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–+ servings

Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Tikka Masala

An easy one pan sweet potato tikka masala style curry made entirely in the oven with paneer and other veggies! So creamy and comforting, this recipe is easy to make and can be adapted to the contents of your fridge.
4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
5 from 7 ratings
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Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp tikka masala spice blend
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil, + more for spraying
  • 1 Tsp finely chopped ginger
  • 2 Tsp finely chopped garlic
  • 1 block paneer, cubed - see notes
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, sliced and cubed - see notes
  • 2 onions, cut into 1/8ths
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp (30 g) butter
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) passata
  • ½ cup (120 ml) double / heavy cream
  • A few handfuls of fresh coriander / cilantro, for serving

Instructions 

  • Heat oven to 200C / 400F.
  • In a large bowl, mix the tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, ginger and tikka masala spices to form a paste. Scoop just a spoonful of the mixture out (about 1/3rd of the total amount) and set aside, leaving the rest in the bowl.
  • Add the sweet potatoes, onions, and peppers, to the bowl. Mix and toss to coat the vegetables in the paste.
  • Finally, add the paneer and the remaining paste to the bowl and mix very gently just until the paneer is coated in paste too. You don't want to break the paneer pieces so go easy on them!
  • Spray a roasting tray with olive oil, then scatter the vegetables and paneer on top and add another spray (or drizzle) of oil over them.
  • Place in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until everything is lovely and charred and the sweet potato is soft inside.
  • Now remove the pan from the oven and very quickly add the garam masala and butter. Mix around, allowing the garam masala to toast from the residual heat of the pan.
  • Pour the tomato passata and cream into the dish. Give everything a stir until the sauce has formed.
  • Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes until the sauce is warmed through.
  • Scatter with cilantro (coriander) and serve!

Notes

Sweet Potatoes: These can vary a lot in size, your goal is just to fill the pan without too much overlap. Reduce the sweet potatoes a little if you want a saucier curry. 
Paneer: it's worth knowing which type of paneer you have as you may want to make adjustments to the method in accordance:
  • Some paneer blocks are drier, smoother and firmer. Almost squeaky. They don't crumble; they have a smooth finish. It stands up to being tossed around a little. If you're using this or any paneer that resembles this description, you want to be careful not to leave it in the oven too long or it can get really dried out and chewy. So you should either chop your sweet potato on the smaller side (smaller than in my photos) to reduce the amount of oven time OR add the paneer in halfway through the cooking time. (In the UK, brands like this include Lancashire Farms, Desi and Tesco's own brand).
  • Other paneers are more fresh, moist and crumbly. They will break apart easily and you have to be delicate with it. If you're using this brand or any fresher moist / crumbly paneer, you needn't worry too much. In my experience this paneer lasts a while in the oven without any sign of drying out. (In the UK, brands like this include Apetina).
 
Substituting mushrooms for paneer: Use a pack of button mushrooms (leave whole), cremini mushrooms (slice in half) or portobellos (slice into strips) and add them at the same time you'd have added paneer - at the beginning with the sweet potatoes.
Substituting chickpeas for paneer: Use one can, drained, and add them between steps 7 and 8: after adding the garam masala and butter, before adding the passata and cream.
Adding peas or other frozen vegetables: Add them alongside the cream and passata, you may then need an extra 5 minutes in the oven in step 9.
Adding spinach: Add after step 8. Once the sauce has formed, mix in and it will start to wilt. It will finish cooking when it's returned to the oven.
Cuisine: Indian Inspired
Course: Main Course
Author: Christine Melanson
Serving: 1g, Calories: 330kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 409mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 13g