Sweet potato slices, coated in panko breadcrumbs and baked, covered with a delicious vegan katsu curry sauce. Serve this sweet potato katsu curry with rice and pickles for a delicious vegan dinner.
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Katsu curry recipes vary a lot. Some contain coconut milk, others don’t. Jamie Oliver's contains buttermilk and creamed coconut while Wagamama's doesn't.
Some contain miso, others don’t.
This goes to show that katsu curry is very adaptable. I’ve tried many variations of these recipes. This is the one my kids like the most and so I've decided to share this version with you here.
What is katsu curry?
Katsu curry is a Japanese dish served with rice. Traditionally fried chicken or pork would have been served with a thick brown-coloured curry sauce.
In my healthier vegan version I’ve coated sweet potato slices in panko breadcrumbs and baked them.
It’s widely believed that curry was brought to Japan by the British in the 1800s, via India of course. Curry isn’t traditional Japanese food but it’s widely popular there today.
This article in Vice talks about how curry was popularised in Japan by the army. It was an easy and neutral food to serve. The same applied in the British and Japanese army
And perhaps that’s why katsu curry is usually made with curry powder, rather than a complex homemade spice blend. It was all about ease.
How difficult is sweet potato katsu curry to make?
It’s not a difficult recipe to make but it takes longer than you think to coat all the slices in panko breadcrumbs. Be sure to leave yourself enough time.
What ingredients do you need?
To make your sweet potato katsu curry you will need:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- Small bowl of plain white flour
- Small bowl of dairy free milk
- Small bowl of panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 inch chunk ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml veg stock
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
You'll find the full recipe and ingredients list at the end of this post.
Do you need any special equipment to make this vegan katsu curry?
You will need a blender - either a jug blender* or a handheld stick blender*.
You’ll also need:
What to serve with your sweet potato katsu curry
I usually serve our sweet potato katsu curry with rice - either brown or white - and some pickles.
It’s lovely with pickled cucumber or radish. But if you don’t like pickles some sliced cucumber or other veggies go well - it’s nice to have a fresh crunch on the side of the curry.
I also like to sprinkle some sesame seeds over my katsu curry.
More recipes you might like
- Korean-style tofu patties
- Veggie fried rice
- Thai butternut squash curry
- Potato and chickpea curry
- Microwave ramen
- Miso udon noodle soup
- Vegan meatballs in tomato sauce
- Healthy sweet potato cinnamon rolls
Pin vegan katsu curry for later
How to make sweet potato katsu curry
If you have made this recipe I would love it if you’d leave a comment and rating below. Thank you!
Sweet potato katsu curry
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and sliced
- Small bowl of plain white flour
- Small bowl of dairy free milk
- Small bowl of panko breadcrumbs
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 clove garlic chopped
- 1 inch chunk ginger peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 500 ml veg stock
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
To make the sweet potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan)/220°C/gas mark 7. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
- Peel and thinly slice 2 medium sweet potatoes.
- Dip into the plain flour, then the dairy free milk then into the panko breadcrumbs. Ensure that both sides are coated.
- Place on the baking tray and repeat with the remaining slices. Refill your flour, milk and panko breadcrumbs as needed. You may find you get bits of lumpy flour in the milk which you will need to remove and discard.
- When done bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and turning golden brown. Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of your slices.
To make the katsu curry sauce
- Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a large saucepan.
- Add 1 chopped onion and 1 diced carrot. Stir, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to low. Sweat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
- Add 2 cloves chopped garlic and a 1 inch piece of chopped ginger. Stir and cook for one minute.
- Add 2 tbsp mild curry powder and 1 tbsp plain flour. Stir well.
- Gradually add 500ml vegetable stock, a little at a time, stirring as you go. This will help it remain thick.
- Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp maple syrup.
- Allow to cool slightly then blend with a handheld blender or transfer to a jug blender. Blend until smooth, then return to the pan and reheat.
To serve
- When the sweet potato slices are cooked serve with katsu sauce poured over the top, some rice, sesame seeds, and some sliced cucumber or pickles on the side.
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
If you loved this recipe why not let me know by leaving a comment below? Alternatively you can let me know on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
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Jo Grognet
I make this recipe at least once a fortnight! it’s such a wonderfully easy one too! Everyone who tries it says how yummy it is.
One evening I ran out of panko breadcrumbs and only had golden breadcrumbs in my cupboard, these worked very well too. They gave the sweet potato nuggets a crispier bite. I also used this recipe with courgette which worked surprisingly well too.
Mandy Mazliah
So glad you enjoy this Jo - it's one of our favourites too. I'll have to give it a try with courgette
William E J. Foxall
Super dish and very tasty, While cutting and coating the sweet potato you can do enough to freeze and use at a later date
Mandy Mazliah
Glad you enjoyed it William - great tip
Rebecca Beesley
Loved how well the panko coated sweet potato turned out!!! What a great idea to do flour/milk alternative/ breadcrumbs instead of using egg which so many breadcrumbed recipes seem to rely on. I used hazelnut milk. I've missed katsu curry so much since I stopped eating meat 2.5 years ago so I'm thrilled to have found this recipe!!! It's amazing and my kids enjoyed it too.
Mandy Mazliah
I'm so happy to hear how much you enjoyed this recipe Rebecca and it's great to hear that your kids enjoyed it too - this is a real family favourite here too
Raakhee Suchak
This katsu curry really was incredible. The recipe was super easy to follow and you were definitely right about the coating the sweet potatoes part. The sauce was so easy and so perfect. Loved the cucumbers too. Worked really well as a balance. Highly recommend giving this a go. My kids lapped it up.
Mandy Mazliah
Hi Raakhee, I'm so glad to hear that you loved the katsu curry - it's a real family favourite here too x
Lou
Was so surprised how good the sauce is and a really nice way to cook sweet potato. Will be making this again. Thanks!
Mandy Mazliah
I'm so happy to hear that you loved this as much as we do Lou!
Kate
This Katsu curry recipe is fantastic, super tasty and great crunchy sweet potatoes... a real crowd pleaser
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks so much Kate - it's one of our favourites too!
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
I made this tonight and me and my partner loved it! I've never cooked sweet potato this way before and I'm now a big fan! The sauce was super tasty too.
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks so much for your comment Kat - I'm so happy that you loved it x