This comforting golden curry features a silky roasted sweet potato and red capsicum sauce blended with cashews, layered over a fragrant onion-tomato masala and finished with crispy chickpeas, tender butter beans, and a touch of coconut yogurt for the perfect balance of spice, creaminess, and warmth.
Looking for more plant-based high protein meals? These are some of my favourites:
This golden curry is one of my go-to recipes when I want something hearty, nourishing, and deeply flavourful. I love an onion-tomato masala with all the spices, and I also love palak paneer. It got me thinking: what veggie other then spinach can I use with the masala? It turns out you can do a lot! But to start with, I decided on roasted sweet potato and red capsicum, mixed with lemon juice, softened cashews and smoked paprika; it’s the perfect creamy addition to the masala. You can then add anything you want to it: fried tofu or paneer would taste equally as good. I chose to add in crispy chickpeas and butter beans and it was delish!
It’s rich in plant protein from chickpeas and butter beans, while the sweet potato adds fibre and natural sweetness. The roasted capsicum gives the sauce a subtle smokiness, and the cashews make it incredibly creamy—without needing any dairy. It’s packed with anti-inflammatory spices, gut-friendly legumes, and tastes THAT good. Best of all, this golden curry is freezer-friendly and perfect for meal prep.
Pro Tip
Make the onion-tomato masala ahead of time, and freeze in big batches. I like to have this at hand and I add it to loads of my dishes, like when I’m making palak paneer, a lentil curry or another veggie saucy creation like this!
Main Ingredients
Sweet potato – Adds natural sweetness, fibre, and vitamin A.
Red capsicum – Roasted for depth of flavour and high in vitamin C.
Cashews – For creamy texture and healthy fats.
Onions – Sautéed until golden for depth (omit for low-FODMAP).
Tomatoes – Fresh acidity and colour.
Chickpeas – Crispy, roasted, and protein-rich.
Butter beans – Creamy and satisfying plant protein.
How to Make a Perfect Golden Curry
Soak cashews in hot water while you prep.
Roast sweet potato and capsicum in the oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
Blend the sauce with drained cashews, roasted veg, lemon, water, and smoked paprika until silky.
Cook the masala: Sauté whole spices in butter and oil, then add onion, ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, salt, and garam masala.
Roast the chickpeas in a pan with oil and salt until golden. (Psst! don’t skip this step, roasted chickpeas taste soo much better!)
Combine everything: Stir the sauce and chickpeas into the masala, then add butter beans and finish with kasuri methi.
Garnish and serve with coconut yogurt and lemon.
Onion-Tomato Masala
Sweet Potato and Capsicum Sauce
Variations & Substitutions
- Use pumpkin instead of sweet potato.
- Swap cashews for sunflower seeds or silken tofu to make it nut-free.
- Make it low-FODMAP by skipping onions and garlic—use garlic-infused oil instead.
- Add spinach or kale for extra greens at the end.
- Swap butter beans for cubed fried tofu or softened paneer if you eat cheese.
Equipment
If you don’t have a NutriBullet now might be the time to bite the bullet (haha), and get one, because I use it in so many of my recipes – although at this stage I have only posted two to my blog, you’ll find I use it all over the recipes I post on my TikTok. You’ll get so much use out of one!
- Blender or food processor
- Oven and baking tray
- Large sauté pan or pot
- Small frying pan (for chickpeas)
How to Serve It
Serve with steamed basmati rice, toasted naan, a dollop of coconut yogurt, and a squeeze of lemon. It’s perfect for a cosy night in or a casual dinner with friends.
How to Store It
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Watch How to Make Them
Saucy Golden Curry w/ Crispy Chickpeas and Butter Beans
Ingredients
Sweet Potato & Red Capsicum Sauce
- 1 medium (500g) sweet potato peeled and diced
- 1 large red capsicum sliced
- 20 cashews soaked
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ cup water more if needed to thin
Onion-Tomato Masala
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1.5 medium onions finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes deseeded and chopped (I like Truss)
- 1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup water
To finish
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed between palms
- 1 can 400g chickpeas drained, rinsed, skins rubbed off
- 1 can 400g butter beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 4 tablespoon coconut yogurt to garnish
- steamed basmati rice
- naan bread
Instructions
- Soak the nuts: Place cashews in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak while you prep the veg.
- Prep the vegetables: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Peel the sweet potato and dice into small chunks. They should be small as you’ll be blending them up and it’s easier to have them soft this way. Remove the head of the capsicum and slice lengthwise. Finely dice the onion and the deseed the tomato – you want to remove the excess water from the tomato for the masala.
- Roast the vegetables: Toss sweet potato and capsicum in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a lined baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelised.
- Make the sauce: Drain the soaked nuts. Add to a blender with roasted sweet potato, capsicum, smoked paprika, lemon juice, and ½ cup water. Blend until silky smooth. Add more water as needed for blending, but keep it thick.
- Cook the onion-tomato masala: In a large pan, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Let sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped onions and cook for 6–8 minutes until golden.Stir in ginger-garlic paste; sauté for 1 minute.Add tomatoes and salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened and saucy.Add garam masala and ½ cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Roast the chickpeas: Note: The chickpeas will fry up better when their skins are off. They come off easily if after your wash them, you rub them with a towel to remove. In a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add chickpeas and a pinch of salt. Fry for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly crispy and golden. You can also use an air-fryer for this step instead if you want to save on the oil.
- Combine and finish: Add crushed kasuri methi to the masala. Stir in the sweet potato–capsicum sauce. Fold through the crispy chickpeas. Add the drained and rinsed butter beans. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Spoon curry into bowls. Top with a dollop of coconut yogurt and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with steamed basmati rice and warm naan.
