Sweet Potato Quinoa Stew With Kidney Beans

_{Photo by VK Rees}

This one-pot quinoa and bean stew is one of those simple and nourishing fall and winter bowls that I can (and do) eat all season. Brothy and cozy, it’s the perfect example of a grain, a bean and a green. Plus, a special guest star: sweet potatoes! Everything simmers together in a savory broth with shallots, garlic, fresh ginger and rosemary. A kidney bean here, some quinoa there. Each spoonful is a little delicious surprise.

The ginger and rosemary are what really make it for me. I love that combo. The ginger gives the broth a little fragrant warmth, the rosemary makes it smell like a forest, and the sweet potatoes bring just enough sweetness. Like a magical little witch’s brew.

And the texture! The kidney beans are big substantial beans, but still creamy. The quinoa gives the broth some body and all those tiny little grains to scoop up, and the kale wilts in at the very end so it stays beautifully green and tender. Eat it with the biggest spoon you’ve got.

And to make things even better, this vegan quinoa stew is so pantry friendly, which is important if you don’t feel like running to the store for a simple soup. If you’ve got dry quinoa, a can of kidney beans and vegetable broth around, you’re most of the way there. Sweet potatoes keep forever, and kale…well, you have that. You can also use cooked beans if you’ve got them, and there’s no separate pot for the quinoa because it cooks right in the broth. A one pot meal is just what the season ordered.

This recipe is originally from I Can Cook Vegan.

Tips For The Best One-Pot Quinoa Stew

• Keep the simmer gentle once the sweet potatoes go in. They cook much faster than regular potatoes, so you want them tender but intact, not boiling themselves into orange mush.
• Cut the sweet potatoes about the same size so they finish at the same time.
• Taste for salt at the end. Vegetable broths vary a lot in saltiness, so what’s in the recipe is a starting point.
• Add the kale off the heat. The stew is hot enough to wilt it and it will stay lush and green.

One-Pot Vegan Quinoa Stew FAQ

Can I use onion instead of shallots? Yup yup yup. Half a large yellow onion, thinly sliced, will do the same job. Shallots are a little sweeter and softer, but nobody is going to run out of the room.

Ground ginger instead of fresh? Not really, no. Fresh ginger is a big part of what makes the broth taste bright, and dried just doesn’t get there. I would probably leave it out, and (maybe this is just me) use a few pods of star anise for some ethereal flavor.

Can I swap the kale? Absofrigginlutely. Chard, bok choy or collards all work, just give collards a few extra minutes in the pot instead of wilting them off the heat. Spinach works too and needs about ten seconds.

Can I use a different bean? No! JK. Of course. This is a perfect soup for any beans you have. Chickpeas, navy, black eyed peas, you name it.

Does it freeze? For sure. Freeze it in single portions and thaw overnight in the fridge. The sweet potatoes soften up a bit, and it’ll be thicker when it comes out, so loosen it with a splash of broth.

Can I make it ahead for the week? Hells yeah, this is a great one to have in the fridge. It’ll keep for about 5 days and the flavor gets better on day two.

More Stew Recipes to Keep You Warm All Season

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Sweet Potato Quinoa Stew With Kidney Beans

A brothy, cozy one pot stew with tender sweet potatoes, creamy kidney beans, quinoa and kale in a light savory broth with ginger, rosemary and a pinch of cayenne. Pantry friendly, easy and so delicious.

5 from 3 votes

Notes

~Keep the simmer gentle once the sweet potatoes go in. They cook much faster than regular potatoes and can break apart if the pot is boiling too aggressively.

~The stew thickens a little as it sits because the quinoa keeps absorbing broth. Add a splash of vegetable broth or water when reheating if you want it soupier.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 15- ounce can kidney beans rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
• 1 bunch lacinato kale about 6 to 8 average-size stalks, stripped from the stems and torn into pieces

Instructions

 

• Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat.
• Add the olive oil and sauté the shallots with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, until translucent.
• Add the garlic, ginger and rosemary and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the vegetable broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, cayenne and salt.
• Raise the heat a little and partially cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar so steam can escape. Bring to a low boil.
• Once boiling, keep a close eye on the pot and lower the heat if things get too vigorous. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the quinoa is fluffy.
• Add the kidney beans and cook for about 2 minutes, just until heated through.
• Add the kale, turn off the heat and let it wilt in the hot stew.
• Taste for salt and serve.

Keyword one pot vegan stew, quinoa stew, sweet potato and kale soup, sweet potato quinoa stew, vegan quinoa soup

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