Sweet Potato and Chickpea Peanut Stew / Vegan
Inspired by West African peanut stew, this vegan version has a rich, satisfying texture, is savory with a hint of sweetness, and can be made as spicy as you like it. Protein-rich and nutrient-dense, it will please all eaters around your table.
I would walk through fire to get to a jar of peanut butter. It’s my favorite pantry staple.
So, when I was challenged to create a menu centered around camp cooking for a SisterLand Farms summer cooking event, the first thing that popped into my head was “peanut butter’s gotta be involved in this!”
Apparently, I’m not the first peanut butter enthusiast to add this rich spread to a variety of recipes, even savory ones. West African peanut stew, which is popular during Kwanzaa, is the perfect dish to showcase this versatile groundnut. My vegan version has a rich, satisfying texture, is savory with a hint of sweetness, and can be made as spicy as you like it. Protein-rich and nutrient-dense, it will please all eaters around the campfire or around your table.
To make it camp-friendly, I chose ingredients that are easily portable such as canned goods, sturdy vegetables, and lightweight spices. But, of course, you can use homemade chickpeas. This also makes the recipe easy to create from pantry staples at home. Feeding a crowd? Make a double batch! This is one of those recipes that works well prepared in advance, as the flavors intensify with time. It’s very freezer-friendly too.
Loved by all eaters! I recently brought this vegan sweet potato and chickpea peanut stew to a potluck where I was overwhelmed by enthusiastic eaters of all kinds asking for the recipe. That’s when I know we have a winner.
Here’s why you’ll love this recipe
Great for camp cooking
Can be made with pantry staples
Freezer friendly
A total crowd-pleaser
Ingredients for Yam and Chickpea Peanut Stew
Ingredients
2 cups (16 oz. / 473 ml) of low sodium vegetable broth (made from bouillon if camping)
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2 teaspoons of kosher salt, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
14.5 oz. can (411 grams) of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
13.5 oz. can (400 ml) of lite coconut milk
½ cup (4 oz.) of peanut butter
2 medium yams, (525-550 grams) peeled and cubed
1½ cups (15 oz. can, 425 grams) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon of black pepper
2 teaspoons of ancho chili powder
¼ teaspoon of chipotle chili powder (more for spicy)
1 teaspoon of ginger powder
1 tablespoon of coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
2 cups of torn kale leaves
Garnish with crushed peanuts and parsley.
Instructions for making Yam and Chickpea Peanut Stew
Step 1
If using vegetable bouillon, dissolve the 1.cube in hot water, according to the package directions, enough to make 2 cups. Then prepare your vegetables.
Steps 2-3
2. In a soup pot, over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in ¼ cup of the veggie broth (or 2 tablespoons of olive oil), sprinkled with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the onions until they are translucent and slightly golden. This will take about 10 minutes to get a nice, sweet onion flavor. If the onions begin to dry out, sprinkle them with a bit more veggie broth.
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
Step 4
4. Pour in the rest of the veggie broth followed by the fire-roasted tomatoes and the coconut milk. Stir to combine, bringing the temperature back up to simmering.
Step 5
5. Stir in the peanut butter. The peanut butter will “break” at first, meaning that it will separate and appear curdled. Just keep stirring and it will emulsify in a minute or two.
Step 6
6. Add the yams, chickpeas, other 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, chili powers, ginger, and sugar. Continue to simmer until the yams are soft, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 7
7. Add the kale leaves and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with chopped peanuts and parsley, if desired, and serve with a side of your favorite rice or hot socca bread.
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Peanut Stew (Vegan)
Ingredients
Instructions
- If using vegetable bouillon, dissolve cube in hot water, according to the package directions, enough to make 2 cups. Then prepare your vegetables.
- In a soup pot, over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in ¼ cup of the veggie broth, sprinkled with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the onions until they are translucent and slightly golden. This will take about 10 minutes to get a nice, sweet onion flavor. If the onions begin to dry out, sprinkle them with a bit more veggie broth.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
- Pour in the rest of the veggie broth followed by the fire-roasted tomatoes and the coconut milk. Stir to combine, bringing the temperature back up to simmering.
- Stir in the peanut butter. The peanut butter will “break” at first, meaning that it will separate and appear curdled. Just keep stirring and it will emulsify in a minute or two.
- Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, other 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, chili powders, ginger, and sugar. Continue to simmer until the yams are soft, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the kale leaves and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Garnish with chopped peanuts and parsley, if desired, and serve with a side of your favorite rice or hot socca bread.
For step-by-step instructions with photos, see blog post.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
339.37Fat (grams)
16.82 gSat. Fat (grams)
6.23 gCarbs (grams)
40.93 gFiber (grams)
9.11 gNet carbs
31.82 gSugar (grams)
9.49 gProtein (grams)
11.50 gSodium (milligrams)
871.01 mgCholesterol (grams)
0.00 mgNutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.
Yam and Chickpea Peanut Stew (Vegan)
