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    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Creamy Potato Curry with Coconut Milk

    Published: Oct 14, 2021 . Modified: Oct 12, 2024 by Allie

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    This creamy potato curry with coconut milk is filled with potatoes, peas, greens, and a combination of delightful spices.  It’s oil-free, vegan, and naturally gluten-free. It's my new favorite comfort food!  This curry is easy to make and warms the belly.

    Potato curry with coconut milk in a bowl with white rice and cilantro.

    The potatoes are filling and they’re cooked in a mixture of coconut milk and tomatoes to produce a rich, thick, and creamy curry.  I usually serve it with rice and it tastes even better the next day after the rice has soaked up all of the curry flavors.  

    I always look forward to having leftovers for lunch the next day.  For an even bigger kick add a little sriracha! If you enjoy this potato curry you might also enjoy my curry butternut squash chickpea soup with curry powder, butternut squash chickpea curry with red curry paste, red lentil dahl, or mixed vegetable curry with coconut milk.

    Jump to:
    • Tips 
    • Best potatoes for curry
    • Substitutions and variations
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Tips 

    • The spices can burn quickly when dry roasting.  To make the process easier for this potato curry with coconut milk, we suggest measuring out all of the spices into a small dish before you start dry roasting.  This can be done before you start cooking or while the onions are cooking.
    • I can usually only find a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, so I just use half of that can for 14 ounces and freeze the rest for later.  Half a can works out to be slightly less than 1 ½ cups.
    • The larger the potato cubes are, the longer it will take them to cook.  
    • Make sure the curry is at a simmer during the entire cooking process and keep it covered to ensure the potatoes can cook in the thick curry.
    • For oil-free cooking, it’s helpful to keep a small container of water or vegetable broth nearby if the onions start burning.
    • If you don't have a nonstick pan, for oil-free cooking try using a ¼ cup of water to cook the onions and prevent sticking.
    • Peel or don’t peel your potatoes, I usually keep the skins on. 
    Spices for potato curry in a small bowl.

    Best potatoes for curry

    Yellow potatoes like Yukon Gold, work well and they keep their shape while cooking.  Fingerling potatoes also work well in the curry and hold their shape.  They’re small compared to most other potatoes and have thin skin, which alleviates the need to peel.  I have used Russet potatoes in this recipe, but they’re not my favorite.  They’re generally cheap and high in starch and are great for mashed potatoes.

    Substitutions and variations

    • Substitute spinach with your favorite green.
    • Use lite coconut milk instead of full-fat, for a lighter version. For more curries with coconut milk try my black bean curry or curried butter beans.
    • Reduce the number of potatoes and add other vegetables, just adjust when to add them to the curry according to the vegetables’ cooking time.
    • Vegetable and other addition suggestions: zucchini, cauliflower, kale, carrots, mushrooms, chickpeas.

    Instructions

    To make this vegan creamy potato curry, start by measuring out the curry powder, salt, garam masala, ground ginger, and ground red pepper in a small bowl.

    Cooked diced onions in a pot.

    Sauté the onions with a pinch of salt in a large pot until they are translucent and starting to brown. For oil-free cooking, add a few tablespoons of water or vegetable broth as needed so the onions don't burn (otherwise use a neutral-tasting oil). Then add the crushed garlic to the onions and cook for about a minute.

    Cooked diced onions with spices in a pot.

    Then add all of the seasonings (curry powder, salt, garam masala, ground ginger, red pepper) and cook until aromatic, which may take about 30 seconds.  Turn down the heat if needed so the spices don't burn.

    Add coconut milk to spices and onions in the pot.

    Add the coconut milk and deglaze the pan, scraping off any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

    Add uncooked potatoes and tomatoes to coconut milk.

    Then add the crushed tomatoes and potatoes to the pot. Then turn up the heat until your curry starts bubbling, then lower it to a simmer.  No need to get a rapid boil, the tomato mixture will be thick. 

    It does need to stay at a gentle simmer on low to low-medium heat.  Make sure it's a simmer during the entire cooking process. Check the potatoes for doneness after about 15 minutes.  I noticed the potatoes may take longer to cook in this thick tomato-based curry compared to a thinner soup.

    Cooked potatoes in coconut milk and crushed tomatoes.

    Occasionally stir the potatoes so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook covered at a gentle simmer for about 15-30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.  They should give little resistance when pricked with a fork.

    Add spinach and frozen peas to the pot with potato curry.

    When the potatoes are done, add the peas and spinach (no need to thaw the peas). Cook until the spinach is wilted and the peas are warmed through.

    Wilted spinach in a pot full of potato curry.

    Storage

    Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  I don’t recommend freezing the curry.

    Related recipes

    • Curry butternut squash chickpea soup
    • Red lentil chili
    • White bean and potato soup
    • Spicy chickpea stew with zucchini
    • Lentil shepherd’s pie
    • Butter bean curry in a pan with mushrooms and peas.
      Creamy Butter Bean Curry
    • Vegan red lentil dahl in a bowl with a spoon.
      Creamy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Butternut squash and chickpea curry in a white bowl with rice and chopped cilantro.
      Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry
    • Vegan yellow curry with mixed vegetables in a pan and chopped cilantro.
      Vegan Yellow Curry with Mixed Vegetables

    As always, I hope you enjoy this creamy potato curry with coconut milk recipe! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

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    Recipe

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    Vegan potato curry in a bowl with cilantro and white rice.

    Creamy Potato Curry with Coconut Milk


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    4.5 from 2 reviews

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 5 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
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    Description

    This creamy potato curry with coconut milk is filled with potatoes, peas, greens, and a combination of delightful spices.  It’s oil-free, vegan, and naturally gluten-free.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
    • 1 tablespoon curry powder
    • 2 teaspoons garam masala
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper
    • 1 can (14 ounces) full fat coconut milk
    • 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
    • 1.7 pounds (770 g) potatoes, ¾ inch diced
    • 2 cups frozen peas
    • 2 cups fresh spinach
    • For serving: cooked rice, fresh cilantro, and/or sriracha

    Instructions

    1. Measure out the curry powder, salt, garam masala, ground ginger, and ground red pepper into a small bowl.
    2. Sauté the onions with a pinch of salt in a large pot until they are translucent and starting to brown. For oil-free cooking, add a few tablespoons of water or vegetable broth as needed so the onions don't stick to the bottom of the pot.  Otherwise use a neutral-tasting oil.
    3. Then add the crushed garlic to the onions and sauté for a minute.
    4. Next, add all of the seasonings (curry powder, garam masala, salt, ground ginger, red pepper) and cook until aromatic, which may take about 30 seconds to a minute.  Turn down the heat if needed so the seasonings don't burn.
    5. Add the coconut milk and deglaze the pan, scraping off any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
    6. Then add the crushed tomatoes and potatoes to the pot. Turn up the heat until your mixture is bubbling and then lower the heat to a simmer.
    7. Occasionally stir the potatoes so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
    8. Cook covered at a simmer for about 15-30 minutes or until fork-tender.  Make sure it's a simmer during the entire cooking process.  The potatoes may take longer to cook in this thick tomato-based curry versus a thinner soup.  Start checking for doneness at the 15-minute mark.  Insert a fork into a potato and it should have little resistance.
    9. When the potatoes are done add the peas and spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted and the peas are warmed through.

    Notes

    No need to get a rapid boil, the tomato mixture will be thick.  It does need to stay at a gentle simmer on low to low medium heat.

    The size of the potatoes once diced will change the cooking time if they are too large.  

    Make sure the curry is at a simmer during the entire cooking process and keep it covered to ensure the potatoes can cook in the thick curry.

    The recipe works out fine for my testers and some readers, but the potatoes stay firm for other readers.  If this is the case for you, you can try parboiling the potatoes first then finish them in the curry.

    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Category: main course
    • Method: stovetop
    • Cuisine: Indian inspired

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Kiki

      February 05, 2024 at 11:08 pm

      Looks and tastes great but the potatoes are still stiff at 40 minutes lol. I think next time I’ll parboil the cubed potatoes to make it go faster.

      Reply
      • Allie

        February 06, 2024 at 7:23 am

        I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. The potatoes need to be small enough to cook in the thick sauce and it needs to be at a simmer to cook the potatoes. Keeping it a simmer will vary from how well your pot holds temperature and your stovetop. I'll make a note in the recipe card for other readers. There are always unknown variables with writing recipes since I can't be in the kitchen with you.

        Reply
    2. Samuel Parker

      September 08, 2018 at 2:43 pm

      This is a really good curry! Judging by how good this was, this won't be the only time I visit this blog!

      Reply
      • Allie

        September 08, 2018 at 10:54 pm

        Thank so much! I am so glad you liked the curry, it is a family favorite at my house.

        Reply

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    Potato curry with coconut milk in a bowl with a spoon.