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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
Delicious!
Thanks Allison! xTieghan
What is garam masala??????
Hey Ionna,
Garam masala is a blend of ground spices, originating from South Asia, common in Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Afghan cuisines. It is used alone or with other seasonings. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
I subbed butternut squash for the sweet potato and this turned out very cozy with a creamy spicy/curry vibe. I used extra ginger as well and served with jasmine rice. The chili oil was tasty but could go without it too. Thanks for the hearty veggie recipe 🙂
Hey Paige,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
I love this recipe so so much!! I make it on a weekly basis! I wanted to ask- what’s a safe measurement of salt to add to the soup? The first time I made this I nailed it- the second time I definitely under salted. Sorry type A over here haha!
Thanks!
Hailey
Hey Hailey,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! I would add a pinch of salt. xTieghan
This recipe been on my Pinterest board forever and I finally
made it. It was delicious!! Super easy, very filling, lots of bright flavors.
Hey Sarah,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This was DELICIOUS!! The only change I made was that I added a can of drained garbanzo beans to amp up the protein. I also think it’d be good sprinkled with ground peanuts or cashews prior to serving. This will be added to my dinner rotation. Thank you!!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try. I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
HUGE HBH fan here!!! Love most everything I have tried! Quick question: can chix stock be used instead of water snd does this work to sit overnight?
Many thanks!!!!
Hey Reba,
Yes, chicken stock will work well here. Sorry I am not sure what you mean by having it sit overnight. I hope you love the recipe!! xTieghan
Nice base recipe, but I had to work with this a bit to get some flavor going. I lowered the stock from three cups to two as it was too watery. I added a tablespoon of cornstarch to the coconut milk before adding it to the pan to prevent it from separating. Then I added one teaspoon of salt and a big dollop of sambal oelek and with those changes it was pretty good.
Hey Corey,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! xTieghan
So delicious and so easy! Also, it was very filling!
Hey Marge,
Thank you so much for making the recipe. I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Greetings from NYC. Love so many of your recipes, this is one of my favssss! The chili oil completes the dish and ‘Ive started making it in larger quantities to drizzle on avocado toast, mmmmmm! Your recipes have been my go to for healthy delish meals and distraction during the pandemic, thank you Tieghan!
Hey Michelle,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this recipe this week and it was AMAZING! I used a combo of spinach and Kale and added some baked tofu at the end! Super quick and easy to make – will definitely be adding this to our regular meal rotation!
This was such a delicious, warming dish. Only thing is that it is pretty heavy. We substituted rice for chickpeas for some added protein and did only a bit of the chili oil. Sooooo yummy overall.
Hey Maya,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I loved this recipe! I really appreciate that you use good amounts of spices as it makes all the difference. The chili oil is a must and I even dipped crackers in it. With 2020 and being stuck at home, I’m making a lot of one pot meals that I can easily reheat and eat for several days. This site is a gem.
Hey Bcereus,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Thanks for your kind message:) Happy Holidays! xTieghan
The end result was a little bland and watery. I did it on the stovetop and followed all directions to the letter. Needed the chili oil which I really liked. I added a squeeze of fresh lime and some chili lime salt from the SF salt co. Was better the next day. Really love the idea. Wish it had a richer more complex taste.
Hi! I am really sorry about that! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
This is a perfect stew for fall or winter season. It was so easy to make and absolutely delicious. I even made my own garam masala because I didn’t want to skip all the spices. Don’t forget to buy naan or pita bread, it’s just a perfect pair.
Thank you so much Cristina! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan