Simple, healthy and delicious, this Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry is gluten free and of course vegan too.
This Beetroot Curry is a comforting dish that pairs well with steamed rice and other side dishes.
It’s been a while since I shared a recipe with you guys on the blog, and there’s a very good reason for that, but more details on that later! 🙂 For now, I’ve got this simple, flavorful, comforting Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry recipe to share!
If you thought beetroot was one of those bland vegetables that was difficult to coax flavor out of, this beetroot curry is the perfect answer! This dish is a childhood favorite of mine. Chicken curry and beetroot curry along with some steamed rice was one of my favorite combos as a kid, and still is!
This beetroot curry is gluten free, and of course vegan too.
Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry
Beetroots are commonly grown in the hill country in the central part of Sri Lanka. They are a popular “super-food” with plenty of nutritional value. Beetroot is mainly eaten as a curry in Sri Lanka (no surprises there), but it’s also commonly used as the main ingredient to make beet salad, and to make “ribbon sandwiches” – another childhood favorite of mine that I’ll be sharing with you guys in the near future!
As kids though, we didn’t care much about nutritional value, nor how popular beetroot was elsewhere. It was a little sweet, and plenty delicious, and we loved that beet red color! Even the pickiest eaters would devour the rice if beetroot curry was served with it.
The key to perfect beetroot curry is simple. Don’t overcook the beetroot. If it gets soggy, it’ll lose quite a bit of it’s delicious potential.
How to prepare beetroot for beetroot curry
The traditional way to cook this beetroot curry is to julienne the beetroot, which is also what I prefer. Some like to simply slice the beetroot and then cut the slices in half.
I have tried prepping the beetroot with a mandolin before, but the mandolin doesn’t cut it to the thickness that I like. If the beetroot is sliced too thin, then it gets soggy in the curry. The beetroot is meant to have an “al dente” texture in this Sri Lankan beetroot curry. I’d rather have it cut too thick, than it become a soggy mess.
So this is how I prepare the beetroot for this curry.
First, wash the beetroot. Then slice the tops. If you buy beetroot with the leaves on top, don’t discard the leaves. You can make a different side dish with the leaves, OR slice the leaves and add to the curry.
Next, peel the beetroot.
Once peeled, you can cut the beetroot into slices that are about 3 mm (roughly; no need to pull out your ruler) in thickness. My food processor has the capacity to slice beets to the right thickness, so I use that. However, I’ve often used a sharp knife to slice the beetroot as well.
Once sliced, then you can julienne it. I always use a knife for this, as it gives me better control to cut batons. If you feel like that’s too much work, you can just cut the slices into thicker sections (or just cut in half, if the beets are small in size). The main thing to make sure is that the beetroot pieces that you cut are all similar in size/thickness, so that they cook evenly.
Making the beetroot curry
Prepping and cutting the beetroot is the hardest part. Making the beetroot curry is the easiest.
I like to add just the smallest amount of spice to flavor this curry. I use my own curry powder to add flavor. If you can’t make it however, I recommend using ground coriander and cumin (and maybe a pod of cardamom).
Since the beetroot is cooked in coconut milk, the resulting curry gravy is creamy, sweet, with a touch of spice (you can adjust the heat to your liking), and it’s also got that gorgeous deep pink/red color!
The cook time will vary depending on how you cut the beetroot. The way I cut it, it only takes about 10-15 minutes for the beetroot to be cooked to perfection. Larger pieces will take a bit longer. I also like to cook this Sri Lankan beetroot curry with the lid off (to allow excess liquid to evaporate). I prefer to add water towards the end if needed, rather than having too much liquid at the beginning, which would dilute the flavors in the curry.
The result is a healthy, flavorful, comforting curry, that I often eat just by itself! 🙂
What can I pair with beetroot curry?
If you’re looking for more vegan curries to pair up with this Sri Lankan beetroot curry, then I HIGHLY recommend this tart, sweet, spicy Green Apple Curry, or this sweet, spicy, sour Mango Curry.
Or for a creamier curry pairing, you can try this Creamy Cashew Curry. OR just opt for a simple side salad, or a shredded leaf fry (mallung).
If you liked this Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry recipe, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and free) recipes by entering your email address in the subscription box below the recipe card (and get all these recipes delivered straight to your inbox), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find me on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, and YOUTUBE too.
If you liked this recipe, then you will love,
Green Apple Curry (Vegan)
Mango Curry (Vegan)
Creamy Cashew Curry (Vegan)
EQUIPMENT I USED FOR THIS RECIPE
Spice grinder – to make the Sri Lankan curry powder
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Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of beetroot tops cut and removed, washed and peeled (about 2 large beets)
- ¼ onion yellow or red onion, sliced
- 2 green chili or 1 serrano pepper, sliced (deseed to reduce heat level)
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped finely
- 5 - 6 curry leaves
- ½ tsp Sri Lankan curry powder or ¼ tsp each of ground coriander and cumin
- ¼ tsp heaped turmeric
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- ¼ tsp heaped salt more to taste
- ½ cup coconut milk more if you like a thick gravy
- ½ cup water more if you like a thin gravy
Instructions:
- Slice the beetroot into slices that are about 3 mm in thickness. You can do this with a knife, or using a food processor with a slicing disc.
- Once sliced, julienne the beetroot slices into batons.
- Place the julienned beetroot in a saucepan, along with the onions, sliced green chili, garlic, curry leaves, ½ tsp curry powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, and ¼ tsp salt. Mix well to combine.
- Stir in the coconut milk and water.
- Heat the saucepan over medium high heat, while stirring occasionally, until the coconut milk/water comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, and let it cook covered, for about 5 minutes.
- Uncover and cook for a further 5 - 10 minutes while stirring frequently, until the beetroot is cooked to al dente (i.e. cooked through but not soggy). The cook time will vary depending on the thickness and sizes of the beetroot.
- If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, you can add more water or coconut milk.
- Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Serve with cooked rice.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Julie Hammermeister says
We absolutely loved this recipe, a new family favorite for sure!
Vid says
Don’t we need to add oil before stirring in onions and beet? That bit has left me a little puzzled.
Dini says
Hi Vid
This recipe doesn’t require any additional oil, but if you wanted to you could add some. But I also use coconut milk, which has enough fat to give this curry a lot of flavor too. Since there is no sautéing in this recipe, I don’t add any additional oil.
Could you let me know why you think you need to add oil at that stage?
Vid says
Dini, thanks for the reply. Actually I have not made any curry which I have not sautéed first . All recipes begin with once upon a tablespoon of oil 🙂
That’s the reason I was like do I really put all ingredients together without any ‘tadka’. Now that you make it like that I am going to try it your way. I have recently started using coconut milk. I generally make yellow curry.
The picture of your curry doesn’t show the gravy. So does it absorb all the coconut milk?
Dini says
Hi Vid
Sri Lankan curries don’t always have tempered spices in it. And simple and quick curries like this beet curry or white potato curries cut down time by not having any sautéing step.
The curry does have quite a bit of gravy, but if you want more, you can add more coconut milk or water added to it. The amount depends on how long you need to cook the beetroot, and how much liquid you add.
Hope that helps!
Vid says
I tried two versions of this dish . The first where I sautéed garlic and onion in a little oil and then added the rest of the ingredients. The second version I did it the way you do. And no prize for guessing which version came out more flavorful! The latter one with no oil in the pan. This has come up like a quick to make and looks like a dream dish! My 11 year old is in love with the color and enjoys it with rice.
The pic you have posted looks like dry dish . Should I also try to evaporate all the liquid?
With relish
Vid
Juliet says
YOURE RECIPES ARE AMAZING! It really helps when youre trying to learn all of the Sri Lankan cuisine! Thank you!
Wendy Jones says
Please send me Sri Lankan recipes by adding me to your email list
Sam says
Hi there, I read somewhere that Sri lankan food was often served at room temperature… is that true? Would this beetroot curry serve well at room temperature? What about the apple or cashew ones? I want to create a meal with warm meat (your chicken curry) and warm rice and then some sides that are served cold or at room temperature. Would these work (or any other suggestions) Huge thanks for your help.
Dini says
Hi Sam
We don’t serve curries at room temperature usually. They are always eaten warm.
We have other side dishes like sambol (coconut chili relish), mallung (shredded leaf stirfries), chutneys or fruit accharu that are served at room temperature (or cold, if stored in the fridge overnight). But the curries are always served warm.
I hope that helps!
sam says
Thanks so much for your answer. I will serve warm then! Can the chicken , cashew, beetroot and apple curries all be made in advance? Thanks
Dini says
Hi Sam
Yes they can be made in advance. The curries will last 3 days in the fridge, but can last longer in the freezer (up to 1 month).
The apple curry in particular may have slight changes in texture after freezing and thawing, but it’ll still be delicious!
Hope that helps!
Oren says
Really great recipe! Will make this again and again.
David Lloyd says
I made this tonight for tea using fresh beetroot and chilli from my vegetable garden. I didn’t have curry leaves so left them out. I added some chopped beetroot tops to the pot too. Yum. This is a lovely recipe and easy to prepare. Thank you Dini.
Jaleendra says
Looks very nice Thanku
Milton Jackson says
Thank you so much this is very informative, I am going to definitely give this recipe a try. And YES! Curry is one of my favorite childhood meal as well! Thank you ✨
Nihal Mahawaduge says
I love this recipe. Thank you very much. Is there an easier way to make pittu (without the bamboo). I live in New York and have access to most if not all Sri Lankan condiments. Any helpful suggestions and tips are much appreciated.
Emma says
Simple and delicious!
Sadhana says
Super easy and very delicious
MarcusG says
I made this yesterday and it was a roaring success, very tasty and the gravy rich red is also good with crusty long rolls
I hope to try the Deviled beef receipe soon
Thank you so much
vivienne humphries says
Loved it!
JENNIFER BATTEN says
My favourite Sri Lankan restaurant is closed right now. I found this recipe to be tasty and straightforward. I think cook off the garlic instead of boiling but still very nice. So cheap and healthy. Jen from Australia.
Kat says
YUM I added harissa paste as I was short on curry leaves and chilli. Really easy to follow this recipe thanks
J says
Great recipe! I added beat leaves and some chard during the last few minutes of cooking, which was a nice addition.
Before I added the coconut milk and beets, I fried the onion and garlic for a few minutes with the spices, which I think worked well.
1 pound of beets for me equalled about 6 beets from my garden.
Really liked the flavor combo of the coconut milk, the beets and the curry powder. Not too sweet at all!
Tiziana says
Easy and fast, yet absolutely delectable. I didn’t have curry leaves so I replaced them with the zest of one lime + 1 bay leaf. Also I only had one beetroot so I unfortunately had to halve the recipe, but looking forward to my next grocery shopping to stock up for a bigger batch. Thank you for the recipe!
VGY says
Doctor told me to eat more beets. Found this recipe through Google search. It was easy and delicious. Will be making it pretty frequently.
Margaret McCool says
This is a fantastic recipe. I bought loads of beetroot and was struggling to use it up. I actually naked it before hand and just added the beetroot last. Soo delicious
Kavya says
Hi I have tried this recipe it turned out well. Thank you. Can you please mention where can I use the siri Lankan curry powder in veg south indian cooking
Dini says
Hi Kavya
You can use this curry the same way you would use any curry powder in Indian recipes!
I hope that helps 🙂
Nancy says
Can I use canned beets??
Dini says
Hi Nancy
I prefer not to because canned beets are soggy, and will become even soggier / mushy when cooked as a curry.
K says
Perfect!
Sonja says
Sweet with smooth creaminess – this is absolutely delicious!
Jess says
Hi, can this be made and left to sit or does it need to be served immediately?
Dini says
Hi Jess!
It definitely can be left to sit for a couple of hours. It can be made 2 – 3 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator too! However warm it up a little before serving as it tastes best when warm.
Gabby says
This was amazing! I made the Sri Lankan curry powder with a pestle and mortar (very labour intensive but it was worth it). Beetroot flavour was enhanced rather than overwhelmed. Wonderful.
Tara says
This was awesome. I don’t have curry leaves available to I left those out. I’ve made this a few times now and it’s very similar to the beet curry that comes in my local sri-lankan place’s food combos. Thanks!
MelAni says
I luv this recipe ,and proud of u akki as a srilankan
Dini says
Thank you so much Melani, so glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Ayesha says
I loved this recipe
Eiva says
Made it this weekend and tasted really good. Thank you for sharing all the tips, they are soooo useful! specially for a beginner like me. Thank you again
Fiona Kitching says
Have made this twice now and is really delicious
Zoe says
Hello, Did you use unroasted or roasted curry powder?
Dini says
Hi Zoe, you can use either for this.
Unroasted curry powder does have a slightly milder taste than roasted. However this beetroot curry can handle either because you only add a small amount.
Hope that helps! 🙂
Mariam Fatima Islam says
Could I have the recipe for mallung too?
Steve says
What is the green side that is comes with?
Dini says
Hi Steve,
That is a parsley mallung – “mallung” being a Sri Lankan term for a side of chopped herbs with green chili pepper, coconut, red onions, (sometimes) tomatoes and lots of lime juice. I’m hoping to share that recipe as well some time soon. 🙂
birgit brabetz says
We had it yesterday for the first time and it is so delicious
Thank you for the recipe
Now i will try the other recipes, because curry is a winner in our family
lg birgit
Dini says
Thank you birgit! So glad you liked the recipe. 🙂 Hope you enjoy any other recipes you try too!
Thomas says
Best Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry recipe found on the internet so far!