Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

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If you’re looking for something hearty, comforting, AND healthy the next time you’re out camping, you need to try this vegan sweet potato peanut stew.

Michael holding a bowl of stew near a campfire
We recently cooked up a pot of this stove over our campfire in Anza Borrego and it was everything we could have hoped for and more. If you’re looking for something to warm you up on a cold winter’s evening, then this stew is for you!

Megan and Michael sit around a campfire Megan is serving Michael food from a Dutch oven
We cooked this at Borrego Palm Canyon Campground, just outside of Borrego Springs, CA. While we typically seek out free camp spots while camping in the desert, we decided to splurge and pay for an official campsite (that’s right: a picnic table, fire ring, and access to a nearby flushing toilet now constitute “splurging” in our lives). In our former weekend warrior days, we camped at this campground on more than a few occasions, so our stay here felt like visiting an old friend.
Michael chopping an onion on a wooden cutting board
Ingredients for a west African inspired sweet potato and peanut stew
During these brisk desert, evenings having a campfire is nice, but having a campfire with a simmering stew on top of it is even better. This particular recipe was inspired by an African Peanut Stew we saw while leafing through the amazing Oh She Glows cookbook.

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We loved the flavors of the original (chunky sweet potato, creamy peanut butter broth, and a smoky chili aroma) but we decided to make a few alterations in order to streamline it for camp cooking. This stripped down version is loaded with all the essentials you need to get that same big flavor without taking up too much room in your cooler.

So the next time you’re out camping, give this one a try. It just might become your new go-to stew.

Michael adding chopped onions into a Dutch oven that is on a campfire

Michael adding chopped sweet potatoes into a Dutch oven that is on a campfire

Chickpeas and kale in a Dutch oven stew on a campfire

Michael serving himself stew from a Dutch oven


Michael holding a bowl of stew near a campfire

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

New Mexico chili powder gives this stew a smokey flavor with just a hint of spice to it. If you use a different chili variety, you may need to scale the measurement back according to your heat preferences.
Author: Fresh Off The Grid
5 from 68 ratings
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 small onion, diced (to yield 1 1/2 cups )
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 medium sweet potato, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes (to yield 2 cups)
  • 2 cups broth
  • 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons New Mexico chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 14 oz can chickpeas, drained
  • 2 cups tuscan kale, destemmed and chopped

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute about 5 minutes, until translucent and just starting to brown in spots. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the sweet potato, broth, tomatoes & their juices, peanut butter, chili powder, and salt. Stir well to ensure the peanut butter is thoroughly mixed in and there's no clumps remaining. Simmer, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  • Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add the chickpeas and the kale to the dutch oven. Stir to combine and heat until the chickpeas have warmed through and the kale has wilted.

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Calories: 334kcal

*Nutrition is an estimate based on information provided by a third-party nutrition calculator

Main Course
West African-Inspired

Chickpea sweet potato and peanut stew in a Dutch oven

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KJ | Omnomherbivore

Pretty much cleared all the food groups on this one, including peanut butter :p I’ve got all of these ingredients in the cupboard and fridge right now, so I think I’ll have to give this one a go!! I need to head out camping so I can try some of your camp recipes at an actual camp site :p

kathy patalsky

love this!! If you guys can pull this off on a campfire, we should all be able to pull it off at home! Fave flavors in this one!

Kortney Kwong Hing

This sounds so good. But I can’t eat peanuts. Is there a substitute that you think would work?

ps. You guys make camping look amazing! 🙂

Kortney Kwong Hing

I’m thinking about it as well! The problem is I don’t know the taste that they bring. hmmm

Eva

I’m guessing you probably already solved this problem, but sunflower seed butter is pretty easy to find and would probably be the closest flavor match. And it’s similarly creamy. I’d try and find one without added sweeteners.

Carol Borchardt

Love this! This looks super-tasty and you both look like you’re having so much fun!

Carmella

Absolutely love these photos! They definitely tell a story, excellent work

Joel

Thanks for the recipe! My wife and I tried it a couple days ago and loved it. Very tasty and easy to prepare in a camp setting. We are loving all the plant based recipes you have been posting!

Christine

I made this for camping at first and now I make it in my kitchen at home. Super duper tasty and so easy. Thanks so much for this recipe!5 stars