West African-Inspired Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Peanut Stew

Last Updated on December 17, 2024 by Christin Gillespie

This West African-Inspired Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Peanut Stew is a healthy and easy-to-make vegan recipe. It’s a hearty and satisfying meal that only requires one pot & perfect for cozy leftovers!

If you’re looking for a deliciously unique recipe, then this West African-Inspired Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Peanut Stew is something that you’ve got to try.

Traditionally, the stew is made with a base of nut butter (specifically peanut butter) and tomatoes, but it can be prepared in several different ways. 

My take is super simple to make, as it only requires one pot & it’s on the table in about 30 minutes. Oh & it’s made with ingredients that you most likely already have on hand!

Regardless if you’ve ever experienced West African-Inspired meals before or not, this vegan recipe will definitely have you convinced to make more of them!

Why You’ll Love This West African-Inspired Recipe

• Quick & Easy: This West African-Inspired Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Peanut Stew recipe requires one pot & is on the table in about 30 minutes.
• Fully Customizable: Feel free to crank up the heat with some additional spice or take it down a notch if you can’t handle the heat. The option to add extra veggies is also available!
• Great for Meal Prep: This vegan West African-inspired stew stores well in the fridge, making it an easy recipe to meal prep for healthy dinners throughout the week.

Ingredients

• Organic Onion: I used a medium yellow onion, but use what you have on hand!
• Organic Red Lentils: You cannot substitute black, green, or brown lentils here, because they will cook very differently. Be sure to rinse your lentils before adding them to the pot. 
• Organic Sweet Potato: For this recipe I used garnet sweet potatoes, but you can technically use any type of potato you love! I personally leave the skin on, since it adds extra fiber! Just be sure to scrub them well before slicing. 
• Organic Unsalted Peanut Butter: I used creamy organic peanut butter, but crunchy would also be phenomenal in my opinion. You can also substitute organic peanut butter for any other nut or seed butter, if needed. 
• Organic Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth: Any broth truly works and even water, if you’re in a pinch!
• Organic Diced Tomatoes + Organic Tomato Paste: The diced tomatoes, along with the tomato paste, adds texture and extra juiciness. 
• Organic Full-Fat Unsweetened Coconut Milk: This is essential to make the stew creamy. I don’t recommend subbing for regular non-dairy milk and be sure that your coconut milk comes from a can, not the carton. My favorite brand is Native Forest, as it is made with simple, organic ingredients, without the guar gums. Just organic coconut milk!
• Organic Spices: Red chili flakes, sea salt, and black pepper, are the spices used.
• Organic Servings: Optional, but I love cooked cauliflower, chopped peanuts, & fresh cilantro, for serving. 

How To Make 

1. Sauté. In a large pot, add the chopped onions and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and the spices. Cook for another minute.
2. Cook. Add the chopped sweet potatoes, rinsed lentils, peanut butter, tomatoes, coconut milk, and broth or spring water. Once simmerring, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, 
3. Blend. Once the sweet potatoes and lentils are tender, for an extra-thick stew, pulse with an immersion blender in the pot a couple times. You can also remove a few scoops of stew, and add it to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth then pour back into the pot and mix together. 
4. Serve. Serve hot over cauliflower rice. Garnish with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Tips for Making this Vegan West-African Stew Perfectly

• Organic Red Lentils: Be sure to rinse your red lentils before adding them to the pot. This will remove any bitterness from the lentils. I don’t recommend green or brown lentils, as the taste will not be the same.
• Organic Vegetables: Feel free to add in even more veggies! I think stirring in some greens last minute after blending the stew, would pair deliciously! 
• Organic Full-Fat Unsweetened Coconut Milk: Use organic full-fat unsweetened coconut milk from the can, not the carton. This will ensure that your stew is super creamy. My favorite brand is Native Forest, as it is made with simple, organic ingredients, without the guar gums.

Storing & Reheating

As mentioned above, this West African-Inspired Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Peanut Stew recipe is perfect for leftovers & meal prep! 

Fridge Storage. Transfer stew to an air-tight glass container & refrigerate for up to 5 days. 

Reheating. To reheat, transfer the stew to a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a little extra water or broth as needed until warm. 

More Healthy Vegan Recipes You’ll Love

• Curry Butternut Squash Red Lentil Stew
• Vegan Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Lentil Mushroom Stew over Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
• Vegan Butternut Squash, Chickpea, & Lentil Moroccan Stew
• Vegan Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad

Sharing Is Caring!

If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!

Xoxo.

Christin.

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