By Jehan Yusoof  |  Updated September 19, 2026  |  ★ 4.6 (7 reviews)  |  8 Comments.

Sri Lankan beetroot curry is also known as “beetroot thel dala” in Sinhalese(cooked in oil or stir-fried in oil).
A vibrant curry that is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and pairs well with everyday Sri Lankan meals.

If you try this, I’d love to know how it turned out; a quick rating or comment really helps other readers decide what to cook.

This authentic Sri Lankan beetroot curry is made by sautéing slices of beetroot in oil, garlic, onions and spices.
The sweetness of the beet complements the tempered ingredients well.
Healthy, nourishing, and full of vitamins, beetroot helps to boost your immune system naturally. 

Tips and suggestions to cook Beetroot curry.

• Slice the beetroot as evenly as possible.
• When I wrote this Sri Lankan beetroot recipe, I didn’t realise that there were wide varieties of beets in the market around the world.
  I have only cooked with the type of beetroot which is dark in colour, red or purple. So, if you are wondering what type of beets to use for this beet recipe, choose the large variety that tends to be purple or dark red. Here is a post on the types of beetroot that can be found as a reference.

How to pick the best Beetroot to cook.

• Always choose fresh beets to make any type of beetroot recipe.
• Choosing a beetroot the size of your fist will reduce the number of beetroots to peel and slice.
• Avoid beetroots that look shrunken or dry with blemishes on them; you’ll want to choose beets that are firm to the touch.

Ingredients for the Beetroot Curry

• Large red Beetroots.
• Curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)
• Medium-sized onion
• Garlic cloves, sliced fine
• Water as needed to semi-cook the beetroot slices
• Turmeric powder
• Red chilli flakes
• Unroasted curry powder(optional); you can use any regular curry powder. Adds authentic curry flavour.
• Salt to season
• Oil: Any type of cooking oil, preferably coconut oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil.

What you will need in the kitchen.

• Chopping board and knife.
• A bowl for the sliced beetroot, a platter to hold the spices, and bowls to hold other ingredients.
• A wooden spoon or a large spoon to cook the beetroot curry.
• A large frying pan or skillet to cook the beetroot curry.
• A serving bowl for the curry.

Photo tutorial

How to cook tempered Beetroot curry.

How to cut the beetroot

Before cleaning and cutting the beetroot, be aware that the beet juice tends to stain your fingers and clothes.
So, if you want to avoid the red staining of your nails, then please wear disposable gloves.
If you have bought the beetroots with the stems and leaves, cut them and save them for a beetroot leaves salad.
Wash the beetroot and peel the skin.

Slice them into fairly thin, round slices. You might have difficulty cutting the last portion of the beetroot into full circles, but try to cut them into half-circles.

Separate them by size, then stack three to four slices together and cut them into thin sticks.

Cooking the Sri Lankan beetroot curry.

Add the beetroot strips, curry leaves, sliced onions(medium), garlic, turmeric powder, red chilli flakes and salt into a pan. 

Pour in water, mix all the ingredients and cook over low-medium heat until the water evaporates, turning the beets until soft.
Cook for 10-12 minutes until the water completely evaporates.

Once the water evaporates, you can add the coconut milk(optional ingredient, about 1/4th cup)if you are looking for a more creamy dish.
For this recipe, I’ll be adding oil to make more of a sautéed version.

Pour in the oil, reduce the heat to low and sauté the beetroot until it is semi-fried.
Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Add chilli flakes, and increase or reduce the amount of heat for the beetroot stir-fry.
Add the raw curry powder to give it a stronger flavour.

Combine well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Serve the easy beetroot curry warm with any of the Sri Lankan menus given above.

FAQ: Sri Lankan Beetroot curry.

• What is “Beetroot thel dala”?
  • “Beetroot thel dala” is the Sinhalese term for this Beetroot curry recipe. It means tempered or stir-fried in oil.

• Can I add coconut milk to this beetroot curry recipe?
  • Yes, of course, but I would suggest just half a cup to have as little gravy as possible.
  • I rarely add coconut milk to my beetroot curry as I want to taste the beetroot.
  • By adding coconut milk, you will be making the beetroot another regular coconut milk curry with its creamy taste. It is not a bad taste, but beetroot tastes better in my opinion.

What to serve with Beetroot curry.

• You can try the beetroot curry with the following Sri Lankan menus.
  • Sri Lankan menu 1 
  • Sri Lankan menu 2
  • Sri Lankan menu 4
  • Sri Lankan menu 5

• Rice dishes to serve with the beetroot curry.
  • How to cook rice on the stove.
  • Sri Lankan Yellow Rice(turmeric rice)
  • Indian fragrant ghee rice(nei choru).

• Vegetarian, vegan curry dishes that pair well with beetroot curry.
  • Pumpkin Curry(Sri Lankan, vegetarian)
  • Sri Lankan Dhal curry(parippu, dal, daal). or Sri Lankan Dhal(red lentil)spinach curry
  • Sri Lankan wambatu moju(eggplant pickle)—Brinjal moju recipe.
• Meat dishes to try with this dish.
  • Sri Lankan chicken curry.
  • Slow-cooked beef curry(like my grandmother makes).
  • Sri Lankan Fish curry with coconut milk(thalapath fish curry).
  • Sri Lankan red chilli fish curry(Thalapath malu mirisata).

Storage, Freezing and Reheating guide.

• Storing in the refrigerator.
  • Let the curry cool, and any leftovers can be stored in an airtight glass container. If you are using a plastic container, use old ones as the curry stains.
• Freezing.
  • Can be cooled and frozen for 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Make sure to portion it out if you are making the beetroot recipe for a month.
  • I have portioned and frozen beetroot curry for my older kids when I had to travel overseas and needed them to have some home-cooked curries.
• Reheating.
  • Leave the frozen beetroot curry out until it reaches room temperature.
  • Reheat over the stovetop or microwave for 2-3 minutes.
• Stop food waste by.
  • 2-3 large beetroot recipes can go a long way.
  • You can feed 3-4, so only cook as much as you need, and the rest you can freeze.

More Beetroot recipes.

Ribbon sandwiches (tea sandwiches)
Beetroot coconut mallum.
Raw beetroot and feta salad

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Beetroot Curry(Sri Lankan recipe)

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Sri Lankan Beetroot curry is also known as "Beetroot thel dala"in Sinhalese.
A vibrant curry that is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and pairs well with everyday Sri Lankan meals.

4.6 Stars (7 Reviews)

Print

Ingredients

• Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
• 2 large Beetroots, peeled and then cut into thin strips of 1 inch or half
• 1/4 cup water
• 4-5 curry leaves(substitute with 1 bay leaf)
• 1 medium-sized onion sliced fine
• 2 garlic cloves cut into thin slices
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes
• 1/2 a teaspoon of unroasted curry powder(optional, any type of curry powder, I have used Jaffna curry power)
• Salt to season

Instructions

How to cut the beetroot.

1. Before cleaning and cutting the beetroot, be aware that the beet juice tends to stain your fingers and clothes.
2. So, if you want to avoid the red staining of your nails, then please wear disposable gloves.
3. If you have bought the beetroots with the stems and leaves, cut them and save them for a Beetroot leaves salad.
4. Wash and peel the skin.
5. Slice them into fairly thin, round slices.
6. You might have difficulty cutting the last portion of the beetroot into full circles, but try to cut them into half circles.
7. Separate them in size and then stack three to four slices together and cut them into thin sticks.

Cooking the Beetroot curry.

1. Add the beetroot strips, curry leaves, sliced onions(medium), garlic, turmeric powder, red chilli flakes and salt into a pan. 
2. Pour in water, mix all the ingredients and cook over low-medium heat until the water evaporates, while turning the beets soft.
3. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the water completely evaporates.
4. Once the water evaporates, you can add the coconut milk(optional ingredient, about 1/4th cup)if you are looking for a more creamy dish.
5. For this recipe, I’ll be adding oil to make more of a sautéed version.
6. Pour in the oil, reduce the heat to low and sauté the beetroot until it is semi-fried.
7. Taste and season with salt if necessary.
8. Add chilli flakes, and increase or reduce the amount of heat to the beetroot stir-fry.Add the raw curry powder to give it a stronger flavour.
9. Combine well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
10. Serve the easy beetroot curry warm with any of the Sri Lankan menus given above.

I'd love to know how it turned out.
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment; I read every one — it helps other visitors trust the recipe and helps them find me too.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 26Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 23mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. I’ve tested every recipe on this site more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the same way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough that you can follow.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.