Cozy Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Stew Recipe for Rainy Days

Simmering with rich, comforting flavors, this sweet potato coconut milk stew brings warmth to your dinner table.

Hearty chunks of tender sweet potatoes mingle beautifully with creamy coconut milk, creating a deeply satisfying meal.

The aromatic spices dance through the broth, awakening every sense with their gentle, inviting essence.

Each spoonful promises a delightful journey of textures and tastes that comfort and nourish.

Velvety and smooth, this stew delivers a perfect balance of earthiness and subtle sweetness.

Packed with nutrients and bursting with flavor, you’ll want to savor every delicious bite.

This recipe transforms simple ingredients into a soul-warming experience that promises to become a cherished favorite.

Make Your Stew with These Instructions

• Aromatic Foundation

Create a flavor base by melting coconut oil and sautéing onions until they’re soft and translucent, releasing their sweet essence.

• Spice Symphony

Awaken the senses by introducing a dance of chili flakes, coriander, cumin, and turmeric, which will transform the simple onions into a vibrant canvas of taste.

• Flavor Boosters

Sprinkle minced ginger and garlic into the pot, letting their intense personalities infuse the developing stew with warmth and complexity.

• Vegetable Harmony

Gently fold sweet potatoes and lentils into the spiced mixture, creating a hearty landscape of textures and colors.

• Liquid Transformation

Pour vegetable stock over the ingredients, bringing everything to a gentle simmer and allowing the components to meld and soften.

• Creamy Finale

Introduce coconut milk and kale in the final moments, letting them swirl and integrate, creating a luxurious and nourishing stew that promises comfort in every spoonful.

Sweet Potato Stew Tweaks & Tips

• Spice Master's Shortcut: Toast whole spices like cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan before grinding to unlock deeper, more intense flavor profiles that elevate the entire stew's taste experience.
• Protein Power Play: Swap lentils with chickpeas or white beans for a different textural element and additional protein boost that keeps the meal hearty and satisfying.
• Veggie Swap Strategy: Experiment with butternut squash or pumpkin as alternative vegetables that hold similar creamy textures and sweet undertones to sweet potatoes, perfect for seasonal variations.
• Heat Control Technique: Adjust chili flakes based on personal spice tolerance – start with a pinch for mild warmth or increase for a fiery kick that transforms the stew's entire character.
• Garnish Game Changer: Top the stew with fresh cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds, or a dollop of yogurt to add freshness, crunch, and creamy contrast that makes each bite more exciting and complex.

Serving Up Warm Bowls of Coconut Milk Stew

• Hearty Meal Companion: Serve this stew alongside fluffy quinoa or brown rice to soak up the rich, spicy broth and create a more filling dinner experience.
• Topping Extravaganza: Sprinkle fresh cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds, or a dollop of yogurt on top to add crunch, freshness, and a creamy contrast to the warm stew.
• Bread Pairing Paradise: Complement the stew with warm naan bread, crusty sourdough, or garlic flatbread to scoop up every delicious drop and enhance the meal's textural enjoyment.
• Wellness Bowl Transformation: Convert this stew into a vibrant Buddha bowl by arranging it over a bed of mixed greens, adding roasted vegetables, and drizzling with a zesty tahini sauce for extra nutrition and flavor complexity.

Keep It Fresh: Storage Tips

• Batch Cooking Brilliance: Prepare larger quantities of this stew to enjoy multiple meals throughout the week. The flavors deepen and intensify after a day, making leftovers even more delicious.
• Freezer-Friendly Strategy: Store cooled stew in airtight containers, keeping portions ready for quick weeknight dinners. This stew freezes beautifully for up to 3 months, providing a convenient meal solution.
• Refrigeration Wisdom: Keep leftover stew in sealed containers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Always reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of vegetable stock to maintain moisture and prevent sticking.
• Smart Meal Prep Trick: Separate stew into individual portions before refrigerating or freezing. This approach allows easy grab-and-go lunches and prevents unnecessary reheating of the entire batch.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Calories: 320 kcal

Servings: 5

Build a Cozy Stew: Sweet Potato & Coconut Milk Basics

• Coconut Oil: Provides a silky, tropical foundation for sautéing with rich flavor undertones.
• Yellow Onion: Builds a robust flavor base with sweet and savory depth.
• Garlic Cloves: Adds intense, pungent warmth that elevates the entire dish.
• Fresh Ginger: Contributes a zesty, spicy note that brightens the stew's complexity.

• Dried Chili Flakes: Introduces a vibrant, fiery punch that awakens the palate.
• Ground Coriander: Offers a citrusy, nutty undertone with earthy warmth.
• Ground Cumin: Delivers a deep, smoky essence that anchors the spice profile.
• Ground Turmeric: Brings golden color and subtle peppery notes with anti-inflammatory benefits.

• Sweet Potatoes: Provides creamy, hearty texture with natural sweetness and abundant nutrients.
• Brown Lentils: Adds substantial protein, creating satisfying and filling consistency.
• Vegetable Stock: Creates a rich, savory liquid foundation that melds all flavors.
• Coconut Milk: Delivers luxurious creaminess with subtle tropical undertones.
• Kale: Introduces vibrant green color, robust nutrients, and textural contrast.

Stew Gear Checklist

• Large Pot: Essential for creating the stew's base and combining all ingredients smoothly.
• Cutting Board: Perfect for chopping onions, sweet potatoes, ginger, garlic, and kale with ease.
• Chef's Knife: Sharp tool for precise, clean cuts on vegetables and herbs.
• Wooden Spoon: Ideal for stirring and mixing ingredients without scratching the pot.
• Measuring Spoons: Helps accurately add spices like chili flakes, coriander, cumin, and turmeric.
• Colander: Useful for rinsing lentils before cooking.
• Ladle: Great for serving the warm, hearty stew into bowls.

Creamy Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Stew

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4.6 from 14 reviews

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 5 1x

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Description

Hearty sweet potato coconut milk stew celebrates Caribbean culinary traditions with rich, warming flavors. Creamy coconut broth and tender root vegetables create a comforting meal you can savor with crusty bread.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ lb (680 g) sweet potatoes, diced
• 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable stock
• 13.5 fl oz (400 ml) coconut milk, full fat
• ½ cup (100 g) brown lentils, picked over
• 1 small bunch kale, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½–1 tsp dried chili flakes
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, for sautéing

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Instructions

1. Aromatic Initiation: Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium temperature, creating a fragrant base for the stew.
2. Flavor Development: Sauté onions with chili flakes, coriander, cumin, and turmeric until onions turn translucent, building a rich flavor foundation while activating the spices’ intense aromatics.
3. Essence Amplification: Introduce minced ginger and garlic, rapidly sautéing to release their pungent essence and elevate the flavor complexity.
4. Ingredient Integration: Fold sweet potatoes and lentils into the spiced mixture, ensuring comprehensive coating and even distribution of ingredients.
5. Liquid Infusion: Pour vegetable stock over the ingredients, bringing the contents to a robust boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer with the pot partially covered for approximately 30 minutes.
6. Final Refinement: Incorporate coconut milk and chopped kale, continuing to simmer until the kale wilts and the stew reaches a luxuriously thickened consistency.
7. Seasoning Calibration: Taste and adjust salt and pepper to create a perfectly balanced, comforting culinary experience.

Notes

• Bloom Spices Effectively: Toast spices in oil before adding other ingredients to maximize their flavor potential and release deep, complex aromatics.
• Layering Technique Matters: Add ingredients progressively to build a rich, multi-dimensional flavor profile that develops complexity throughout cooking.
• Monitor Liquid Consistency: Watch stew’s thickness during simmering, adding extra stock if needed to prevent burning and maintain desired texture.
• Kale Addition Timing: Add leafy greens toward end of cooking to preserve bright color, nutrients, and prevent overcooking into mushy texture.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Caribbean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 5
• Calories: 320
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 15 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 37 g
• Fiber: 8 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg