If you’re looking to make a delicious vegan sweet potato katsu curry from scratch, then you’re in the right place! Roxy and Ben, the duo behind So Vegan, have simplified the process of making this dish by removing the hassle of breadcrumbing the sweet potato cutlets, making this recipe easy and quick to cook on a weeknight.

But don’t worry, you will still enjoy the signature crunch of panko breadcrumbs, as these are sprinkled on top just before serving.

We’re confident that this flavorful vegan katsu curry recipe will become a go-to in your kitchen. You can either jump straight ahead to the recipe or keep reading to discover some tasty serving suggestions and recipe variations.

Is katsu curry vegan?

Katsu curry is not typically vegan-friendly as it is made with chicken stock and served with a breaded meat cutlet. However, it has become a popular dish within the vegan community due to its adaptability.

You can make the cutlets using either vegetables or fake meat and substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock or coconut milk to create the curry sauce.

This vegan katsu curry recipe uses sweet potato cutlets and a vegetable-packed curry sauce made with coconut milk.

What is katsu curry sauce made from?

Katsu curry sauce is a popular Japanese dish that typically includes a mix of onion, carrot, garlic, stock, and plenty of curry powder. There are however many variations of the sauce. For example, it is quite common to see maple syrup and creamy coconut milk added to balance out the curry powder flavors.

Is katsu curry difficult to cook?

The sauce for a katsu curry is quick and easy to prepare, but the addition of breadcrumbed cutlets can make the recipe much more complicated, and a lot more messy!

To simplify the recipe, So Vegan have roasted sweet potatoes without the breadcrumbs. They then sprinkle some toasted panko breadcrumbs onto the dish for added texture. This will save you a lot of time and unnecessary faff.

What can you serve it with?

Katsu curry is commonly served with rice. You can choose from white rice, brown rice, or even sushi rice. It is also popular to serve it with pickled ginger, which adds a nice tangy flavor to the dish.

Other sides that go well with vegan katsu curry include steamed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or green beans. You can also try serving it with a side of miso soup or a simple salad to balance out the flavors.

Recipe variations

The great thing about katsu curry is just how versatile it is. If you enjoyed this sweet potato katsu curry recipe, then you will also love these variations:

Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs in place of the panko breadcrumbs
Make it high in protein: Use slices of tofu, tempeh, or seitan instead of sweet potato
Make it spicy: Slice a fresh red chili and fry alongside the onion and carrots, alternatively add in some chili powder alongside the curry powder

Sweet potato katsu curry recipe

Katsu curry is one of those meals it’s easy to get excited about. However, it can sometimes be quite complicated to cook at home, so for this simplified version we roast rings of sweet potato and serve them with a homemade katsu sauce, fluffy rice, and a crunchy panko crumb.

A plate of sweet potato katsu curry served with rice

No ratings yet

Duration28

Cook Time20

Prep Time8

Servings people

Ingredients

600 g sweet potatoes sliced into 1cm thick rings
vegetable oil
salt + pepper
250 g jasmine rice
1 onion peeled + chopped
2 carrots diced into small pieces
6 garlic cloves peeled + chopped
1 tbsp medium curry powder
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
1 tbsp maple syrup
40 g panko breadcrumbs
2 spring onions finely sliced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/gas 7 and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place the sweet potatoes on the tray, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with pinches of salt and pepper. Toss, then roast for 20–25 minutes, or until soft.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions. While the rice is cooking, heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the onion, carrot, and two-thirds of the garlic for 8 minutes, then add the curry powder and a pinch of salt and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk and maple syrup and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove the sauce from the heat and blend until smooth.
Drizzle a little oil into a separate frying pan and add the remaining garlic along with the panko and pinches of salt and pepper. Fry for 3 minutes or until the panko is golden, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
To serve, place a portion of rice on each serving plate, along with some katsu sauce and sweet potato. Sprinkle over the toasted panko and finish with the spring onions.

To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs

This recipe was republished with permission from So Vegan. Find the original recipe in EASY by Roxy Pope and Ben Pook published by Penguin Michael Joseph in hardback on the 28th December 2023.