Southwest Sweet Potato Stew

Make this southwest sweet potato soup in the pressure cooker or slow cooker for a warm winter dinner!
It’s cold, it’s not the good kind of cold, like the “yay, it’s boot season!” kind of cold. And, it’s the I-can’t-feel-my-earlobes kind of cold. It is a BAD cold. Cruel cold. It’s the Royals losing in the bottom of the 9th in Game 7 of the World Series kind of cruel cold.

So all I want to do is:

• sit on the couch with a mug o’ hot something,
• perpetrate some snuggles, and
• eat Southwest Sweet Potato Stew.

Not necessarily in that order.

This stew is smoky, hearty, and the spices add a smoky touch of extra heat to get you warmed up for snuggle time. Am I sounding like a creeper?

I’m ok with that.

Southwest Sweet Potato Stew

Because I made this stew in my handy-dandy pressure cooker (the most amazing tool EVER), all the moving parts came together easily and quickly.

If you choose to make it in the slow cooker instead, you’d probably want to roast the sweet potatoes separately and add them right before you serve so they don’t get mushy. 6 hours on high OR 8 hours on low should do it. 

Here’s the jump-to recipe:

Ingredients

• For the meat
• 1 lb. beef stew meat
• 2 Tbs. cooking fat (I used ghee)
• Salt & pepper to season
• For the stew veggies
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped into 1/2″ chunks
• 1 jalapeńo pepper, sliced into thirds and carefully seeded (as in, use gloves and DON’T touch your eyes) OR if you’re brave you can keep the seeds. Either way, don’t touch your eyes.
• 3 whole cloves of peeled garlic
• 1 Tbs. cooking fat (I used ghee)
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• For the stew base
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 14.5 oz (approx) can crushed tomatoes
• 3-4 cups beef, chicken, or veggie broth (depending on how liquid-y you like your stew)
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more if you’re brave)
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• For garnish:
• Shredded green cabbage
• Juice from 1/2 lime

Instructions

Before you embark on this soupy adventure, I implore you to make the critically important decision of whether you’ll be using a slow cooker or an instant pot—because every superhero, err, soup-maker, needs to choose their cooking vessel wisely. You know, it’s like deciding whether to take the scenic route or jump on the bullet train to Flavor Town!

And don’t forget to check out that oh-so-helpful note I left above the recipe (yes, I can hear the collective groan of recipe readers everywhere). But hey, there’s a method to my madness! It’s like your soup-making guardian angel looking out for you—nudging you in the right direction. Trust me, I’ve got your back, buddy.

• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 60 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Serves: 4 servings

Make the stew meat

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. While the oven is preheating, liberally season all sides of the stew meat with salt & pepper.
3. Heat a skillet on the stove to medium-high with 1 Tbs. of cooking fat.
4. Once the skillet is heated, add the stew meat to sear on all sides. (Don’t crowd the meat; make sure there are a few inches of space between each piece so they sear and don’t steam. Sear in batches if needed.)
5. Set seared meat aside.

Prepare the veggies

1. Toss the sweet potato chunks, jalapeńo, and garlic in 1 Tbs. cooking fat (melted, obviously) and smoked paprika.
2. Spread veggies across a baking sheet. They’ll all roast together. (Snuggling, remember?)
3. Roast veggies at 400° for 30 – 40 minutes.

Cook the stew while the veggies roast

1. Combine chopped onion, crushed tomatoes, broth, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and lime juice in your pressure cooker and give it a good stir. (If you want to blend it super well, use your
2. Add the seared stew meat to the pressure cooker.
3. Cook for 12 minutes with the pressure regulator rocking slowly (that’s medium-high) then cool the cooker at once (according to the manufacturer’s instructions).

Finish the deal

1. When the veggies are done roasting and the pressure cooker has cooled, chop up the jalapeńo and garlic and add them, along with the sweet potatoes, to the stew.
2. You’re finally done. Top with shredded cabbage and a squeeze of lime. Eat.

Be ready to tango your taste buds with this Southwest sweet potato affair.

Well, that’s a wrap on our journey through the deliciousness that is southwestern sweet potato stew.

With the satisfying combination of hearty sweet potatoes, flavorful black beans, zesty red onions, and just the right amount of chili powder, this dish is sure to be a hit at any meal. Even better, it’s perfect for meal prep – just whip up a batch on Sunday and enjoy it all week long (with a generous sprinkling of shredded cheese on top, of course).

So next time you’re looking for a warm and comforting dinner option, give this stew a try – your taste buds (and your meal prep regimen) will thank you! Enjoy, and thanks for reading!