Sweet Potato Paratha is the best flatbread to serve with a homemade Indian curry feast.
The popular flatbread tastes slightly sweet thanks to the addition of sweet potato and has a delightful aroma due to the addition of spices and fresh herbs.
We suggesting making this easy Sweet Potato Paratha recipe when looking to host a fun cutlery-free meal. Simply tear the paratha, fold it between your fingers and use it as a scoop to plop spicy curry into your hungry mouth!
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What Is Sweet Potato Paratha?
I’ve traveled all over India in search of the most delicious curry recipes, eating my way through award-winning restaurants in Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, and Kerala.
When eating spicy masalas in India I always like to order a bowl of basmati rice (or if I’m feeling decadent, biryani) and a selection of regional flatbreads like naan, chapati and paratha.
Indian flatbreads are the perfect vessel to enjoy a cutlery-free feast as you can easily tear off a piece of bread, use it as a scoop to sop up the curry and its spicy sauce and then plop it in your mouth with a grin.
My favourite flatbread is paratha, native to the Indian subcontinent, its earliest reference can be found in early medieval Sanskrit, though today its prevalent throughout India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.
The name Paratha is an amalgamation of the words parat and atta, which literally means layers of cooked dough. In some regions of the world like Malaysia and Trinidad its referred to as roti.
Traditional parathas are associated with north Indian cooking as this is where wheat is harvested (with rice being the more popular grain in the hot southern states).
Parathas are the most popular unleavened flatbreads from the Indian subcontinent. Since they don’t require a leavening agent or oven, they’re easy for families to cook in their kitchen over a stove or tava.
Plain, unstuffed parathas are thicker than chapatis and rotis because they have been layered with a coating of ghee/butter and often folded repeatedly, similar to the technique used to make puff pastry or laminated dough.
This Sweet Potato Paratha recipe marries our love for authentic Indian flatbread with the bright orange colour of sweet potato. The tuber gives the parathas an eye-catching colour as well as a desirable sweetness. We also flavour the dough with fragrant spices and fresh herbs.
Unlike other traditional paratha recipes that have a filling, the sweet potato puree is directly added to the wheat flour dough similar to thepla.
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients in this recipe are common staples you’ll likely have in your pantry and fridge. It’s an affordable and comforting flatbread to serve alongside curries or kebabs.
- Mashed Sweet Potato
- All Purpose Flour
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Turmeric
- Cumin Seeds
- Cilantro
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Green Chili
- Scallions
- Amchoor Dried Mango Powder
- Ghee or Butter
Instructions
Follow the recipe cards step-by-step instructions below to master the art of paratha making:
- Mix all the ingredients together, except the ghee/butter, in a large bowl. Slowly add the ghee/butter a little at a time, until all the ingredients combine together to form a firm dough. Knead until all ingredients come together, then turn on to a floured surface and knead the dough until smooth.
- Divide the dough into tennis ball-sized portions and shape into round balls. Keep the balls covered with a damp cloth.
- Heat a flat griddle pan, tawa, or frying pan over high heat. When hot, add a little ghee then reduce the heat to medium.
- Roll out each ball into a 1/4 inch flat round paratha on a floured surface. Carefully place in the hot ghee and cook gently pressing down the corners of the paratha with a clean tea towel or kitchen towel, to ensure the paratha browns evenly.
- When one side is cooked, about 3-4 minutes, turn over and cook the other side. Repeat until all the parathas are made. Serve immediately with yogurt, raita or pickles.
Paratha Recipe Tips
This Sweet Potato Paratha recipe is quick and easy to make at home. Here are some tips and tricks to help you out in the kitchen:
- You can use unsalted butter or ghee (Indian clarified butter). If you’re looking to make vegan sweet potato paratha feel free to substitute with vegetable oil like canola.
- We often prepare this recipe the day after we’ve made mashed sweet potatoes as we like to use up the leftovers and incorporate them into parathas. We recommend having some additional sweet potato puree so you can add a bit more to the dough if you feel like it is too dry.
- We’ve used a green chili in this recipe to give the dough a bit of a spicy kick but if you don’t like spicy food feel free to remove the seeds before incorporating into the dough.
- We’ve used scallions in this recipe but you can substitute with 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion or shallots if you prefer.
- Amchoor powder is made of dehydrated green mangos and gives recipes a tartness similar to citrus. If you don’t hav Amchoor powder at home you can omit it or substitute with 1 tsp of grated lemon zest.
What To Serve With Sweet Potato Paratha
Paratha is typically served as a side dish as an accompaniment to curries and kebabs. While we like to snack on the flatbread hot off the grill it’s best enjoyed as part of a larger Indian meal.
Since most in the Indian subcontinent enjoy cutlery-free meals, torn pieces of paratha act as the perfect scoop when eating curries with sauces that need to be sopped up on the plate.
To flush out a full meal, serve Sweet Potato Paratha with your favourite curries as well as fresh salads like Indian Onion Salad, Paneer Tikka Salad, or Sprouted Mung Bean Salad.
If you’re looking to host an Indian-themed dinner serve this paratha recipe with some of our favourite curries:
- Shahi Paneer
- Chicken Shahi Korma
- Chicken Keema Masala
- Nadan Kerala Beef Curry
- Creamy Corn Black Bean Curry
- Roasted Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
- Chicken Handi Curry
- Karahi Chicken Curry
- Curry Chicken Salan
- Tamarind & Coconut Prawn Goan Curry
Storage
If you have leftover parathas you can store them in a ziplock bag for 3-4 days. You can reheat them in a microwave, in a skillet over the stove or toasted quickly in an oven or air fryer.
If you want to freeze leftover parathas simply brush some melted ghee or butter on each side of the flatbread then place them on a sheet of wax paper. Add another layer of wax paper or parchment and layer them on top of each other. Slide the stack of parathas into a ziplock bag and freeze.
When you’re ready to use frozen parathas simply remove the bag form the freezer and slap parathas directly onto a hot slightly buttered griddle until warm.
You May Also Enjoy These Indian Side Dishes…
- Puliyodharai South Indian Tamarind Rice
- Kitchri Indian Moong Dal Basmati Rice
- Aloo Bharta Indian Style Mashed Potatoes
- Oven Baked Tandoori Gobi Cauliflower
- Indian Paneer Tikka Salad
- Aloo Fry Vegetarian Indian Turmeric Potatoes
- Sprouted Mung Bean Salad
- Curry Leaf Rice with Cashews
- Thakkali Tomato Biryani
- Indian Onion Salad
Health Benefits
Our Sweet Potato Paratha recipe is packed full of wholesome ingredients!
Sweet Potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Studies have linked potatoes to a variety of impressive health benefits, including improved blood sugar control, reduced heart disease risk and higher immunity.
Scallions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Chili has been proven to help reduce the duration of sickness, prevent heart disease, and promote weight loss.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, cilantro is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Fresh mint is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and can have a calming effect on the digestive system. It is also a good source of folate, which supports blood health.
A rich source of blood-building iron, cumin may also help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce bad cholesterol. It is also traditionally used as a digestive aid.
The star component of turmeric is curcumin, a potent phytochemical that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is often prescribed in Indian Ayurvedic medicine to help relieve arthritis, aid digestion and inhibit the growth of cancers.
How To Make Homemade Sweet Potato Parathas
Sweet Potato Paratha
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- French knife
- Rolling pin
- Frying Pan or Tawa
Ingredients
- 75 g Mashed Sweet Potato
- 100 g All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
- 1 tsp Dry Roasted Cumin Seeds
- 2 tbsp Cilantro finely chopped
- 6 Mint Leaves finely chopped
- 1 Green Chili finely chopped
- 2 Scallions finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Amchoor Dried Mango Powder
- 4 tbsp Ghee or Butter
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together, except the ghee/butter, in a large bowl. Slowly add the ghee/butter a little at a time, until all the ingredients combine together to form a firm dough. Knead until all ingredients come together, then turn on to a floured surface and knead the dough until smooth.
- Divide the dough into tennis ball-sized portions and shape into round balls. Keep the balls covered with a damp cloth.
- Heat a flat griddle pan, tawa, or frying pan over high heat. When hot, add a little ghee then reduce the heat to medium.
- Roll out each ball into a 1/4 inch flat round paratha on a floured surface. Carefully place in the hot ghee and cook gently pressing down the corners of the paratha with a clean tea towel or kitchen towel, to ensure the paratha browns evenly.
- When one side is cooked, about 3-4 minutes, turn over and cook the other side. Repeat until all the parathas are made. Serve immediately with yogurt, raita or pickles.
Nutrition
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Love sweet potatoes!