aromatic.

2. Add onions, green chili and salt.

3. When they turn transparent add tomatoes or tomato puree. Sprinkle salt & turmeric. Saute well for 2 mins.

4. Add garam masala, coriander powder & red chili powder. Stir and fry for a minute.

5. Add cubed sweet potatoes.

6. Stir well.

7. Add the water we used to soak the sweet potatoes just enough to immerse them.

8. Simmer and cook till sweet potatoes turn tender and cooked. Check salt and add more if needed.

Serve sweet potato curry with rice.

More curry recipes
Potato curry
Cabbage curry
Bhindi masala
Sweet potato curry recipe

Sweet potato curry | How to make sweet potato curry
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups sweet potatoes cubed
- 1 cup onions chopped finely
- 1 cup tomatoes red ripe , chopped or pureed
- 1 green chili slit
- 1 tsp ginger grated or ginger paste
- 1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp Coriander powder (optional)
- ½ to 1 tsp garam masala or any curry powder as desired
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- Salt as needed
- 2 tbsps Oil as needed
- ¼ tsp mustard (optional)
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 Pinch hing or asafoetida (optional)
Instructions
- If you do not have coriander powder, add 2 tsps. Coriander seeds and then garam masala powder and red chili powder to a dry blender jar and powder together. That helps to make a fine powder.
- Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, mustard, and allow them to splutter. Add hing, ginger and then the curry leaves. Fry together till you smell the ginger good. Do not burn.
- Add onions, & green chilies. Fry till they turn golden.
- Next add tomatoes and sprinkle salt, turmeric. Saute for 2 mins
- On a low flame cover and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. The onion tomato mixture should blend well.
- While the tomatoes cook, you can peel and cube the sweet potatoes, add them to water till we use.
- Add chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder and red chili powder. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes without burning.
- Next add sweet potato cubes, pour the same water we used to keep them. Just use enough water to immerse the sweet potatoes.
- Cook on a low flame, till they are soft cooked. You can adjust salt and spice at this stage.
- Keep covered for about 15 minutes for the flavors to absorb well by the sweet potato curry. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

Laila says
Can we keep the skin on the cubed sweet potatoes? Love this recipe, thank you so much!
swasthi says
Welcome Laila,
Not sure how it tastes. It may separate after cooking.
lakshmi says
Tempting recipe swasthi gaaru, when i am kid my grand maa used to cook remembered those days…. here many kinds of sweet potatoes are available which one will be good?
swasthi says
Hi Lakshmi,
Thank you! Earlier I used to buy the Indian kind from Mustafa. Since Jan we haven’t been visiting there any more so I am unable to get something that’s suitable for curry. The orange & the purple flesh sweet potatoes don’t go well in the curry. They break down to a mush. I think if you find something from India, you can use them. Hope this helps
Tammie says
Your cooking have been a life saver for me! My husband is South Indian, vegetarian, and only likes home cooked meals. I’m Chinese and I had no idea how to cook Indian cuisines. I found your site and have made at least 10 different meals and my husband loves it. Thank you so much! I’m forever grateful!
Tammie
swasthi says
Welcome Tammie
Glad to know the recipes are useful. Thanks much for leaving a comment.
Barbara W Considine says
Thank you for your recipes, Swasthi. They are so clear, specific and easy to follow. We started with your samosa recipe because we felt we needed the step by step pictures you provide. Such a tricky thing to make the first time and yet they came out beautifully, thanks to your careful, detailed instructions. Now we look to you for all new Indian dishes we want to try. Such a nice service you give us all!
swasthi says
Hello Ms.Barbara
You are welcome! Glad to know the recipes worked out well for you. Yes folding the samosas is a bit tricky. Thank you so much!
Jacob says
Tastes Yummy Swasthiii…. Hugs… Thank u so much…
Question though: the sweet potato doesn’t have to be pre cooked?.. cuz it’s still kinda hard in the curry…
swasthi says
Hi Jacob,
You are welcome!
Yes I never precook sweet potatoes. Just add little more water and cook on a low heat until soft. It takes some time but tastes delicious this way. Thank you!
Nazia says
Newly married and I have no one to guide or help me cook. Swasthi has been my go to blog everytime. A life saver..
swasthi says
Hi Nazia,
Thank you so much for the comment. Glad the recipes are helpful.
Wishing you both the very best! Stay blessed!
🙂
Renee says
It looks delicious! I have a few different types of sweet potato, including red and hawaiian, will they still work? Thanks
swasthi says
Hi Renee,
Thank you! If they have the same cook time, you can use them else some may turn mushy. Hawaiian sweet potatoes don’t go well in a curry. I have tried it a few times. I wouldn’t suggest.
Malini says
This is a wonderful recipe….thank you for sharing it…turned out so good!
Jim says
When you say mustard are you talking about black mustard seeds?
swasthi says
yes it is the seeds
Kelly says
I had a few problems with the recipe. It has hing and garam marsala listed in the ingredients. I put them all next to the stove and when I finished, it never said when to use those two. It did however say to use red chili pepper and chili pepper in one step. So, is one of the two above considered a chili pepper or red chili pepper? Not sure which one, so I guess I’ll try it without garam marsala and without the hing. Haven’t tasted it yet but thanks for providing it.
swasthi says
Hi Kelly
I am sorry.I will look into it. Thanks for trying. Chill is green chilli and red chilli is red chilli powder. You can just make it even without garam masala. If you like the spice flavors then can add garam masala along with chili powder.
Id says
Tried the receipe today..a dash of lemon at the end took it to a whole new level
swasthi says
Thanks for trying
Van says
This looks delicious! Just what I was looking for.
Just something to consider: If something has calories (1 g carbohydrates = 4 calories), then it contributes to weight gain.
swasthi says
Thank you
🙂