I’m pretty excited to share this recipe with you all. Not only does it highlight some of my favorite vegetables, but the subtle Indian spices in the chana masala take this simple stuffed sweet potato to a whole new level. This meal is perfect for a chilly winter evening, and the aromas in your house will send your family members charging for the kitchen. Even our dog came bouncing in while the veggies were cooking.
If you’ve been to an Indian restaurant before, you’ve probably heard of chana masala before, even if you might not have ordered it yourself–it’s also sometimes called chole masala. The main ingredient in chana masala is chickpeas. They’re simmered to perfection in a tomato-based sauce with Indian spices.
Usually chana masala is served over rice or with a side of naan, however, adding this traditional spicy chickpea dish to a roasted sweet potato is hands down my favorite way to enjoy it. And if you have leftovers, they work hot or cold, so it’s perfect for bringing to lunch. We had one sweet potato and extra filling left over, and we enjoyed it the next morning with a fried egg on top.
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes rinsed and scrubbed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 1-2 tablespoons garam masala use more or less depending on spice preference
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about an hour, until tender.
- While the sweet potatoes cook, add the coconut oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 more minute, stirring often. Add the tomato paste, canned tomatoes and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the coconut milk and continue to simmer for 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- To serve, slice open the sweet potatoes and scoop a healthy portion of the chana masala into each. Garnish the potatoes with the minced cilantro.
22 Comments
Gail {A Healthy Hunger}
January 19, 2015 at 10:11 amLoving this! The color is amazing, all that vitamin A! I’m a huge fan of graham masala. Thanks!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
January 19, 2015 at 12:47 pmYum! These sound perfect for a winter dinner : )
Lia
January 19, 2015 at 12:51 pmIm allergenic to coconut milk but I really wat to cook with masala. Could I sub for cashew milk?
Andrea
January 19, 2015 at 7:07 pmYes! Also, if you eat dairy even a little whole milk or dash of heavy cream would work well too! Let me know how this turns out for you. Bon appétit!
Madison sal
January 19, 2015 at 7:26 pmThis looked so good and so I tried it. I am not an inexperienced cook but have not been able to successfully use graham masala.
My husband ate a little; it didn’t pass the ‘sniff’ test for my son (who is not thrilled to be eating vegan, in the first place), and I ate a large serving. I really don’t care for it, I must say. Looks great but I have a ton of it left to eat in the next few days unless I throw it out which I hate to do.
I give it no stars.
Andrea
January 19, 2015 at 11:30 pmI’m sorry this didn’t turn out for you. We’ve been eating a version of this chana masala recipe for years. It’s a staple in our household. It sounds like you’ve tried a few recipes with garam masala which may not be a spice you or your family loves. Sorry it was a waste for you.
Jennifer @ Delicious Everyday
January 19, 2015 at 9:05 pmLovely recipe! Looks amazing! I shall give this a try this!
Trish
January 19, 2015 at 10:50 pmThis . Sounds. so. AMAZING! I am such a sucker for anything masala. I’m sold.
Savita @ ChefDeHome
January 20, 2015 at 1:24 amdelicious flavor combination! I must try this sometime!!
Caitlin
January 20, 2015 at 11:07 amthis sweet potato has my name written all over it.
Andrea
January 21, 2015 at 6:18 amOh my gosh, this looks delicious! I love any excuse to use sweet potatoes 🙂
SandraM
January 21, 2015 at 10:31 amOMG! These look fantastic! Love sweet potatoes and Indian spices. Will be trying these soon.
I hope to incorporate more of a vegan diet in my household and this will be a great start. Thanks for always sharing so many appealing recipes! 🙂 It inspires me to try.
Laura
January 22, 2015 at 9:39 amI love coming up with different fillings for sweet potatoes! My fave right now is Mexican, but this one you have created looks awesome. I’ll have to give it a try!
Joanne
January 22, 2015 at 11:50 pmI made chana masala just the other day! And now I’m wishing I had thought to top a sweet potato with it because GENIUS.
Jennifer
January 23, 2015 at 1:04 pmMade this for lunch! Super yummy! I did half the amount of masala and paprika as I knew it would be too much for me. Made a lot! I’m looking forward to the leftovers.
Tricia
January 27, 2015 at 11:46 pmMy recipe came out tasting thin. I noticed that the chana masala was not as thick as your picture. Did you drain the can of tomatoes?
Andrea
March 2, 2015 at 10:29 amI did not drain my tomatoes. Every can of tomatoes will have a different liquid ratio. If yours was thin I’d let it cook longer on the stove to thicken up.
Cara
February 16, 2015 at 11:07 pmLoved this – great flavor – thanks for the idea! First time cooking with Masala and loved it so much I added a little more:). I also noticed that it wasn’t as thick as the picture and wondered if you drained the tomatoes?
Andrea
March 2, 2015 at 10:30 amHi Cara,
thanks for you comment. I did not drain my tomatoes. I’ve noticed each can has a different liquid ratio in which case you may want to cook the chana masala longer to thicken up on the stove. I hope this was helpful!
Els
July 29, 2015 at 3:40 pmThis was great! Thanks for the recipe. Will definitely try it in winter as well 🙂
Amanda
August 25, 2015 at 7:42 pmHi Andrea!
This looks INCREDIBLE. I’m a huuuuuuge sweet potato and garam masala lover — have actually experimented with them together before (with winning results!). I’m not big on chick peas, though — wondering if you think this would work with lentils? I know it wouldn’t technically be chana masala, but I was thinking the flavors and textures would still go well together…? Thanks in advance for your input!
emma
October 4, 2016 at 9:17 amWow I love your photos! The recipes looks pretty good too! =)