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Thick and hearty Black Bean Sweet Potato Stew is a vegetarian recipe featuring a blend of colorful vegetables, black beans, and warm taco seasoning, all simmered together to make a cozy, flavorful meal. Top with fresh herbs and some grated cheddar cheese for a meal ready in just over 30 minutes.
We love a good stew recipe, especially this Sweet Potato Stew that’s nutritious and packed with fiber, vitamins and mineral. It includes plenty of sweet potatoes, black beans, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Trust me — you will not miss the meat in this vegan version!
Other than being a healthy spin on this classic cold-weather dish, perhaps the best part of this vegetarian stew is that it’s super easy to throw together and only requires 10 minutes of prep time. Then, you just let the Dutch oven and stovetop do the rest of the work. As an added plus, this homemade sweet potato stew is also freezer friendly!
Why you should make this recipe
- Nutrient-rich: This is made using healthy ingredients that keep you satisfied and nourish your body. In this dish, you’ll find everything from plant-based protein and complex carbs to vitamins and minerals.
- Simple to put together: There’s just a small amount of chopping needed, and everything is made in one pot in just over 30 minutes.
- Flavorful: Because this recipe is so comforting and delicious, you’ll want to make it again and again!
Ingredients needed
This easy sweet potato stew recipe is made with wholesome ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. Here’s the lineup:
- Olive oil: For sautéing the veggies. Feel free to sub with avocado oil.
- Veggies: We’re adding yellow onion, sweet potatoes, garlic, and diced tomatoes for the perfect mix of hearty vegetables. Use fire-roasted tomatoes for a smoky flavor.
- Spices: 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, plus a little sea salt is the only seasonings you’ll need to add plenty of flavor to this stew. See this homemade taco seasoning recipe, if you’d like to make your own.
- Beans: The recipe uses 2 cans of black beans for a delicious boost of fiber and protein. Substitute the black beans for kidney beans or pinto beans, if you’d like.
- Vegetable stock: For the base of the stew. Feel free to add more or less stock, depending on the thickness that you prefer.
- Lime juice + flour: A mix of lime juice and flour stirred into the chili will help thicken the stew and give it a nice silky texture.
How to make this recipe
Making this black bean sweet potato stew recipe is such a breeze! Everything is cooked in one pot and the only chopping you have to do is for the onion, sweet potato, and garlic. Here’s the simple method:
For printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Sauté veggies: Heat the oil in a dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the sweet potatoes, garlic, and seasonings. Sauté, stirring frequently for 1 minute, to allow the flavors to develop.
- Simmer: Add in the beans, diced tomatoes, and stock. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce to a low. Partially cover with a lid and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Finish the stew: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the lime juice and flour until no visible lumps. Over the last 5 minutes of cooking the stew, stir in the lime-flour mixture.
- Serve: Allow the stew to cool for a bit, then garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy with lime wedges, and avocado, if desired.
Expert Tips
- To save a bit of time and effort, buy pre-cut veggies, like onion and sweet potato from the produce department or the frozen food aisle. You can also buy jarred minced garlic.
- Chop the sweet potato into similar-size cubes, so that it all cooks at the same rate.
- This stew is naturally gluten-free if you use gluten-free flour for the lime-flour mixture. If you’re not concerned with keeping this gluten-free, feel free to use all-purpose flour.
Frequently asked questions
You can easily customize this this recipe by adding your favorite toppings! Try adding avocado or guacamole, cotija cheese, cheddar cheese, cilantro, green onion, red onion, jalapeño slices, sour cream, and/or crushed tortilla chips.
Healthy means something different to everyone, but this stew recipe is packed with nutrition and ingredients that have many health benefits. It’s also low in calories and fat, but high in protein and fiber. According to Healthline, sweet potatoes have a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, and manganese in each serving. They also have anti-cancer properties and may promote immune function, gut health, brain function, and eye health.
Yes! This recipe can easily be made in a slow cooker. Instead of simmering this on the stove, you can sauté the veggies and then place all of the ingredients into the crockpot. Cover and let it simmer on low all day for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
Storage recommendations
This dish is great for meal prepping and reheats very well. And once the ingredients have had time intensify, leftovers become even tastier!
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 4 to 5 days. To reheat, transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until warm, or feel free to reheat it on the stovetop.
- Freezing: Once completely cool, place the stew in freezer-safe containers or resealable gallon-sized freezer bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge and store overnight. When ready to serve, reheat on medium heat on the stovetop.
More delicious stew recipes to try
Recipes you may like
- Vegan Creamy Lemon Pasta
- Creamy Peri Peri Chicken
- Cowboy Chicken Skillet
- Taco Chicken Pinwheels
- Taco Dip Recipe
- Baked Cauliflower Parmesan
- Korean Chicken Thighs
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Black Bean Sweet Potato Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 3/4 tsp kosher sea salt
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 limes, juice of
- 2 tbsp gluten-free flour
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped to garnish
- Optional toppings: sliced avocado, lime wedges, sour cream, cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a dutch oven pot over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the sweet potatoes, garlic and seasonings. Sauté, stirring frequently for 1 minute, to allow the flavors to develop.
- Add in the beans, diced tomatoes, and stock. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce to a low. Partially cover with a lid and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the lime juice and flour until no visible lumps. Over the last 5 minutes of cooking the stew, stir in the lime-flour mixture. This will help the sauce to thicken and give it a nice silky texture.
- Allow the stew to cool for a bit, then garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges, and avocado, if desired.
Notes
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 4 to 5 days. To reheat, simply pop it in the microwave with a microwave-safe bowl, or feel free to reheat it on the stovetop.
- Freezing: Once completely cool, place the stew in freezer-safe containers or resealable gallon-sized freezer bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge and store overnight. When ready to serve, reheat on medium heat on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
