A plant-based version of Brazil’s famous national dish, feijoada, vegan Brazilian black bean stew is abundant with nourishing ingredients. A beautiful bowl of black beans, sweet potatoes, and peppers served over rice, it’s a classic black bean stew recipe that will warm you up on a chilly night.
In its original form, feijoada is far from vegan or vegetarian. The word comes from feijão, which is Portuguese (Brazil’s main language) for beans. It’s loaded with things we vegans don’t eat, so I don’t even want to link to the original recipe! If you’re curious, you can look it up!
This vegan version of Brazilian Black Bean Stew is lighter, brighter, and pleasing to the eye as well as the palate.
What to serve with Brazilian black bean stew
This stew is delicious served with garlic-sautéed fresh greens and slices of mango and/or papaya. For a great way to prepare the greens, see The Most Basic, Best Way to Cook Leafy Greens and scroll down to the section titled How to Make Basic Garlicky Greens.
An alternative is to serve the stew with a simple salad or slaw and sliced oranges.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Tomato sauce or juice (1 cup)
- Brown rice (1 1/2 cups)
- Onion (1 large)
- Garlic, fresh (2 cloves)
- Sweet potatoes (2 medium
- Black beans (two 15-ounce cans or 1 1/2 cup raw)
- Red bell pepper (1 medium)
- Green or yellow bell pepper (1 medium)
- Tomatoes (2 to 3 medium
- Fresh hot green chili peppers (2 small)
- Fresh parsley or cilantro (1/2 cup)
From your pantry
- Olive oil
- Cumin (ground)
- Thyme (dried)
- Salt and freshly pepper
Recipe is from Vegan Soups and Stews for All Seasons by Nava Atlas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.
Find more …
- Tasty and versatile black bean recipes
- Delectable sweet potato recipes
- Globally-Inspired Vegan Stews for Fall & Winter Meals.
Vegan Brazilian Black Bean Stew
A vegan version of Brazil's famous national dish, feijoada, Brazilian Black Bean stew is abundant with nourishing ingredients.
Ingredients
For the rice
- 1 cup tomato juice or sauce
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups raw brown rice, rinsed
For the stew
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips
- 1 medium green or yellow bell pepper, cut into short narrow strips
- 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
- 2 small fresh hot green chili peppers, seeded and thinly sliced, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the tomato juice with 3 cups of the water in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the rice, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. If the rice isn’t done to your liking, add 1/2 cup additional water and cook until absorbed; repeat as needed. Set the cooked rice aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
- Stir in the sweet potatoes and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently until the sweet potatoes are just tender but still firm, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, one of the chili peppers, cumin, and thyme. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes longer, uncovered. The stew should have the consistency of a thick chili—quite moist but not overly soupy. Add a bit more water if too thick.
- Stir in half of the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve over the hot cooked rice in shallow bowls and garnish each serving with a little of the extra parsley and a few slices of the reserved chili pepper.
For another black bean and sweet potato combination, see …
Quick Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
Find lots more delectable vegan soups and stews.
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