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Gingery Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Chili Oil…when you’re in need of warming comfort food, but also want healthy…make this. All made in just ONE pot (or in your instant pot), in less than an hour, and using good for us ingredients like sweet potatoes, warming spices, and creamy coconut milk. It’s cozy, a little spicy, and filled with vegetables. Serve this creamy stew over rice. Then, finish each bowl off with spiced sesame chili oil. It’s hearty, full of greens, and so delicious. Great for just about any night of the week. Plus the leftovers the next day make for the best lunch!
Hard to believe I have yet to mention this, but we had our second snowfall of the (very early) fall season this past Sunday. It wasn’t nearly as much snow as we got back in September…(September 8th to be exact…way too early), but a nice 5″ coating. Along with the snow came a shift in our weather, with bitterly cold temperatures in the morning and at night.
Sunday was, well, cold. All I wanted to do was cozy up by the fire with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Or just something warm. There’s something about the first early snowfalls of the season that always feel the coldest. I think it’s that we’re not used to the chillier weather. Either way, the drop in temperatures of course has me craving all the coziest of foods.
Yes, I know, to be expected. But here’s the thing, I love my fall plates of pasta and my cozy, cheesy soups. But I was really feeling the need to switch things up. To break away from the classic autumn comfort foods, and instead create something just as warming and cozy.
At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make. I had to do some thinking, but then it finally hit me while hiking, stew! I should make a stew!
But not the usual kind. Beef stew is much more my brother’s thing. But for me? I prefer a stew with sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and a mix of warming spices all served over steamed rice. And then? Topped with a spicy, zesty, chili oil, because we all know I love a good sauce (and trust me, this oil is key).
I went back and forth on whether to call this soup, curry, or stew, but in the end, I decided this is creamier than soup, but not quite a curry, so stew it was! Sounds a little odd, but don’t worry about the name, it’s delicious, and that’s all that really matters.
This one is simple, here are the steps.
Yup, yet another one pot recipe that can also be made in the instant pot. Any way you make it, this recipe is easy. Here are the key steps.
First things first, your rice. I like to use basmati rice, but you could easily cook up brown rice or even use quinoa. If you ask me, stick with the steamed basmati, I like it best with this dish.
While the rice is cooking, make the stew. I usually just make this on the stove. Start with an onion and oil, add lots of fresh ginger and garlic, then toss in some cubed sweet potatoes. Once that’s all cooked together for a minute, add in all the flavor…the spices. I’m using a mix of warming garam masala, turmeric, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend usually made of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, plus a few others. It’s all my favorite autumn spices in one. I keep this on hand at all times to create quick and healthy meals.
Once you’ve added the spices, add enough water to cover the sweet potatoes. You can also use vegetable broth if preferred, but the stew has so many flavors, that it’s not really needed. Bring the mix to a boil and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Add the coconut milk and kale and that’s that. It’s a pretty simple but yet so delicious.
While the stew is simmering, make the spiced oil.
And yes, you NEED this oil. It’s really the reason I made the recipe. It’s inspired a bit by the Middle Eastern sauce, Chermoula, which is made with oil, seeds, spices, and lots of fresh herbs.
I decided to opt-out of the herbs and instead create a spiced oil. And you guys? This oil/sauce is everything. It’s the perfect finishing touch to this stew. Think a little spicy, garlicky, and flavored with cumin and sesame. So delicious.
Serve the stew over the rice, then add lots of the chili oil. Finish with cilantro and done. Oh, and add fresh naan for scooping up all the creamy, coconutty sauce.
I can’t tell you how much I love this recipe. This stew is SO flavorful, SO full of color, and filled with good for us ingredients. It’s the creamiest, most flavorful bowl. The best part, well aside from all the deliciousness, is that this requires no more than two pots and less than an hour.
And lastly, I swear the leftovers taste even better the following day. The flavors then have time to mend, and the sauce is just more intense…just a little added bonus!
Looking for other healthy fall dinners? Here are a few ideas:
Persian Herb and Chickpea Stew with Rice
Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Crispy Sesame Chickpeas
Crockpot Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup
Lastly, if you make this Gingery Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Chili Oil be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Ginger Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Spiced Chili Oil
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 727 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 inches fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
Spiced Chili Oil
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic lightly smashed
- 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
- 2-3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Stove-Top
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, and sweet potatoes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne and cook another minute. 2. Add 3 cups water. Season generously with salt. Bring the mix to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. 3. Stir in the coconut milk and kale, cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro. 4. Meanwhile, make the chili oil. Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the garlic is fragrant, 5 minutes. Stir in the sesame seeds, chili flakes, and cumin seeds, cook 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika. Season the oil with salt. Let cool.4. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the stew overtop. Spoon over the chili oil and top with cilantro. Serve with Naan on the side. Enjoy!
Instant Pot
- 1. Set Instant pot to sauté. Add the olive oil and onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, and sweet potatoes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne and cook another minute. 2. Add 3 cups water. Season generously with salt. Cover, select the manual setting, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.3. Once done cooking, use the quick release function and release the steam. Set the Instant pot to sauté. Stir in the coconut milk and kale, and cook 5 minutes. Turn the instant pot off. Stir in the cilantro.4. Finish as directed above through step 4.
This post was originally published on October 15, 2020
Hi,
Making this tonight. Looks like it will be delicious. My homegrown sweet potatoes are very varying sizes. Can you tell me in ounces or grams that I should use?
Thank you!
Hey Deborah,
The sweet potatoes do not need to be an exact measurement, I would say 2-3 cups of sweet potatoes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this today- WE LOVED IT!
Used brown rice and didn’t get a chance to try the naan yet, by my oh my this one is in my recipe box now. The chili oil is the perfect complement to the sweet creamy broth. Well done.
Thank you for trying this recipe, Savannah! I am really happy this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this tonight! Added leftover rotisserie chicken and it was divine. The fam jam enjoyed even my more pickier eater. ?
Thank you so much Erin! xTieghan
This was outstanding! My husband ate two bowls and he does not prefer liquid based dinners. And you are right – the chili oil is the kicker.
Thank you so much Wendy Jo! xTieghan
I love this dish!! The flavors are great (the chili oil is a must) the instructions are simple to follow and you can add extra veg (I tossed in carrots for fun) if you want. It’s healthful without sacrificing luxury. This will be a new staple in my house! I’m now making at least two Half Baked Harvest recipes a week and haven’t met a meal I didn’t like yet. Awesome job!
Wow that is so amazing to hear! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes, Valerie! Thank you! xTieghan
Just discovered hbh and this is my third recipe this week! Another hit! My fiancé says it’s the best soup I’ve ever made. I have a very low spice tolerance, so I subbed 1 tsp of the garam masala for 1 tsp sweet curry powder, omitted the cayenne, and replaced the crushed red pepper with ancho chili powder, and it still turned out great! Next time I might put the second tsp of garam masala in and replace the cayenne with either ancho chili powder or paprika, but it was already really good as is and not lacking in flavor at all! For those who mentioned wanting more protein, I replaced the rice with banza chickpea rice that’s high in protein and lower in carbs than traditional rice, and I’d recommend going that route if you’re like me and don’t love the texture of quinoa or lentil. Thanks for another great recipe! Already have my grocery list set for a few more hbh meals next week!
Hi Katie! I am so happy you have been enjoying my recipes lately!! Thank you so much for trying this and others! I hope you both continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
We loved this! Perfect for a cold and rainy fall night! Thanks for another great recipe.
Thank you for trying this Lauren! xTieghan
Made this last night and it’s delicious! Made flatbreads instead of naan, substituted chard for the kale and piripiri for chili flakes. Added chickpeas when I warmed up leftovers for lunch, and a dollop of greek yoghurt on the side. So, so good.
Thank you so much Shahnaz! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I’m excited to make this tomorrow! For leftovers, would you keep the spiced chili oil separate or add whatever is left into the stew? Thank you!
Hey Kaitlyn,
I like to keep it separate. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Soooooo good! I happened to have everything I needed in the house to make this so I used it as a clear out the fridge dinner and it turned out way better than expected. I had only about half the chicken I needed, but I used the same ratio of all the other ingredients in the instant pot and the flavors are great. It was a little thin even after boiling for 5-10 minutes so I stirred in some coconut cream. I also added a can of crisped up chickpeas to make up for the smaller amount of chicken and it worked perfectly. Topped with Greek yogurt and chili oil and they balanced each other perfectly.
I am really happy this recipe turned out so well for you, Emily! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Made this tonight and everyone loved it. The oil really packs a punch! I must say it had me yearning for a pita or crunchy bread. Sadly, my pantry had neither.?. Thank you for this and other fabulous recipes.
Hi Sylvia! I am so glad you all enjoyed this recipe! Have you tried my naan recipe? It is one of my favorites with this recipe! I’ll leave the link below! xTieghan
https://fett-weg.today/homemade-naan-step-step-photos/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Can the leftovers be frozen?
Hey Emily,
You can freeze the leftovers, but I would not recommend freezing with the rice. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
is this the same as this recipe but minus the chicken? https://fett-weg.today/30-minute-coconut-milk-braised-chicken/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Hey April,
Yes very similar recipe! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
We loved this! And you’re so right – don’t skip the oil! it is so yommy! Didn’t have any sesame seeds, so I subbed in some tahini and it was great! Thanks!
Thank you so much Sue! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this for a snowy Sunday evening in Denver. The flavors work together perfectly! This is the perfect savory cold weather meal. I’m already excited to eat the leftoverS for lunch tomorrow. Thank you for another delicious restaurant!
Thank you for trying this one, Mahala! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan