Hearty Vegan Sweet Potato Stew (Printable view)

A comforting stew featuring sweet potatoes, beans, and vibrant vegetables in a robust tomato base.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 2 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 2 carrots, sliced
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 zucchini, diced
09 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)

→ Beans & Legumes

10 - 1 can (14 oz) cannellini or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Tomato Broth

12 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
13 - 4 cups vegetable broth
14 - 2 tbsp tomato paste

→ Spices & Seasoning

15 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
16 - 1 tsp dried thyme
17 - 1 tsp ground cumin
18 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
19 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
20 - 1 bay leaf
21 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Garnish

22 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
23 - Lemon wedges (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
03 - Add sweet potatoes, potatoes, smoked paprika, thyme, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, then add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
06 - Add drained beans and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until flavors meld and stew thickens.
07 - Stir in baby spinach if using, and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste and remove bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually make it on a weeknight instead of just thinking about it.
  • The stew sits beautifully in the fridge for days, getting better as flavors marry, making meal prep feel less like a chore.
  • Every bite tastes hearty enough to satisfy, but it's light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of onion, celery, and carrot—those five minutes build flavor that hours of simmering can't replicate, and they give the stew body instead of leaving it watery.
  • Cut your potatoes into pieces roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same time, otherwise you'll have some that are mushy and some that are still too firm.
  • Add the beans toward the end rather than at the beginning so they stay whole and tender instead of breaking apart and making the broth cloudy.
03 -
  • If your stew tastes flat after cooking, it usually needs salt or a squeeze of lemon juice rather than more spices—finish with both before deciding you need anything else.
  • Smoked paprika is the non-negotiable secret that makes people ask what makes this taste so good, so don't leave it out even if you think you don't like paprika.
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