Ready in about 30 minutes, this Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry is fragrant, comforting, and perfect served with rice for a complete meal.
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry is simple to prepare and full of flavour. The silky coconut-based sauce gets a lovely aroma and depth from store-bought Thai red curry paste, while sweet potato and chickpeas make it hearty and nourishing.
This is the kind of curry I reach for when I want comfort food that’s easy to make year-round. Cooking it in an Instant Pot speeds the process without sacrificing taste or texture.
This is my first Instant Pot recipe on the blog, and I’m already impressed. The Instant Pot offers the benefits of a pressure cooker with added safety and convenience. It’s faster than a traditional pressure cooker for many dishes and has multiple cooking modes—worth exploring if you haven’t tried one yet.
Back to this recipe: the curry combines wholesome ingredients and bright Thai flavours. It’s excellent for meal prep—make a big batch and portion it into containers for quick lunches or dinners.
I also have other chickpea and curry recipes on the site for variety, including stovetop and slow cooker options prepared in a Dutch oven or crockpot.
Ingredients
This curry uses a short ingredient list and relies on a good quality store-bought Thai red curry paste, so there’s no need to make the paste from scratch. Onion and garlic give the sauce more body and aroma, while tomatoes help form the gravy.
The recipe below uses dried chickpeas soaked overnight and cooked before combining with the vegetables. Fish sauce adds a punch of umami typical of many Southeast Asian curries. Finish with fresh cilantro and lemon juice for brightness.
Can I use canned chickpeas?
Yes. If you prefer, use canned chickpeas to save time—simply skip the step for soaking and cooking dried beans. Canned chickpeas make the recipe even faster and are an easy alternative.
How to make
If using dried chickpeas, soak them for at least 6 hours or overnight, then cook them until tender. In a stovetop pressure cooker they need a few whistles; in an Instant Pot cook soaked beans on high pressure for about 25 minutes and allow natural pressure release.
To avoid overcooking the sweet potatoes, cook the chickpeas separately first (or use canned chickpeas) and add them to the curry later.
Use the Instant Pot’s Sauté mode to soften the onion and garlic, which mellows their sharpness and builds the curry base. Add the red curry paste and briefly fry it with the aromatics to release its fragrance, then stir in chopped tomato until it softens and blends into the mixture.
Stir in the cooked or canned chickpeas and diced sweet potato, add coconut milk and salt, and combine. Cook on Manual/Pressure for about 15 minutes with the valve set to sealing. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then vent any remaining pressure.
Finish by stirring in fresh lemon juice and fish sauce (or a vegan alternative, see notes). Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or your favourite grain.
Serve With
Serve this curry over white, brown, or basmati rice. It also pairs well with quinoa or other grains. Add fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lemon when serving to brighten the dish.
Storage
This curry stores well in the refrigerator for several days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until bubbling hot before serving.
Other Curry Recipes You Might Like
If you enjoy this curry, you might also like these other recipes from the blog—stovetop and slow cooker curries featuring chicken, seafood, eggs, and vegetables.
- Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry
- Thai Red Curry With Chicken
- No Oil Chicken Curry
- Dhaba Style Egg Curry
- Thai Shrimp Curry
- Indian Mutton Curry (Stove Top & Slow Cooker)
- Thai Butternut Squash Curry (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 200 grams Dried chickpeas (or 2 cans, drained)
- 400 grams Sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 2 tsp Cooking oil
- 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic
- 50 grams Thai red curry paste (about 1.5–2 tbsp)
- 1 medium Tomato, chopped
- 1.5 cups Coconut milk
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegan)
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- If using dried chickpeas, soak for at least 6 hours or overnight. Cook until tender in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot (about 25 minutes on high in an Instant Pot). Allow a natural release.
- If using canned chickpeas, skip the soaking and cooking steps and begin with sautéing the aromatics.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil and warm, then sauté the chopped onion until softened and beginning to brown.
- Add minced garlic and cook briefly until the raw smell disappears.
- Stir in the red curry paste and fry for about 30 seconds to release its aroma.
- Add chopped tomato and cook until softened and combined with the onion and garlic.
- Add the cooked or canned chickpeas and diced sweet potato. Mix well.
- Pour in the coconut milk, season with salt, and stir to combine.
- Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on Manual for 15 minutes.
- When cooking ends, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then carefully vent any remaining pressure.
- Stir in lemon juice and fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegan). Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with rice or your preferred grain, plus extra lemon wedges if desired.
Video
Notes
- Vegan option: omit fish sauce and use a teaspoon of soy sauce for umami. Also use a vegan red curry paste.
- Gluten-free option: check that your Thai red curry paste is labeled gluten-free.
Nutrition
Calories: 483kcal |
Carbohydrates: 57g |
Protein: 13g |
Fat: 24g