Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than 75p per person.
What are the benefits? This sweet potato stew makes a brilliant vegan meal, provides three of your five a day and is pretty high in protein too.
I find it really weird these days to think I used to hate beans. Baked beans with a full English fry up, that’s the only time I’d stomach them; other than that, beans were a big no-no for me.
Something about the texture was too.. mushy? I don’t know, I think it was just yet another thing my weird, fussy, teenage brain decided it didn’t like.
Thankfully we’re over that now and beans have, once again, become my friend. They’re super cheap but packed with protein, so they help make wholesome, nutritious, satisfying food on a budget – like this!
This stew is honestly so lovely on a chilly evening or a lazy afternoon; it’s like a cosy, caring hug in a bowl. The full-bodied combo of sweet potato chunks and beans is a real winner, with sweet pepper slices giving just a touch of indulgence and elevation to that rich, earthy flavour.
I find a great way to sneak in extra veggies without really noticing is to create something so wonderfully delectable with them that it feels like comfort food, something I’d turn to when I want to look after myself, and before I know it I’ve hit my five-a-day with practically zero effort! This recipe is perfect for doing just that.
INGREDIENTS
4 Sweet Potatoes, Cubed
2 Onions, Chopped
1 Bell Pepper, Chopped
400g Tin of Black Beans
400g Tin of Kidney Beans
400g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
1tbsp Tomato Purée
1 Vegetable Stock Cube
1/2 Mug of Water
SEASONING
I find paprika goes really well with the sweet peppers and potatoes in this recipe, giving a nice, mellow spice without any actual heat. If you do want heat, a few chilli flakes wouldn’t go amiss either. Also throw in some dried garlic flakes with the onion (fresh if you’ve got it), a pinch of salt and pepper, and dried thyme at the end (again, fresh if you’ve got it).
So, this is how I did it…
1. Heat up a large pan and cook down the garlic, sweet potato and onion for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften.
2. Add to the pan the chopped tomatoes, sliced peppers, kidney beans and black beans with a spoonful of tomato purée, a crumbled stock cube and half a cup of water. Season everything with a good dose of paprika, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
3. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes, throwing in the thyme for last minute or two of cooking. Serve with a delicious slab of crusty bread for the ultimate cosy comfort dish.
Tips & Tricks
- The longer you leave things like this, the more scrumptious they become! Try leaving to simmer on a low heat, topping up with water every now and then, or chuck in a slow cooker and slowly warm.
- Black beans and kidney beans are my favourite, that’s why I’ve used them here. But you could swap them out for any other kinds – even a value tin of baked beans with the tomato sauce rinsed off will do!
- For me, a big bowl of this on its own, with a lovely dollop of sour cream, is perfect, but you could also serve with fluffy rice, thick slices of bread, crispy jacket potatoes or in a well of creamy mash if you wanted.
#ThisGirlEats 