This plant-based black bean and sweet potato stew is a total comfort food and makes a delicious hearty meal on a cold winter day. Enjoy this satisfying one-pot meal that's rich, creamy and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
Save This Recipe 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
During the winter, I often find myself craving a bowl of something substantial, and this delicious stew is super easy to make and hearty. The combination of sweet potatoes and black beans provides robust flavor in a plant-based meal.
This black bean stew recipe has become a family favorite and is often found on our weekly rotation. And like all good stews, the flavors meld and deepen with time, becoming an even more irresistible flavorful meal.
Feel free to add an extra dash of your preferred hot sauce, or top it off with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro for a refreshing finish. Enjoy this tasty stew on its own or serve with brown rice and steamed greens.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Family Friendly: Made with simple ingredients like beans, sweet potatoes, garlic, onions and coconut milk that won't hurt your budget and everyone can enjoy. This warming stew is also great as leftovers for lunch or an addition to your next healthy dinner.
- One-Pot Meal: A large pot or Dutch oven is all you need to make this simple comforting dish. I like to cook it in a few easy steps but if you're pressed for time, just sauté the onions and garlic and add the rest of the ingredients at once, either on the stovetop or slow cooker (cooked on low for 8 hours) as an easy weeknight dinner.
Enjoy more cozy soup recipes and try my sweet potato chickpea stew, creamy potato corn chowder or my spicy red lentil soup. Pair the stew with a side dish of brown rice, quinoa, roasted broccolini, or tortilla chips for scooping.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make black bean sweet potato stew:
Ingredient Notes:
- Sweet Onion: Works well as the mild flavors are not overpowering. Red onion or shallots work well too in this flavorful stew.
- Smoked Paprika, Cumin and Coriander: make a nice combination of spices to give depth to the soup and and a hint of smoky flavor.
- Black Beans: Add a lot texture.
- Sweet Potatoes: Adds a nice creamy sweetness to the stew.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: Adds the right amount of creaminess.
- Filtered Water or Vegetable Broth: Adds to the liquids in the stew, as the sweet potatoes will soak up moisture as they cook or rest at the end of cooking.
- Hot Sauce: Balances well with the sweetness of the sweet potato and coconut milk. I like to use sriracha but feel free to use your favorite hot sauce in this stew recipe.
- Fresh Spinach: Is a nice compliment with a boost of extra greens in your diet.
See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the cans of black beans for any beans you have on hand like white beans, kidney beans or pinto beans.
- Substitute the sweet potato for butternut squash for a more savory version of this hearty stew, like my butternut squash stew.
- A thick and creamy cashew milk can be substituted for the coconut milk.
- Chopped kale, baby kale, swiss chard or arugula can take place of the fresh spinach.
- Prefer a tomato based soup or stew? Add a 14-ounce can of tomato puree or stewed tomatoes.
Top Tip
For extra brightness, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice - it will also balance out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and coconut milk.
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Stew
Equipment - use a large heavy-bottom soup pot or Dutch oven.
- Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and sea salt, and sauté until onions soften.
- Add paprika, cumin and coriander, and continue stirring while spices become warm and fragrant.
- Add black beans and sweet potatoes, and gently stir to coat in onion and spice mixture.
- Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low heat. Simmer and cook covered, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in full-fat coconut milk, broth (or filtered water) and your favorite hot sauce.
- When finished cooking add spinach and stir to wilt.
- Top with fresh herbs like fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, hot chili pepper flakes or red pepper flakes, a squeeze of fresh lime and a pinch of salt if needed.
Expert Tips
- Make it More Creamy: Mash some of the finished stew with a potato masher, or a few spins of an immersion blender to develop a more creamy texture.
- Spice it Up: Add chopped jalapeño peppers, really hot hot-sauce, or finish the dish with a generous sprinkle of hot chili flakes. Try paprika with chili powder and smoky chipotle peppers to change the flavor profile.
Common Questions
To turn this comforting stew into a soup, increase the broth to about 4 cups. You can also cook the soup for less time, about 20-25 minutes, so that the sweet potatoes and black beans remain more intact and add texture to the soup. Take care that the sweet potatoes are fork tender before removing from heat.
This stew is made with full-fat coconut milk which adds a nice creamy base to the stew. To make it more creamy, cook the stew a little longer to allow the sweet potatoes to break down and create a smoother texture. Or use a potato masher to mash some of the finished stew to create a creamier texture.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It will thicken as it rests and may need a little extra filtered water or broth to loosen when reheating.
- Freezer: The stew can be stored in an air tight container for 3 months. Thaw before reheating and add a little extra broth or filtered water to loosen the stew.
Side Dish Suggestions
📖 Recipe
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced, about 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 cans (14-ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, large dice (1-inch cubes), about 800 grams or 3 cups
- 1 can (14-ounce) full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup (117 grams) filtered water or vegetable broth, and extra for thinning
- 1 tablespoon favorite hot sauce, I use sriracha
- 3 cups (150 grams) fresh spinach, chopped
- optional garnish: squeeze of lime juice, snipped fresh cilantro or parsley, hot pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and sea salt, and sauté until onions soften, about 3-4 minutes. Lower heat to keep garlic from burning if necessary.
- Add paprika, cumin and coriander, and continue stirring while spices become warm and fragrant. About 1 minute.
- Add black beans and sweet potatoes, and gently stir to coat in onion and spice mixture. About 1 minute.
- Stir in full-fat coconut milk, broth and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer, and cover. Continue to cook for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When finished cooking, remove lid, add spinach and stir to wilt. Remove from heat.
- Top with fresh parsley, fresh cilantro or hot chili pepper flakes and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- For a creamier stew, mash some of the finished stew with a potato masher to create a more creamier texture.
- More heat? Add a chopped jalapeño pepper, really hot hot-sauce, or garnish with a generous sprinkle of hot pepper flakes.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Amy Elliott says
Just made this. It is sooo good. I added some extra hot sauce for my taste.
Jacqui Wilson says
Hi Amy,
Oh, I'm so excited you enjoyed the stew. Extra hot sauce sounds like a great idea!
Diana C says
This has turned out to be one of my family's favorite stew!! I've already made it 3 times and will make it again before the snow melts. The flavors blend perfectly!
Jacqui Wilson says
I'm so glad you're enjoy the stew!
Diana Stewart says
Made this twice now! It's a real stick to your ribs meal that's great as leftovers too! Creamy and filling. You won't notice there's no meat in it.
Jacqui Wilson says
Thank you for making the recipe and I'm so happy you enjoy it!