A hearty African Sweet Potato Stew with sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, lentils and peanut butter!
Peanut butter is a terrific addition to hearty stews. It bumps up the protein and makes everything so much more delicious. Like this yummy African Peanut Stew and this African sweet potato stew.
This sweet potato stew is loaded with vegetables. There are onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers here, and each veggie adds more flavor and nutrition to the pot. Lentils, so delicious in an Ethiopian lentil stew, add more heft and healthy protein.
A mix of savory herbs -- marjoram, oregano and sage -- makes the stew heartier and headier.
This is an incredibly healthy recipe. Each serving of the sweet potato stew has 20 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein for just 317 calories, as well as hefty doses of vitamins A and C and iron.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Nourishing, with a rainbow of veggies. Everything in this stew is good for you. You know eating veggies of different colors every day gives you a variety of nutrients, and you can indulge that need as well as your tastebuds with this sweet potato stew. Lentils add more heft and delicious protein.
- Easy recipe. The stew is one-pot and most of the hands-on time is for prepping the veggies. If you plan on making the stew on a weeknight, you can cut the veggies a couple of days ahead and store them in the fridge until ready to use. You can even use pre-cut veggies or frozen veggies.
- Family friendly. This stew is hearty enough to satisfy an omnivore and I daresay a kid might enjoy the peanut butter in the stew. The recipe is also gluten-free and you can make it soy-free or nut-free. See more instructions in the section on special diets below.
Ingredients
- Vegetables: onions, tomatoes, sweet potatoes (orange or purple), bell peppers (any color), carrots and scallions (optional, for garnish).
- Brown lentils. You can also use green lentils or chickpeas in this recipe.
- Herbs: Sage, marjoram and oregano.
- Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, soy sauce, smooth peanut butter and curry powder.
How to make African Sweet Potato Stew
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt and ground black pepper. Sauté for a couple of minutes until the onions are translucent.
Stir in the sweet potatoes and mix. Cover the pot and let the sweet potatoes cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the bell peppers and carrots to the pot and mix well. Let the veggies cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes and carrots are almost tender.
Add the tomato puree to the pot and mix well.
Stir in the lentils and add two cups vegetable stock or water.
Stir in the spices and herbs: sage, oregano, marjoram, red pepper flakes and curry powder. Mix well and bring to a boil.
Add the peanut butter to the pot and mix it in until it has dissolved into the stew. Bring the stew back to a boil, turn heat to simmer, cover the pot and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the soy sauce and mix well. Add salt as needed. Garnish with the optional scallions or cilantro. Serve hot.
Thank you so much for sharing this absolutely amazing recipe with us! I have just made it, and honestly, I think I could have finished up the whole pot myself. My daughters and I absolutely loved it, and this will be a weekly treat for us from now on.
-Kersti
Variations
- Add ½ cup of peanuts along with the veggies for more texture in the stew.
- Switch up the veggies. Potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant would all work.
Tweaks for special diets
- Oil-free. Saute the onions in ¼ cup water or vegetable stock.
- Nut-free. Use a seed butter, like pumpkin seed butter or sunflower seed butter.
- Low-carb. Use edamame in the recipe instead of lentils. Switch to veggies with fewer carbs, like zucchini, green beans and kale.
Serving suggestions
The stew is delicious on its own, but if you want to amp it up, serve with one or more of the following:
- Quinoa or rice.
- A slice of crusty bread.
- Afresh side salad, like a vegan Caesar salad.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store the stew in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Freeze: The sweet potato stew can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to four months.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
African Sweet Potato Stew
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot with lid
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil (or any vegetable oil of choice)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and finely diced. I used purple sweet potatoes, but orange sweet potatoes are just as good)
- 2 large bell peppers (any color, diced. I used a red bell pepper and a yellow bell pepper)
- 2 medium carrots (diced. I used an orange carrot and a white carrot)
- 4 medium tomatoes (pureed)
- 2 cups vegetable stock (or water)
- 14 oz brown lentils (canned or cooked)
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use more or less depending on your tolerance to heat)
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 4 scallions (green and white parts chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt and ground black pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Stir in the sweet potatoes and mix. Cover the pot and let the sweet potatoes cook for a couple of minutes. Add the bell peppers and carrots to the pot and mix well. Let the veggies cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes and carrots are almost tender.
- Add the tomato puree to the pot and mix well. Stir in the lentils and add two cups vegetable stock or water.
- Stir in the spices and herbs: sage, oregano, marjoram, red pepper flakes and curry powder. Mix well and bring to a boil.
- Add the peanut butter to the pot and mix it in until it has dissolved into the stew. Bring the stew back to a boil, turn heat to simmer, cover the pot and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the soy sauce and mix well. Add salt if needed. Garnish with the optional scallions or cilantro and serve hot.
Preeti @ heart and mind
Vaishali,
I was wondering how was everything at home and work as I had not seen your post in awhile and I came here to find a another nice recipe.
I think PCRM is great! I like this recipe and your tweaks to it, I like hearty meal like this and will make it soon as I think I have most ingredients at home.
Have a great weekend.
RV
Sweet potato n Peanuts, sounds like a stew with amazing and surprising flavors... Looks delicious..
Vaishali
BB, Thanks, it really is simple.
Sharmila, would be perfect for a rainy day. What a lovely thought 🙂
Vanamala, Tiffany, Thanks.
Moondancer, that stew sounds delicious. And yes, PCRM does put out a lot of great information on the health benefits of a vegan diet.
Kitchenwitch, T, Eatingmatters: Thanks!
Vegirl, Welcome, and thanks for your thoughtful words. I am thrilled to learn you're eating by the four food groups. Have you seen PCRM's Power Plate website? It's , and it's full of great resources. The Plate's such a great alternative to the USDA's outdated food pyramid.
GlutenFree, Sounds like a great plan 🙂 Hope you like it!
Usha, Veggiebelly, Ameya, Thanks!
Ameya
Very unique. I love peanuts with regular potatoes, and Im sure they'll taste fabulous with sweet potato as well!
Veggie Belly
I love seeing African recipes on the blogosphere because its such a under represented cuisine. Love this sweet potato - peanut stew, sounds very filling and yummy !
Usha
Love the combination of ingredients in this stew. I am definitely going to give this one a try with the peanuts !
I Am Gluten Free
This looks so delicious, so easy, and so gluten free. Right up my alley! Thanks - I know what we're having for Shabbat dinner tonight. Just got to get my gluten free challah in the oven and done!
VEGirl
HI there! I'm SO happy I stumbled upon your blog, I love it! I am a 14 year old vegan (with a couple allergies as well). I love animals and I work on behalf of them in any way I can. Your recipes are fantastic and I can't wait to keep browsing ans try one!
You say you work for PCRM. So cool! I love all of Dr. Barnard's books, and all the info available on the site. I eat according to the four food groups and I love to cook and create recipes, so recipes on my blog adhere to that way of eating. I want to make my creations available for all (including those with chronic diseases) to enjoy.
Love love love your blog, and keep it up!
VEGirl
eatingmatters
Looks so satisfying and creamy! Am adding this to my to-try list 🙂
T
This looks rich creamy and delicious! I love the way you replaced the coriander- i don't love that spice so much.
And how cool that you work for PCRM! I've been checking their website for years and find them so inspiring.
Kitchen Witch
Mmm. I love this stew, I used to make it alot. I should make it again soon.
PCRM is a great organization. I first found out about them only about a year ago at the animal law conference in Portland. Such a great force in the movement.
Moondancer
I love African peanut stew. It's something I ate as a child, passed onto my mother by her mother.
A few years ago, I made an African peanut stew at a local Earth Save potluck. Many had never eaten that before, it did't last. 🙂
The PCRM, must be a great place to work, Over the years, I've read a lot of information from this organization.
Tiffany
That is so awesome that you are able to work in a field that is truly meaningful for you! 🙂 The fact that the recipes are healthy and delicious is such a plus. This one sounds fabulous; I love sweet potatoes and nuts in general, so I'm sure this is my type of dish.
Vanamala Hebbar
New to me...simple recipe nice
Sharmila
Now that's a new combination for me ... sweet poatato and peanuts. But I love peanuts cooked in a gravy or dals or boiled. Looks very wholesome ... perfect with some hard crust bread on dreary rainy evenings like we are having these days. 🙂
BangaloreBaker
Looks good. Simple ingredients for anyone to try this out.