Description
Nothing more comforting than a hearty, healthy, and flavorful pot of stew. This easy to make Spanish Butter Bean Sweet Potato Stew is calling our name with its ultra-satisfying and aromatic goodness. Plump butter beans, nourishing sweet potatoes, and tasty pearl onions all bathed in a warming tomato broth makes for a perfect weeknight meal. The butter beans melt into a rich and creamy texture that is a perfect base for the tender sweet potatoes to shine, making it a fantastic stew the whole family will love!
Whole Food Plant Based, vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, gluten free, and no highly processed ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, small dice
- 1 red bell pepper, small dice
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth *
- 1 ½ cups water (or broth)
- 1 – 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon miso *
- 1 Tablespoon reduced sodium tamari * (see notes)
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, small cubes
- 10 frozen pearl onions (optional) *
- 2 – 15.5 oz. cans butter beans, drained and rinsed (divided)
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
Other Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Optional Ingredients:
- Cooked/Steamed rice of choice
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- In a large ceramic/enamel lined Dutch oven/pot (or similarly large stockpot) add the red onion and red bell pepper, sauté over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes to slightly heat up, then add the finely minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 30 seconds.
- Then add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Herb/Spice Ingredients, and sauté for 30 seconds to release their fragrance.
- Add the vegetable broth, water, petite diced tomatoes, and tamari, then increase the heat to a boil, stir well, then immediately lower to a low simmering boil. Then add the cubed sweet potatoes, pearl onions, and 1 can of the butter beans. Simmer for 18 minutes, then add the other can of butter beans, 3 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, and miso. Stir well. Continue to simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, taste test and add additional seasoning to achieve the desired flavor. Discard the bay leaf before serving.
- Serve with additional freshly chopped parsley and/or some steamed rice.
Notes
*Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients. Pacific Organic Veggie broth does have a strong flavor, so less both is required. If using a mild or mellow veggie broth, use 2 ½ cups veggie broth and ½ cup water.
*Butter Beans: While “Butter Beans” are considered the same as lima beans, for the sake of this recipe, they are not the same. A butter bean is a very mature lima bean. They are bigger, creamier, have less color, and are more fragile. They are sold as a “Butter Beans” on the can label in stores. We want to make sure we are clear as lima beans will not give the same end result as butter beans in this recipe.
*Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos.
*Miso: We usedMiso Master Organic Mellow White Premium Lite Miso, Certified Gluten Free. Miso really lends itself to balancing flavors when you don’t use oil. If you are going to live the Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle, then you will quickly find that miso is your friend. Miso is simply a paste made from fermented soybeans, barley or rice malt. We use a gluten-free mellow white miso. It is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, and most grocery or health food stores carry it these days. You can find it in the refrigerator section. A lot of Vegans and Whole Food Plant Basers call it “the secret weapon” because it really brings that rich umami flavor forward in a lot of dishes. Since we discovered it, we use it a lot. Simply because it really adds something special to our dishes that you just can’t get with other ingredients. It has a long refrigerator shelf life because it is fermented. So, if you can’t find it locally, we suggest that when you are taking any trips out of town, find a store that carries it, take a small ice chest and stock up.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Pearl Onions: The pearl onions are optional, but they really add a nice sweetness and depth of flavor to the soup, so we highly recommend them if you’re an onion fan.
*Butter Beans: Adding one can of the butter beans earlier in the recipe results in some of the butter beans bursting. This adds a delicious thick stew-like consistency. Then add the 2nd can of beans to stew (about 10 minutes) before serving.
*Serving: 4 to 5
*Storage: Refrigerate and use within 5 days.