Vegan Curry Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli and Cashews (Gluten-free)

What a gorgeous holiday weekend it was here in West Michigan. We had perfect weather. A long bike ride, a BBQ/fireworks bonanza with neighbors, a lazy beach day, dinner with friends, a late night movie, sleeping in—we took full advantage of the long weekend.

The party didn’t end there. Last night we got together with friends for a potluck. We sat on their deck, enjoyed the company, and ate great food. I took a bit of a risk when I decided to make a dish I’d never made before. Fortunately, it was a winner.

Vegan Curry Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli and Cashews Gluten-free

I can’t say I’ve always loved curry. For me, it was an acquired taste. Hubs loves it. These days, I’m pretty crazy about it, too. This recipe is an adapted version of one I found in Terry Walters’ cookbook, Clean Food.

Hers called for tempeh, but I wasn’t able to find any tempeh in time, so I opted for sweet potatoes and broccoli instead. The end result was fantastic.

Vegan Curry Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli and Cashews Gluten-free

One gal asked me how many different things were in the dish and said she’d never make it if it required too many ingredients. There are quite a few ingredients, but that doesn’t mean you need to use them all. Even if you only used sweet potatoes, broccoli, and the curry dressing, you’d have a pretty great dish.

So don’t rule this one out just because you don’t have/want to buy every ingredient. Feel free to put your own spin on it. Next time, I might even try subbing pasta for the sweet potatoes.

Vegan Curry Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli and Cashews Gluten-free

As is, this dish has amazing flavor and texture. I served it cold at the potluck and like I said, it was a hit. I taste-tested it when it was still warm, and it’s great that way, too. I love the crunch of the cashews and celery combined with the creaminess of the curry dressing.

Raisins and sweet potatoes add a hint of sweetness. Somehow this unexpected combination of ingredients comes together beautifully. Not to mention, it’s pretty hearty—doesn’t take much to fill up on this stuff.

I’ll leave you with a recent photo from my Instagram feed. And yes, the stairs suck. But it’s worth it.

Vegan Curry Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli and Cashews (Gluten-free)

Recipe Type: Side Dish, Salad
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free, American, Indian
Author: Livvy @ 86 Lemons
Serves: 10-12 side servings

Ingredients

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
  • 3 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 5 celery stalks, cut in half lengthwise and chopped
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 cup cashews pieces/halves
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • (optional) large curly lettuce leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add cubed sweet potatoes to a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender (about 5 minutes). Do not overcook potatoes or they will lose their shape. Drain and set aside.
  2. Steam broccoli florets until tender-crisp.
  3. Add potatoes, broccoli, red pepper, celery, raisins cashews and cilantro to a large bowl; gently fold to combine.
  4. In a small bowl, combine vegan mayonnaise, curry, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt. Add olive oil; stir to incorporate. Add water; stir to incorporate. Add to sweet potato mixture and gently fold to combine all ingredients. May be served warm, room temperature or chilled. Plate individual servings on a single large curly lettuce leaf if desired.

Notes

This recipe is sized for a potluck dish. Cut it in half to serve an average family of 4-6.

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8 thoughts on “Vegan Curry Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli and Cashews (Gluten-free)”

  1. Hi, I was wondering: Is 5 minutes enough for the potatoes to cook? Normally I need to cook them for at least 20. I’d say fork ready would be at 15.

    Reply

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