This roasted eggplant curry with sweet potatoes and chickpeas is an easy vegan recipe packed with tons of flavor and nutrients. Ready in under an hour for a healthy and delicious weeknight meal. Serve this curry on its own or with rice.

Close up shot of bowl of eggplant curry with white rice, topped with cilantro leaves and lime wedges

As a Registered Dietitian, I love sharing entirely plant-based recipes that are packed with whole food ingredients.

Curry recipes are one of the best ways to incorporate more plants into your diet, because they are incredibly flavorful!

This roasted eggplant (or aubergine) curry with sweet potatoes is my new favorite curry dish.

The bulk of the flavor comes from red curry paste, rich coconut milk, lime juice, fresh ginger, and garlic.

It has chickpeas for a boost of plant-based protein, plus spinach for even more nutrition benefits.

This recipe can easily be made ahead of time or meal-prepped, and tastes amazing as leftovers.

It is vegan, dairy free, nut free, soy free, and can easily be made gluten free.

Ingredients in roasted eggplant (aubergine) curry

Below is everything you need to make this recipe:

Ingredient substitution suggestions

  • Use white potatoes instead of sweet potatoes if you prefer.
  • Try kale, collards, or swiss chard in place of spinach for a different leafy green.
  • Use 1 tsp ground ginger in place of fresh ginger, if you are unable to find fresh.
Ingredients for roasted eggplant curry measured out on a grey backdrop

Step by step instructions

  1. First, peel the sweet potato, and cut the sweet potato and eggplant into cubes. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and put them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven until fork tender.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the onion, garlic, and ginger in a deep pot on the stovetop for a few minutes. Then add the red curry paste and mix it in.
  3. Pour the coconut milk and canned tomatoes into the pot and mix until well combined. Then add the chickpeas and stir.
  4. When the eggplant and sweet potato come out of the oven, add them to the pot. Stir everything up, and add the soy sauce, lime juice, and baby spinach to the pot. Mix it all together and cook until the spinach is wilted.
  5. Serve on it’s own or with rice. Top with fresh cilantro and extra lime wedges for serving (optional). Enjoy!
Overhead shot of a pot filled with eggplant curry with a wooden spoon

How to store roasted eggplant curry

Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat it a microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes.

Freezer: Freeze individual portions of roasted eggplant curry in airtight containers or baggies. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.

Eggplant curry serving suggestions

This curry tastes great on it’s own.

For a more filling meal, serve it along with some rice, pita bread, or naan bread. You can serve it with white or brown rice, or try a different whole grain, such as quinoa!

Best type of eggplant to use for curry

Eggplant comes in many different varieties and shapes.

I recommend using regular eggplant, Italian eggplant, or Chinese eggplant for this recipe.

Whatever type you choose, no need to peel the eggplant before cooking it!

Two bowls of eggplant curry with white rice, topped with cilantro leaves and lime wedges, with ingredients surrounding the bowls

Eggplant nutrition benefits

Eggplant is a source of many micronutrients, including potassium, B vitamins, folate, copper, magnesium, and manganese.

One cup of raw eggplant provides 2.9 grams of dietary fiber, which is 9 percent of your daily fiber needs.

In addition to vitamins and minerals, eggplant provides a number of different antioxidants.

These plant compounds help keep our cells healthy, fight inflammation, and can protect against certain chronic diseases.

Sweet potatoes nutrition benefits

Sweet potatoes pack a big nutrition punch! One cup of raw sweet potato provides several nutrients, including:

  • 4 grams of dietary fiber (14 percent of your daily needs)
  • 2.1 grams of plant-based protein
  • 448 mg potassium (10 percent of your daily needs)
  • 942.97 mcg Vitamin A (105 percent of your daily needs)
  • 1.064 mg pantothenic acid (21 percent of your daily needs)
  • 0.276 mg Vitamin B6 (21 percent of your daily needs)
  • 0.20 mg copper (22 percent of your daily needs)
  • 0.343 mg manganese (15 percent of your daily needs)

Sweet potatoes are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Eating 5-10 grams of soluble fiber each day can help improve blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels.

Two bowls of eggplant curry with white rice, topped with cilantro leaves and lime wedges, with ingredients surrounding the bowls

Spinach nutrition benefits

You might not be surprised to hear that spinach is packed with nutrients! One cup of cooked spinach provides:

  • 4.7 grams of dietary fiber (17 percent of your daily needs)
  • 6.1 grams of plant-based protein
  • 209 mg calcium (16 percent of your daily needs)
  • 5.7 mg iron (32 percent of your daily needs)
  • 1179 mg potassium (25 percent of your daily needs)
  • 941.40 mcg Vitamin A (105 percent of your daily needs)
  • 307.8 mcg folate (77 percent of your daily needs)
  • 41.6 mg Vitamin C (46 percent of your daily needs)
  • 1019.5 mcg Vitamin K (850 percent of your daily needs)

White spinach contains calcium, it also contains oxalates. These compounds make it difficult for our bodies to absorb all of the calcium it contains.

Spinach tip: Eat spinach with Vitamin C-rich foods (such as citrus fruit) to improve the absorption of the iron.

Chickpeas nutrition benefits

Don’t skimp on beans and legumes like chickpeas in your diet!

They are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet. One cup of cooked chickpeas provides several nutrients, including:

  • 13 grams of dietary fiber (46 percent of your daily needs)
  • 15 grams of plant-based protein
  • 3.7 mg iron (21 percent of your daily needs)
  • 1.346 mg Vitamin B6 (104 percent of your daily needs)
  • 72 mcg folate (18 percent of your daily needs)
  • 81 mg magnesium (20 percent of your daily needs)
  • 239.4 mg phosphorus (34 percent of your daily needs)
  • 2.07 mg zinc (19 percent of your daily needs)

Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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Close up shot of bowl of eggplant curry with white rice, topped with cilantro leaves and lime wedges

Roasted Eggplant Curry with Sweet Potato

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Alex Aldeborgh
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: serves 6
  • Category: main dish
  • Method: stovetop, oven
  • Cuisine: Asian-inspired
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This roasted eggplant curry with sweet potatoes and chickpeas is an easy vegan recipe packed with tons of flavor and nutrients. Ready in under an hour for a healthy and delicious weeknight meal. Serve this curry on its own or with rice.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium eggplant, diced into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 3 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained
  • Juice of half a lime
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
  • 5 cups baby spinach
  • Cilantro, for serving

Instructions

  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Toss the eggplant and sweet potato cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil and a generous shake of salt and pepper. 
  3. Roast eggplant and sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender and beginning to brown.
  4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a deep pot. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 2-3 minutes until very fragrant.
  5. Add the red curry paste and stir to coat the onion mixture in the paste.
  6. Pour the coconut milk and diced tomatoes into the pot. Stir it up so everything is well combined. 
  7. Add the chickpeas to the pot, along with the cooked eggplant and sweet potato.
  8. Add the lime juice and soy sauce, followed by the spinach.
  9. Stir and cook until the spinach is wilted.
  10. Serve with cooked rice, pita, or naan bread. Garnish curry with fresh cilantro leaves.

Notes

How to store roasted eggplant curry

Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat it a microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes.

Freezer: Freeze individual portions of roasted eggplant curry in airtight containers or baggies. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.

Ingredient substitution suggestions

  • Use white potatoes instead of sweet potatoes if you prefer.
  • Try kale, collards, or swiss chard in place of spinach for a different leafy green.
  • Use 1 tsp ground ginger in place of fresh ginger, if you are unable to find fresh.