This Sweet Potato & Bean Stew is a simple, nutritious one-pot meal that’s perfect for easy midweek dinners. It’s budget-friendly, family-friendly and needs very little washing up, making it a great option for busy evenings.

It’s pretty straightforward to make. Red onion and garlic are fried off in olive oil with oregano, cumin, smoked paprika and a pinch of chilli flakes, before sweet potatoes, tomatoes and vegetable stock are added and left to simmer until tender.

Then it’s just a case of adding the beans and some peanut butter. I used pinto beans as the texture is softer but feel free to use any beans for this one. 

It’s ideal served on its own or with rice, quinoa or crusty bread.

Nutrition Highlights

✅Good source of plant-based protein – thanks to the pinto beans.

✅High in fibre – from beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and onion.

✅Rich in antioxidants – from the sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

✅Supports steady energy – beans and sweet potatoes provide slow-release carbohydrates for balanced energy levels.

✅Healthy fats – olive oil and peanut butter add fats that help with flavour (and to keep you full!).

Storage and Shelf Life

This Sweet Potato & Bean Stew is great for cooking ahead and works really well for leftovers.

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Allow to cool fully before refrigerating.
• It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water, if needed.

Recipe Tips

Make it spicier – add extra chilli flakes or a fresh chopped chilli when cooking the onion

Add some greens – stir through spinach or kale towards the end. 

Adjust the texture – add a little more stock for a looser stew, or simmer a bit longer for a thicker result

Roast the sweet potatoes – for a different texture, try roasting the sweet potatoes for about 25-30 mins before adding to the stew. 

Beans – use any beans for this stew. Black beans are a good substitute or chickpeas would work too. 

Sweet Potato & Bean Stew

Helen Ridgeway Helen Ridgeway

This Sweet Potato & Bean Stew is packed with simple, nourishing ingredients. With sweet potatoes, pinto beans, tomatoes and lots of spices, it’s a really affordable meal that’s perfect for easy midweek dinners. It’s filling without being heavy, made in one pot, and easy to adapt depending on what you have in the cupboard – hopefully a recipe you can come back to again and again.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4

Calories 535 kcal

Equipment

• le creuset cast iron shallow pan

Ingredients

 

• 1 kg sweet potatoes (2.2lbs)
• 1 large red onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• Pinch chilli flakes
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes (2x14oz)
• 500 ml veg stock (2 cups)
• 2 x 400g tinned pinto beans (2x14oz)
• 3-4 tbsp natural peanut butter

Instructions

 

• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-sized chunks. Finely chop the onion and garlic.
• Add the oil to a large pan and fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes.
• Add the herbs, spices and salt and fry for another minute or so. Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 mins. Add a little more stock as it is cooking, if requited.
• Add the drained beans and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft.
• Stir through the peanut butter and cook for another couple of minutes before serving.

Notes

• This can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days and freezes well too.
• You can use any beans if you don’t have pinto e.g. black beans.
• If preferred, you can roast the sweet potato in the oven for a crispier texture (you can leave the skin on if you roast it too).

 

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Nutrition

Calories: 535kcalCarbohydrates: 89.6gProtein: 20.5gFat: 13.4gSaturated Fat: 2.3gFiber: 19.9g

Keyword peanut butter stew, pinto beans, sweet potato stew

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