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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo

    LAST UPDATED: February 25, 2019 • FIRST PUBLISHED: February 25, 2019

    Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo

    This spicy vegetable vindaloo is packed with veggies, kicky spices, and a touch of sweetness...thanks to sweet potatoes! Serve with rice and fresh cilantro for a delicious knock-your-socks off vegan Indian-inspired meal.

    A Bowl of Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo with Water Glass and Fork

    Vindaloo was always one of my favorite dishes to order at Indian restaurants, but I never actually knew what it was all about until recently. Potatoes are an important part of vindaloo. The "aloo" part of vindaloo literally translates to potatoes. I always thought the dish was all about the super spicy sauce!

    This is kind of funny because at this point I'd invented some vindaloo recipes of my own, without any potatoes.

    Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo in a Pot with Serving Spoon

    So, do sweet potatoes count as "aloo"? Probably not. But that's okay! We can still have some fun by including them in this vegetable vindaloo.

    Vindaloo Paste

    An awesome vindaloo starts with a great vindaloo paste. You'll need onion, garlic, ginger, and lots of spices, but it'll be totally worth it. Other than gathering your ingredients, making the paste is super easy. Just stick everything in a food processor bowl.

    Ingredients for Making Vindaloo Paste in a Food Processor Bowl

    And blend it up to make a smooth paste.

    Vindaloo Paste in a Food Processor Bowl

    Tip: I like to make a double batch of the paste and freeze half for later.

    How to Make Vegetable Vindaloo

    Most of my curry and stew recipes start with a step of sautéing some aromatics in a bit of oil. With vindaloo, your aromatics are in the paste, so you'll be sautéing the paste.

    Once you've cooked the paste for a minute or so, add some broth, followed by your sweet potatoes. Bring the liquid to a simmer and let the sweet potatoes cook for about 5 minutes before adding the rest of your veggies. Simmer everything together until the sweet potatoes are soft.

    Collage Showing Steps for Making Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo: Sauté Vindaloo Paste, Add Broth and Sweet Potatoes, Simmer, and Add Vegetables

    Serve your vindaloo with some rice and fresh cilantro.

    FAQ & Tips for Making Awesome Vindaloo

    • Feel free to adjust the heat level to your liking. Vindaloo is typically very spicy, and this version is comparatively mild. Add more chili paste at the end if you like.
    • Feel free to switch up the veggies with your favorites. Broccoli, carrots, and even regular old potatoes (in place of the sweet potatoes) would be excellent.
    • Is this recipe gluten-free? Yup!
    • Want to add some protein? Pan-fry some tofu cubes according to this method and stir them in at the end.
    • Vindaloo paste freezes well. Make a double batch and freeze half for later!

    Bowl of Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo with Rice and Cilantro

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    A Bowl of Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo with Water Glass and Fork
    4.29 from 7 votes
    Print

    Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo

    This spicy vegetable vindaloo is packed with veggies, kicky spices, and a touch of sweetness...thanks to sweet potatoes! Serve with rice and fresh cilantro for a delicious knock-your-socks off vegan Indian-inspired meal.

    Course Entree
    Cuisine Indian
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 354 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    For the Vindaloo Paste

    • 1 small onion, quartered
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
    • 2 tablespoons sambal oelek (or to taste)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground fenugreek
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

    For the Vindaloo

    • 2 tablespoons canola oil (or high heat oil of choice)
    • 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth
    • 1 ½ pounds fresh sweet potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes, optionally peeled (I didn't peel mine)
    • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
    • ¼ cup tomato paste
    • 2 cups cauliflower florets (about ½ of a medium crown)
    • 1 ½ cups fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
    • 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    For Serving

    • Cooked rice
    • Fresh cilantro

    Instructions

    1. Begin by making the paste. Place all ingredients into a food processor bowl and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

    2. Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat.

    3. When the oil is hot, add the vindaloo paste and sauté it for about 1 minute, until it begins to become fragrant.

    4. Stir in the broth and sweet potatoes, raise the heat to high, and bring the liquid to a simmer.

    5. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes.

    6. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, cauliflower, green beans, and bell pepper.

    7. Continue simmering the mixture until the sweet potato is fork tender, about 15 minutes.

    8. Remove the pot from heat and taste-test. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add some extra sambal oelek for extra heat, if desired.

    9. Divide onto plates with rice and top with cilantro. Serve.

    Recipe Notes

    Nutrition information does not include rice.

    Nutrition Facts
    Sweet Potato & Vegetable Vindaloo
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 354 Calories from Fat 74
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8.2g13%
    Saturated Fat 0.8g4%
    Sodium 881mg37%
    Potassium 2157mg62%
    Carbohydrates 65.5g22%
    Fiber 12.2g49%
    Sugar 9.3g10%
    Protein 8.1g16%
    Calcium 70mg7%
    Iron 3.1mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah | Well and Full says

      February 25, 2019 at 1:22 pm

      This vindaloo looks so incredibly flavorful! I'd love to eat this with a side of naan bread :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 03, 2019 at 5:05 pm

        Naan would be perfect with it! Thanks Sarah!

        Reply
    2. Knapweed says

      February 25, 2019 at 4:11 pm

      5 stars
      Looks incredible and I will be trying it later this week. Actually, Vindaloo is a Portuguese dish, not Indian, although they do serve it in Indian restaurants.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 03, 2019 at 5:05 pm

        Oh, interesting! I've never heard that before! I hope you enjoy this!

        Reply
        • Joy says

          January 20, 2020 at 8:08 am

          It's not Portuguese dish. It was influenced by the Portuguese marinating meat in red wine vinegar and garlic. However with time it became more and more Indian with the addition of Indian pickling spices like mustard, chillis, cumin, black pepper, etc. This is a recipe for a great curry, just not a Vindaloo.

          Reply
    3. Jennifer says

      February 26, 2019 at 7:51 am

      So many curry misconceptions out there! I always thought it was the spice blend! My Mom always thought that almost all the curry spice blends were the same, and thought that curry had no "spice" and you could just add the pepper to the heat level you like. And my sisters and I were like "No.... not at all" I mean maybe they do that in restaurants lol

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 03, 2019 at 4:58 pm

        Ha! There was a time that I thought all curries were the same too, and that it was specific herb! I guess it didn't help that curry leaves are actually a thing. It wasn't until I started cooking Thai food that I realized curry is a generic term that applies to lots of things!

        Reply
    4. Cassie says

      March 04, 2019 at 7:20 pm

      3 stars
      Made this tonight. My husband liked it, but I didn’t love it. The paste smelled amazing and the dish looked beautiful when it was done. I taste heat, but not a lot of flavor, if that makes sense. Maybe it’s a dish that tastes better the second day.

      Reply
    5. David says

      March 10, 2019 at 9:15 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good! I had it for lunch the next day and I was looking forward to it all morning!

      Reply
    6. Denise says

      May 05, 2019 at 8:59 am

      5 stars
      This was excellent! I made it as the vegan offering for a mixed group of carnivores, vegetarians and a vegan, and all agreed it was great, loads of flavor and just the right amount of heat. I didn't change anything about the recipe and, after making it once, don't see any changes I'd make. This one is definitely going into the rotation.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 05, 2019 at 2:06 pm

        Yay! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks Denise!

        Reply
    7. MARK FREUND says

      June 02, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      Actually, the name Vindaloo has nothing to do with Potato. Its from the Portuguese carne de vinha d'alhos (literally "meat in garlic wine marinade"),

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 09, 2019 at 2:36 pm

        Interesting! I'd heard that this dish had Portuguese origins, but I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    8. Nina says

      December 14, 2019 at 7:31 am

      I didn’t care for the flavor of this dish and thought the sambal oelek added a sour taste. To try to improve it, I added a small amount of coconut milk (lite version) and then my husband loved it.

      Reply
    9. Beth says

      December 31, 2019 at 10:53 am

      I don't own a food processor or blender because my kitchen is incredibly and insultingly small. Just a super-cheap Magic Bullet that isn't great for pureeing things that don't have a lot of liquid. However, if I were to take a shortcut and use jarred vindaloo paste, how much should I use for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 05, 2020 at 4:38 pm

        I'd try 5 or 6 tablespoons. Good luck and enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Kathleen Meccariello says

      January 26, 2020 at 11:33 am

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe exactly as written! Ty!

      Reply
    11. Galen Woods says

      July 12, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      2 stars
      This was unfortunately my first "miss" of a recipe from here. I followed the directions and even went heavy on the spices but this dish came out very bland. Ate one serving then went back and threw every spicy thing I could find in my kitchen into the pot for leftovers.

      Reply
    12. Nancy says

      May 30, 2021 at 3:09 pm

      Vinegar in the sauce or meat marinade makes Vindaloo vs. Curries.

      Reply
      • Paul E. Doniger says

        September 06, 2021 at 3:38 pm

        Yes, I am surprised there is no vinegar in this recipe. If I make it, I will add vinegar!

        Reply

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