Smoky Sweet Potato and Tahini Stew

This Smoky Sweet Potato and Tahini Stew is packed full of flavor and is absolutely delicious. I have served this hearty stew for many people and trust me when I say, people will come back for more. I’ve added Tahini into this stew and I truly love  what it adds to this recipe. This stew is creamy and smoky…which is such a wonderful combination. There’s a little element of heat to this stew, so if you’re not into that, then omit the jalapeno and cayenne pepper.

I love to top it with avocado and sometimes a little cilantro, which adds a great element of freshness. Best served with a scoop or quinoa or rice  or even some freshly baked bread.  If you’d like the stew more “soupy” then feel free to add a little more vegetable broth and/or coconut milk.

If you enjoy this soup, then you should also check out my Smoky White Bean and Tomato Soup!

This year I am participating in the 2021 Black History Virtual Potluck. A collaborative menu of recipes contributed by 40+black bloggers from around the globe in honor of Black History Month.

This recipe was my contribution this year to the potluck. See a sampling of some of the other delicious participant recipes at the end of this page!

Get the Recipe: Smoky Sweet Potato and Tahini Stew

Yield: 5 servings

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

5 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil, or an oil of your preference
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 to 4 cups)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• ½ small green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• ½ small red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
• ¼ inch knob ginger, finely grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, or about 4 to 5 small roma tomatoes that have been seeded and diced into small pieces
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tahini, well stirred
• ½ to 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, depending on how creamy you like it

Other Suggested Toppings:

• diced avocado
• A handful of roughly chopped spinach or kale stirred in at the end
• thinly sliced scallions
• cilantro
• your favorite grain

Equipment

• Large Pot or Dutch Oven

Instructions

• In a large pot, over medium-low heat, add coconut oil.  Add in the sweet potatoes, onion, bell peppers, and jalapeno. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or until your onions become translucent.
• Stir in the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, and sauté until fragrant, a couple more minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes and vegetable broth and cover the pot. Simmer until the sweet potatoes become really soft to the fork, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Then turn your heat down low. In a small bowl, add your tahini and then add a ½ cup of the broth from your pot and stir it in well so that you have a smooth paste. This makes it slightly easier for the tahini to mix into your stew. Stir the tahini mixture into your pot along with your coconut milk. Taste and add salt and pepper. Allow soup to simmer for an additional 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
• **The recipe doesn't call for it, and you might call me special, but I also like to either take a potato masher and mash the stew a couple of times with it or use my emersion blender just a little. Still leaving a chunky consistency. After having made this so many times, I realized that when a few of the chunks of potatoes are mashed, it adds to the creaminess of the stew. You could also let the soup simmer a little longer(which breaks the potatoes down more) and that will also do the trick, but to cut down on the time, that is what I like to do.**
• If your going to add any greens to your stew such as kale or spinach, stir them in now, so that the can wilt a little.
• Ladle into bowls, add any toppings and enjoy!

Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 1030mg, Potassium: 482mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 14020IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 2mg

You can check out a sampling of some of the other scrumptious recipes featured in the 2021 Black History Month Virtual Potluck below! These recipes were created by some incredibly talented Black food bloggers – show some love! Make their recipes! Share their work/recipes! And support and find them on their social media platforms!

BBQ Lentils over Grits | Rosalynn Daniels

Yam and Plantain Curry | Ethically Living

Blackened Catfish and Smoked Gouda Grits  | Pink Owl Kitchen

Authentic Misir Wot | Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew | That Green Lyfe

Jerk Shrimp Cakes and Grits | Geo’s Table

Suya-Spiced Brussels Sprouts | Dash of Jazz

Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits | A Girl Called Adri

Southern Potato Salad | Meiko And The Dish

Shito Pepper | Savory Thoughts

Buttermilk Cornbread With Southern “Sprinkles” | Erique Berry Co.

Cast Iron Buttermilk Biscuits | Seasoned To Taste

Sourdough Discard Honey Rosemary Cornbread | Feed The Malik

Sugar Coated Vanilla Peanuts | Murielle Banackissa

Sweet Potato Bundt Cake | Lenox Bakery

Sweet Potato & Coconut Cinnamon Rolls | Vee the Baker

Sweet Potato Pop Tarts with Brown Butter Icing | Chenée Today