Hearty and rich, with the right amount of spice, this Instant Pot spicy sweet potato peanut stew combines fragrant spices with heart-healthy whole food ingredients to create a delicious, filling and healthy stew.
I don't know about you, but even when we are not eating a plant-based diet, we are always looking for as many easy and delicious meatless meals to add to our rotation as possible. This spicy sweet potato peanut stew is our perfect kind of weeknight meal: just enough prep to have a glass of wine while you chop, and enough hands-off time to pack tomorrow's lunch for the kids - all while the pot does its magic.
Why This Recipe Works
- The spiciness of the cayenne is balanced by the sweetness of the honey (or maple syrup); and the amount of spice can be adjusted to taste.
- This stew reheats well, making it perfect for leftovers or even as a freezer meal.
- Cooking the stew in the Instant Pot, rather than stove top, reduces the hands on time.
- Serve alone, or with brown rice or quinoa for extra fiber and protein.
How to Make Instant Pot Spicy Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
And this is the AMAZING result…
Expert Tips
- Adjust the cayenne to personal taste. If you prefer a mildly spicy stew, use ¼ teaspoon of cayenne or omit completely. We use a full teaspoon, as we enjoy spicy foods.
- To make this oil free, add ¼ cup broth along with the onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add the spices and continue cooking until fragrant.
- To make this vegan, substitute maple syrup or agave nectar for the honey.
- You can use minced or grated ginger; but I recommend fresh grated ginger using a microplane grater
.
.FAQS
Can I use ground ginger instead of fresh? Yes, however I highly recommend fresh ginger whenever possible. Fresh ginger root is available in the produce section of most stores. The freshness is hard to replicate with dried, ground ginger. When using ground ginger, reduce the amount to ¼ teaspoon.
You can also use minced ginger in a jar
, which measures equally with fresh. However, it should be noted that jarred ginger contains small amounts of additional ingredients, such as sugar.
What kind of peanut butter do I need for this recipe? We use Smucker's Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
, but any natural peanut butter will work. Check the ingredient list. Peanuts and salt should be the only ingredients listed. If you use a peanut butter that contains sugar, you may want to reduce the amount of honey or maple syrup used in the recipe.
Can I use spinach instead of kale? Yes, however do not add the spinach to the pot before cooking. Instead, add the spinach once the cook time is complete and allow to wilt in the residual heat.
★ Did you make this Instant Pot Spicy Sweet Potato Peanut Stew?
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Spicy Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onions diced
- 2 ¼ teaspoon sea salt divided
- 2 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated on microplane
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey or pure maple syrup
- 4 cups sweet potatoes peeled, roughly chopped
- 2 cups carrots peeled, roughly chopped
- 16 oz kale roughly chopped, stems removed
Instructions
- Using sauté setting – Add onions, oil, and ¼ teaspoon of salt to pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.
- Then add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, add cloves, cayenne, and cumin and cook for about a minute longer, stirring constantly, until toasted and very fragrant.
- Continuing on sauté for now – add broth, peanut butter, maple syrup, and 2 teaspoons of salt to pot and mix well. Make sure to scrape up any bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the bottom, although there shouldn’t be much, if any.
- Add sweet potatoes and carrots to pot, followed by kale. You will probably need to pack the kale into the pot, but it will wilt down really quickly once the cooking begins, so this is okay.
- Lock lid and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure.
- Give stew and give mix and serve, either by itself, or over rice or quinoa.
Video
Notes
EXPERT TIPS
- Adjust the cayenne to personal taste. If you prefer a mildly spicy stew, use ¼ teaspoon of cayenne or omit completely. We use a full teaspoon, as we enjoy spicy foods.
- To make this oil-free, add ¼ cup broth along with the onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add the spices and continue cooking until fragrant.
- To make this vegan, substitute maple syrup or agave nectar for the honey.
- You can use minced or grated ginger; but I recommend fresh grated ginger using a microplane grater.
.FAQS
Can I use ground ginger instead of fresh? Yes, however I highly recommend fresh ginger whenever possible. Fresh ginger root is available in the produce section of most stores. The freshness is hard to replicate with dried ground ginger. When using ground ginger, reduce the amount to ¼ teaspoon. You can also use minced ginger in a jar
, which measures equally with fresh. However, it should be noted that jarred ginger contains small amounts of additional ingredients, such as sugar.
What kind of peanut butter do I need for this recipe? We use Smucker’s Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
, but any natural peanut butter will work. Check the ingredient list. Peanuts and salt should be the only ingredients listed. If you use a peanut butter that contains sugar, you may want to reduce the amount of honey or maple syrup used in the recipe.
Can I use spinach instead of kale? Yes, however do not add the spinach to the pot before cooking. Instead, add the spinach once the cook time is complete and allow to wilt in the residual heat.Nutrition
More Vegan Soups and Stews
- Vegan Instant Pot White Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Vegan Potato Soup
- Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Curry and Potatoes
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Jenny
Mine came out a little overcooked and overly soupy. If I make it again, I plan to reduce the natural release time, use less broth and honey, and up the peanut butter.
Gary White
Can you expand on what you mean by "overly soupy"? And I could be wrong, but your recommendations sound more like preferences, not something actually wrong with the recipe. Just trying to understand your poor rating more. Thanks!
Becky
I have never cooked with peanut butter before and was a little skeptical. Well, have I been missing out! This was wonderful and even my "I don't like spicy" husband loved this.
Ben Nikodym
This was a delicious recipe! I stuck about two or three cups in a blender after it was done and mixed that in to make it a little creamier, but followed it fairly closely otherwise. Really enjoyed it. Thanks!