Indian Chickpea Sweet Potato Stew (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
A hearty, filling meal that’s 100% wholesome, this Indian Chickpea Sweet Potato Stew is the best of healthy comfort food. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and made with whole foods like sweet potatoes, chickpeas, warming Indian spices, and greens, but it feels like a cozy hug in a bowl!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds*
- 1 1 ⁄2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 medium yellow onions finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1 ⁄2-inch piece fresh ginger grated or minced
- 3 bay leaves
Ground spices
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Indian red chili powder or 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper**
- A generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (equivalent to 3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 3 cups peeled and finely diced sweet potatoes****
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or half of 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 ounces Swiss chard****, finely sliced into ribbons
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint*****, finely chopped
Garnishes (optional but recommended)
- Thinly sliced red onions
- Coconut yogurt
For serving
- White rice or brown rice
- Indian flatbread or pita bread
Instructions
- Heat a large, deep nonstick frying pan or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the black mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Stir occasionally and toss the seeds around for 1-2 minutes, or until they start to jump in the pan and smell very aromatic but not burning.
- Add the coconut oil and once it’s melted, add the diced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and start to turn golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes until very aromatic, stirring frequently to prevent burning and sticking.
- Add the bay leaves and ground spices, and then add the chickpeas and stir them around to coat around in the spices. Allow them to cook for 5-6 minutes, turning only once after a few minutes, to allow them to get a bit browned and crispy.
- Pour in the water, stirring around to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced sweet potatoes, crushed tomatoes, and salt. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the stew has thickened.
- Add the chard (or kale) and cover the pan. Cook for 5 more minutes until wilted. Remove bay leaves.
- Stir in cilantro and lemon juice. Serve with fresh mint, sliced red onion, and coconut yogurt.
Video
WHAT I EAT TO STAY HEALTHY DURING WINTER | easy + vegan
Notes
* If you can’t find black mustard seeds, feel free to substitute brown mustard seeds - they’re a bit less spicy.
** Omit for a mild version.
*** This is equivalent to 3 medium or 2 large sweet potatoes. Make sure to finely dice the sweet potatoes - otherwise, they won’t fully cook through in the stew (or you’ll need to cook the stew longer). To see what size I dice them, be sure to watch the video starting around the 05:00 mark.
**** You can use other greens, such as kale or spinach. Spinach will cook very quickly and won’t need as much time.
***** The fresh mint adds a really nice cooling complement to the spiciness of the stew.
Nutrition
Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 945mg | Potassium: 1285mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 16779IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 7mg