Sweet Potato Lentil Curry

A creamy, mildly spiced curry with sweet potatoes and green lentils in a light cashew cream sauce — comforting, nourishing and full of flavour.

⭐ Very yummy lentils curry.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 150ml cashew cream (blend 80g raw cashews with 150ml water until smooth)
  • 1.5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp curry powder (mild)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

  1. Rinse green lentils and pre-cook them in water for 15 minutes; drain and set aside
  2. Blend cashews with water until smooth to make the cashew cream; set aside
  3. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and sauté onion until translucent, about 5 minutes
  4. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute
  5. Stir in curry powder, turmeric and cumin for 30 seconds until fragrant
  6. Add sweet potatoes, pre-cooked lentils and vegetable broth
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes until tender
  8. Stir in the cashew cream and cook for another 2–3 minutes
  9. Add spinach and stir until wilted
  10. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice
  11. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve

Notes

  • Serve with whole grain bread or a spoonful of plain low-fat yogurt on top
  • Add more broth for a thinner consistency
  • Green lentils hold their shape better than red lentils, giving this curry a heartier, more textured bite
  • To reduce calories, use only 50g cashews and add a bit more vegetable broth
  • Leftovers keep well for 3 days in the refrigerator and freeze well for up to 2 months

Variations

  • Replace sweet potato with pumpkin or carrot for a different sweetness
  • Add a handful of chickpeas in the last 5 minutes for extra protein
  • Stir in a tbsp of low-fat yogurt at the end instead of cashew cream
  • Top with toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch and added zinc
  • Use kale instead of spinach for a heartier green
  • Replace cashew cream with oat cream for a nut-free alternative

Fun Facts

  • Green lentils are one of the oldest cultivated foods on Earth, with archaeological evidence of consumption dating back over 9,000 years to the Near East
  • Sweet potatoes are not related to regular potatoes at all — they belong to the morning glory family, while potatoes are nightshades
  • Cashews grow attached to a fruit called the cashew apple, and each cashew apple produces only one single nut
  • Turmeric has been used in India for over 4,000 years as both spice and medicine, and is sometimes called "Indian saffron" for its golden colour
  • The word curry comes from the Tamil word "kari", which simply means "sauce"
  • Ginger is technically a rhizome (underground stem), not a root — and it has been traded along spice routes since at least 2,000 BCE

Why This Meal Is Good For You

  • Green lentils have a lower glycaemic index than red lentils, giving a slower, steadier blood sugar response
  • Sweet potatoes provide beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant linked to reduced cancer risk and better skin health
  • Cashews offer healthy monounsaturated fats, magnesium and zinc — supporting muscle relaxation and restful sleep
  • Turmeric contains curcumin, one of the most researched anti-inflammatory compounds
  • Ginger supports digestion and circulation with mild anti-nausea properties
  • Spinach delivers magnesium and folate, supporting nervous system health