My Favorite Pulse Dish: Sweet Potatoes, Butternut and Beans

This recipe is one of my favourites because it’s just so easy and quick to make and those bright colours are lovely for a winter meal. It is derived from a similar recipe for a Brazilian stew that used to be served at the World Food Café in London’s Covent Garden. Sadly the Café is gone, but the cookbook remains and over time I made that recipe my own.

This is a very simple dish to make, it can be made as a vegetarian recipe – or not – and can be customised to fit your taste! It’s ready in 30 min or so and can easily be reheated too…

Sweet Potatoes, Butternut and Beans 

For 2-3 as a main course

Ingredients:

• Half a butternut, peeled and cubed
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 or 3 cans of beans – choose the ones you like best, this one is made with butter beans and pinto beans but anything goes!
• 2 red peppers, cut into pieces
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• Vegetable or chicken stock
• Feta or a similar tangy cheese
• Olive oil
• Cumin – 1 tablespoon
• Smoked paprika – 1 tablespoon
• Oregano (fresh or dry) – a handful fresh or 2 small teaspoons
• Optional:

  • Chorizo or another type of spicy sausage
  • Pancetta, diced
  • Fresh or flaked dry chilli peppers (1 chilli chopped or less, to taste)
  • Avocado, sliced

Recipe

• Sauté the garlic in olive oil
• When it starts to become a little transparent, add the cubed sweet potato and butternut
• If using cooking chorizo, pancetta, or chilli, add now
• Add the spices
• Sauté for another 5-10 min
• Add the vegetable or chicken stock until the vegetables are just covered.
• Put the lid on let it simmer 15 min
• Add the drained and rinsed beans
• Add the cubed peppers
• Let it simmer until the sweet potato and butternut are cooked through
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with feta crumbled on top and optionally, a slices of avocado

You can serve with a side of rice also.