Moroccan Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

A delicious and hearty stew packed full of nutrition and fiber. Perfect to curl up with on a cold winter’s night.

This fragrant plant-based stew is warm and wholly satisfying. It’s comprised of lots of my favorite vegetables – onions, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, sweet potatoes, kale, and tomatoes. It also contains lentils and peanut butter. Yup, this recipe contains peanut butter. But please don’t let this scare you away – unless you have a peanut allergy. Then you can omit it or use a different nut butter altogether. The peanut butter adds a subtle depth and creaminess to this incredible stew. So not only are you getting a lot of nutrients and fiber with each bowl, it is absolutely delicious.

This mild stew uses a warm and fragrant moroccan spice blend called Ras el Hanout. The combination encompasses more than a dozen spices, in varying quantities. Traditionally, this includes cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, dry ginger, chili peppers, coriander seed, peppercorn, sweet and hot paprika, fenugreek, and dry turmeric. And while you can make your own Ras el Hanout blend, I purchase my Ras el Hanout from Amazon. It has a full-bodied flavor profile with out any heat, and perfectly suits this Moroccan Sweet Potato Lentil Stew.

Granted, the summary description indicates this is a great winter stew. And while that may be true, all of these ingredients are readily available and in season during the summer. So, really, it’s a year-round stew, which means you can teleport with your tastebuds to Morocco any time of the year!

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 zucchini
• 1 yellow squash
• 3 sweet potatoes
• 1 cup brown or green lentils
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 24 oz (3 cups) vegetable broth (or water)
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic

• 2 tsp Ras el Hanout
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp minced ginger 
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 3-4 cups chopped kale (stems removed)

Instant Pot Instructions

• Chop all of the vegetables and sweet potatoes.
• Using sauté feature, sauté onions, bell peppers, and celery until onion is translucent (7-10 minutes).
• Add minced garlic, sweet potatoes, zucchini, squash, lentils, crushed tomatoes, and broth or water.
• Attach lid. Manual high for 10 minutes.
• Allow to natural release for 15 minutes.
• Remove lid.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir just to combine.

Stovetop Instructions

• Chop all of the vegetables and sweet potatoes.
• Using a large pot over medium heat, sauté onions, bell peppers, and celery until onion is translucent (7-10 minutes).
• Add minced garlic, sweet potatoes, zucchini, squash, lentils, crushed tomatoes, and broth or water.
• Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir just to combine.

Notes

I purchase my Ras el Hanout from Amazon. I have no affiliation with this product but personally have purchased and do recommend this spice blend. It has a warm flavor profile with out any heat. It perfectly suits this stew.

If you prefer to make your own Ras el Hanout, this recipe receives great reviews for having a nice balance. Please let me know if you try it and enjoy the blend.

Adapted loosely from Peanut Butter & Tomato Soup and Lentil Spinach Curry Soup.

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