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BEETROOT CURRY(Sri Lankan recipe).

A Beetroot curry recipe you can make with minimum pantry ingredients that still taste good.

A vegetarian and vegan Sri Lankan Beetroot curry.

This beetroot curry is also known as “beetroot thel dala”in Sinhalese(cooked in oil or stir-fried in oil).

Cooking this beet curry is not only healthy but you can pair it with almost any type of curry.

If you have picky eaters then you should definitely try making this beetroot curry for them.

They are full of vitamins and nutrients and help to boost your immune system in a natural way. 

With a variety of health benefits, a beetroot curry is a must-try for anyone who’s been eating their beets in salads so far.

Sri Lankan beet root curry with curry leaves.

Type of beets to use for this beetroot curry

When I wrote this Sri Lankan beetroot recipe, I didn’t realize that there were many varieties of beets in the market.

I have only cooked with the type of beetroot which is dark in colour red or purple in colour.

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 in colour.
Here is a post on types of beetroot that can be found as a reference.

a close up of Sri Lankan beet root curry with curry leaves and spices.

What to serve with beetroot curry

Explore more of the recipes here for more recipes to pair with this dish.

Easy Beetroot curry placed in a black bowl.

Tips to cook the best beetroot curry

  • Choosing beetroot
    • 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 shrunk or dry with blemishes on them, you’ll want to choose beets that are firm to the touch.
  • Can I add coconut milk to this beetroot curry recipe?
    • Yes of course but I would suggest just 1/2 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 on its own tastes better in my opinion.

Please do go ahead and try and choose your preferred way of cooking this beetroot curry recipe.

beetroot recipes you can try

Ribbon sandwiches (tea sandwiches)

Beetroot coconut mallum.

Raw beetroot and feta salad

Sri Lankan Beetroot curry served in a clay pot.

Utensils and appliances needed

  • Chopping board and knife
  • Medium-sized cooking pan

Storing

Let the curry cool and any leftovers can be stored in an air-tight 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 actually 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.

RECIPE DIFFICULTY-EASY

The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

Ingredients to cook Sri Lankan beetroot curry recipe

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

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

4 tablespoons of oil

1/2 teaspoon of chilli flecks

1/4 teaspoon raw curry powder(optional)

Salt to season

How to make beetroot curry

How to cut beetroot

Before you clean and cut the beetroot, you should know that the beet juice tends to stain your fingers and even 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 stem and leaves cut them and save them for a beetroot leaves salad(read beginner’s notes above).

Wash the beetroot, peel the skin and 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.

beetroot sliced into thin discs.

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

beetroot cut into very thin matchsitcks,

Add the beetroot slices, curry leaves(4-5), sliced onions(medium), garlic(2), turmeric(1/2tsp) and salt into a pan. 

ingredients to make beetroot curry in a pan.

Pour in water(1/4 cup), mix all the ingredients and cook over low-medium heat until the water evaporates while turning the beets soft.

Cook for 10-12 minutes until the water completely evaporates.

cooking beetroot in water.

At this stage, you can add coconut milk(1/4 cup)if you are looking for a more creamy dish but for this recipe, I’ll be adding oil to make more of a sautéed version.

stir-frying the beetroot in a pan.

Pour in the oil(4 tbsp), reduce heat to low and sautee the beetroot until they are semi-fried.

7-8 minutes. taste and season with salt if necessary.

Add chilli flakes(1/2 teaspoon or more) if you want a little heat to the beetroot stir fry.
You can also add curry powder(1/4 tsp)to give it a stronger flavour.

beetroot curry with a little chilli flakes.

Serve the easy beetroot curry warm with any of the Sri Lankan menus given above.

stirfried- sri lankan beetroot curry.

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Beetroot Curry(Sri Lankan recipe)

Beetroot Curry(Sri Lankan recipe)

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Sri Lankan Beetroot curry.

An easy Beetroot curry that you can make with minimum pantry ingredients that still tastes good.

This Sri Lankan beetroot recipe also known as “beetroot thel dala”(cooked in oil or stir-fried in oil)also fits into a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and low carb diet.

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
  • 1/2 teaspoon of chiilli flecks
  • Salt to season

Instructions

How to prepare beetroot for the beetroot curry.

  1. Before you clean and cut the beetroot, you should know that the beet juice tends to stain your fingers and even clothes.
  2. So if you want to avoid the red, staining your nails then please do wear disposable gloves.
  3. If you have bought the beetroots with the stem and leaves cut them and save for a beetroot leaves salad(read beginner’s notes above).
  4. Wash the beetroot, peel the skin and slice them into fairly thin round slices.
  5. You might have difficulty in cutting the last portion of the beetroot into full circles but try to cut them into half circles.
  6. Separate them in size and then stack three to four slices together and cut them into thin sticks.
    Add the beetroot slices, curry leaves(4-5, substitute with 1 bay leaf), sliced onions(medium), garlic(2), turmeric(1/2tsp), and salt into a pan. 
  7. Pour in water(1/4 cup), mix all the ingredients and cook over low-medium heat until the water evaporates while turning the beets soft.
  8. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the water completely evaporates.
  9. At this stage, you can add coconut milk(1/4 cup)if you are looking for a more creamy dish but for this recipe, I’ll be adding oil to make more of a sautéed version.
  10. Pour in the oil(4 tbsp), reduce heat to low, and sautee the beetroot until they are semi-fried.
  11. 7-8 minutes. taste and season with salt if necessary.
  12. Add chilli flakes(1/2 teaspoon or more) if you want a little heat to the beetroot stir fry. You can also add curry powder(1/4 tsp)to give it a stronger flavor.
  13. Serve the easy beetroot curry warm with any of the Sri Lankan menus given above.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 24Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 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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Each recipe on this blog has been written with great care and love to the best of my ability with you in mind.
It’s free and on the blog, for you to try anytime.

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Frank

Tuesday 23rd of April 2024

Does this curry taste better after a couple of days?

jehan

Tuesday 23rd of April 2024

Hi Frank, yes it does as there is no coconut milk. you can refrigerate or freeze. use within 3 days if refrigerating. if frozen use within 2 to 3 weeks. hope this helps. regards j

Fathimath Ali

Monday 22nd of April 2024

Im from Maldives. Thanks fr the recipe. Adding some Maldives fish flakes & desiccated coconut really adds a great taste.

jehan

Tuesday 23rd of April 2024

Hi Fathima, You Re most welcome. yes they do. regards J

Fathima

Sunday 27th of November 2022

Thank you Ms Jehan. I’m from Maldives and cook this quite frequently… im adding maldive fish flakes too… v delicious.

jehan

Sunday 27th of November 2022

You are most welcome. I think Maldive fish gives a great taste to most Sri Lankan dishes including pol sambol. Regards, J

Harshi

Sunday 29th of August 2021

I tried this recipe without raw curry powder and It came really well. Thank you

jehan

Thursday 2nd of September 2021

Most times I make it without the curry powder as well Harshi, my kids like it this way, it just gives an uncomplicated cleaner taste of the beetroot. regards j

Beetroot Recipes You Will Love - The Gut Healing Community

Sunday 27th of December 2020

[…] Find the full recipe here. […]

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