In my recent Misfits Market delivery, I received a sweet potato that I needed to use, so I thought, instead of tofu tikka masala, what if I used sweet potato? As it turns out, the Indian spices really complement the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. Despite not being a huge sweet potato fan, I am definitely going to be making this again!

Vegan Sweet Potato Tikka Masala Recipe

Ingredients (2 Servings)

• 1 sweet potato, diced
• .25 white onion, roughly diced
• .25 bell pepper, deseeded and diced
• .5 jalapeño, deseeded and diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, quartered/large diced
• .25 cup frozen peas
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes
• ~.25–.5 can coconut milk
• ~.25 unsweetened plain plant milk (I used soymilk)
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1–2 cloves garlic
• ~.5 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Lemon juice
• Turmeric
• Garam masala
• Curry powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ~.5 cup rice (follow package instructions for 2 servings of rice)

Method

1. Place the diced sweet potato into a pot of boiling water and wait until fork tender, about 10–15 minutes.

2. If using raw rice, start it now. If frozen, wait until nearly ready to serve.

3. In a nonstick pan over med–high heat, add vegetable oil and the onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger. Stir and allow to cook until the onions are translucent, about ~5 mins.

4. When the potatoes are ready, drain them and add them to a bowl for marinating. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, nutritional yeast, and curry powder and stir through so that all potato pieces are well coated. Heat a separate nonstick pan on high heat, add some sesame oil or vegetable oil to the pan, and once hot, add the potatoes. Ensure every piece has contact with the pan. Stir occasionally until all sides are browned, then set aside.

5. Once the vegetables in the other pan are softened, add the coconut milk and fresh cilantro. Using a food processor, pulse the entire can of whole tomatoes with the soy milk and then add the mixture to the pan. Stir well and lower heat to a simmer. Season with a generous dash of turmeric, garam masala, salt, pepper, and about 1 tsp of lemon juice. Add peas to pan and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.

6. If using frozen rice, prepare the rice at this point. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings; I added additional salt, lemon juice, and garam masala.

7. To serve, layer rice, then veggies and sauce, then top with the pan fried sweet potato and garnish with additional fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

I’m so excited to share this recipe—it has evolved so much from the original recipe that I found online and I feel proud to call it my own.

This dish might seem complicated or labor intensive but it totally isn’t!

Directions

Tofu

1. Drain, press, and cube tofu and add to a mixing bowl
2. Season with curry powder, soy sauce, salt, nutritional yeast, a splash of lemon juice, and some finely grated ginger
3. Set aside to marinate (I probably left it for about 30 minutes)
4. Pan fry in some vegetable oil so that all sides fry and get a bit crispy

Tikka Masala Sauce

1. The base of the sauce can be started simply with sliced onion, but I didn’t have any, so I used sliced mushrooms, yellow bell pepper, and a finely chopped jalapeño
2. Cook for 3–5 minutes, then add 1/2 cup coconut milk, 4-6 tbsps plain unsweetened vegan yogurt, 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes (primarily targeting the tomato liquid with just a few tomato chunks)
3. Whisk together and simmer as you season with garam masala, chopped fresh cilantro, salt, and a splash of lemon juice
4. Let everything simmer for 5–10 minutes and taste often to adjust flavor. For more thickness, add additional yogurt or coconut milk. If the flavor is too mild, add more tomatoes.
5. Before serving, incorporate the tofu into the pan and prepare some rice (mine was microwaveable but if starting from scratch, rice should be rinsed and started first)

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Finishing Touches

1. Spoon tofu tikka masala over rice
2. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro
3. I like to pair mine with fresh sliced avocado! Give it a try, it cools down the spiciness of the jalapeño and heat of the dish
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the avocado