Vegetarian Black Bean Plantain Stew
This Black Bean Plantain Stew recipe is so filling that you only need one bowl, but I guarantee you will return for seconds. This sweet and savory plantain stew becomes a power bowl when served over rice with a spoonful of pepita pesto to finish the flavors. Adding rice also extends the servings, which includes the lunch leftover bonus. Who doesn’t love to have a delicious lunch the next day?
How to Buy Plantains
When picked on the farm, plantains are green. As they ripen, they turn yellow, then a mixture of yellow and black, and finally black.
For this black bean plantain stew recipe, I purchased plantains that look like the bottom row of the photograph. These are medium-ripe and slightly soft with a yellow and black peel. Peels with more black than yellow are sweeter and more suitable for this recipe.
A very ripe plantain will be all black with no yellow remaining. It is best for dessert, but it is too sweet for this recipe. If the grocery store has green and yellow fruit, plantains, like bananas, will ripen at home on the counter. However, plantains take longer to mature than bananas.
How to Prepare Plantains & kale for Stew
1
Peel ripe plantains like a banana.
2
Slice plantains in half lengthwise.
3
Slice the plantains into bite-size (1/2") half-moon-shaped pieces.
4
Wash and dry leaves and remove thick stems or thinly slice them. Stems are edible and offer crunch.
5
Chop kale and thinly slices stems (optional) into bite size pieces.
6
Combine kale, lemon juice and sea salt in a bowl. Massage leaves to tenderize.
What are Aromatics?
This hearty black bean stew recipe begins by combining aromatics – vegetables, spices, and herbs in oil to create a concentration of flavors. Stews, chili, curries, stir-fries, soups, and stocks typically start with aromatics to create a rich taste. The most famous use of aromatics is the French combination mirepoix: butter, onion, carrot, and celery. It’s the basis for most French cooking. Italians call it a soffrito, and Spanish refer to this cooking method as sofrito. Secret Ingredient Chili uses this method to make a delicious dish. Read more about how to use aromatics in this MasterClass video.
How to Prepare Aromatics for Black Bean Plantain Stew
First, chop the vegetables a medium size (½-inch to ¾ inch) and mince the garlic. Try to cut the vegetables roughly the same size so that your vegetables cook evenly and each spoonful gets a variety of flavors and textures. I don’t recommend a food processor because it can pulverize some vegetables and provide different sizes. Get out your cutting board and use your knife skills to let the vegetables shine in this recipe.
Heat the oil in a deep pan and add the vegetables and garlic. After the vegetables soften, add the salt. The aromatics will “sweat” and release their juices.
Thirdly, add the dry spices and constantly stir for a few minutes to release their unique flavor properties. Keep an eye on the mixture and reduce the heat if necessary so it does not burn. It will become a thick paste. This process makes your home smell wonderful. You can now add other ingredients to your black bean plantain stew.
Pepita Pesto
Garnish the black bean plantain stew with pepita pesto. This bright and mildly spicy sauce uses pepitas, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice. The foundation is a traditional Italian pesto with Latin ingredients. Pepitas are tender pumpkin seeds from a unique variety that do not have stiff white hulls like traditional pumpkin seeds. You can purchase them raw or roasted. Pepitas are a good source of protein, healthy fats, iron, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. You can’t make too much of this sauce. Try it on Easy Elote Bowl – Mexican Street Corn.
Pepita Pesto Recipe Steps
1
If using raw pepitas, toast in a skillet.
2
Place ingredients in food processor,
3
Chop until blended and smooth.
Equipment Needed
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Ingredients Notes and Substitution
- Onion – yellow, red or white
- Garlic – use fresh cloves
- Red pepper – can swap yellow, orange, or green pepper
- Cumin, chili powder, sweet smoked paprika, and hot smoked paprika – feel free to experiment with more or less to your taste. If you want more heat, add cayenne pepper.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes add a smokey element, but using regular diced tomatoes also works.
- Vegetable broth – Keep the recipe vegetarian and use low salt.
- Plantains, if unavailable, one large sweet potato cut into bite-size pieces. Be sure to boil in broth until the pieces cook – about 20 minutes for sweet potatoes.
- Black Beans – red, kidney, or pinto beans will work, and use low salt.
- Kale adds a delicious savory flavor that complements sweet plantains. If you are not a fan, try reducing the quantity.
- Pepitas – pumpkin seeds are a common ingredient in Mexican cooking. Purchase raw or toasted.
- Jalapeno: Removing the seeds and membrane will substantially reduce the heat. Peppers are not all equal; some are very hot, even to the touch. Wear gloves while cutting and deseeding, and wash your hands if the oil remains.
- Cilantro for the pesto – no substitution – basil and parsley will not be the right flavor profile for this stew.
- Fresh lime is best, but concentrate will work in a pinch
- Optional Garnish – Queso Fresco is a mild Mexican cheese that crumbles like feta – omit if vegan.
Variations of Black Bean Plantain Stew
- Vegan – use vegetable stock and omit the cheese as a garnish.
- Paleo – omit the beans and cheese garnish.
- Mediterranean – Use brown rice. Try The Best Brown Rice in an Instant Pot.
- Low Carb – eliminate the rice and save 61 calories and 13 carbs.
- Meat Lovers – add 8 – 12-oz diced smoked ham with the kale.
- Grain Free – Yes, plantains are grain-free but are illegal in the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
Other Tips
What goes with this stew? You can keep it simple and offer tortilla chips and guacamole. It does not need a side dish. This rice recipe, The Best Basmati Rice Pilaf, is a winner for this meal.
Storage – Great Leftovers will stay fresh in a lidded container for five days in the refrigerator.
Freezer Meal – store for up to 3 months.
Nutritional Benefits: The wholesome stew is high in fiber and contains vitamins and minerals. The nutritional panel below the recipe provides more information.
Use the Pesto Twice in one Week
I like to make this stew with Easy Elote Bowl. You can use the Pepita Pesto Pesto in both recipes. You’ll find lots of ways to use this outstanding pesto!
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Hearty Black Bean & Plantain Stew: Pepita Pesto
Enjoy a nourishing black bean plantain stew bursting with veggies, smoky spices, rice, and pepita pesto—a hearty, soul-warming meal! Serve with fragrant rice and a dollop of pesto for a vegetarian feast. This recipe is inspired by Pinch of Yum’s Plantain and Pinto Stew with Aji Verde. I use different beans and sauces, along with pesto, and build a sofrito from the aromatics.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Latin
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Rice
- 1.5 cups of rice
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Stew
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
- 4 cups of kale, stemmed and cut into bite-sized pieces. Stems are edible, but slice them thinly if you plan to use them.
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt
- two 14-oz cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 2 plantains (medium ripe), peeled and sliced into half-moon shapes, or one large sweet potato, diced
- two 14-oz cans of black beans or 1 cup dried and pre-cooked*
- 3–oz queso fresco, crumbled – optional
Pepita Pesto
- 1 cilantro bunch
- 1 jalapeno pepper, membranes and seeds removed
- 2 garlic cloves
- juice of one lime
- 1/3 cup raw or toasted pepitas**
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt if pepitas are unsalted
Instructions
- Make rice according to package directions.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and cook for an additional minute, until soft. Turn the heat to medium, add the spices, and cook for 2 more minutes, until the mixture is combined and fragrant. Be careful not to burn.
- Make the Stew. Wash and chop the kale. Place the kale in a bowl and add lemon juice, along with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt or Kosher salt. Massage the leaves for 1 minute to tenderize them, then let them sit. Meanwhile, add the canned tomatoes and vegetable broth to a simmer. Add the plantains and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the black beans and wilted kale and simmer for 5 minutes until the kale is soft.
- Blend the Pepita Pesto. Toast raw pepitas in a dry cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat until they pop and turn slightly brown – about 5 minutes. There is no need to toast pepitas if they are roasted. Add all pesto ingredients to a blender or food processor and mix until combined..
- Serve. Place the rice in bowls and cover it with the stew. Dollop with pesto on the top and serve with optional cheese.
Notes
* see Cooking Dried Legumes for Gut-Friendly Meal Prep
** If pepitas are raw, they are generally unsalted. Add salt to the finished pesto. If the pepitas are toasted, do not toast them again, and refrain from adding salt to the pesto.
Check out Unlock the Secrets of Delicious Kale Recipes for more kale recipes.
Do you love soups and stews? Try our Secret Ingredient Chili, which can be made with either ground beef or turkey.
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8 responses to “Hearty Black Bean & Plantain Stew: Pepita Pesto”
I’m going to try making it this weekend. I might just buy the pepita pesto. And if I like it make more.
Thanks, let me know what you think.
I made the mistake of making a similar recipe to this with under-ripe plantains a year ago and it didn’t do much for me. However since you posted this recipe we gave it another try in our house and having the correct ripeness of the plantains is a GAME CHANGER. It’s so good with the pepita pesto too. Yum!
Sam, I am so happy you gave the recipe a try and that you liked it! I hope you keep it in your meal rotation.
Oops. I forgot to give it five stars. I wish I could give it 6!!
This stew is so easy,delicious and hearty. The perfect dish for the cold, windy week we are experiencing in Northern California. And the leftovers taste even better than the first serving!
Susan, thank you for your praise of the stew. It does make tolerating cold weather a little better.
I made this several times over the last few weeks to test this recipe for the website. Nobody complained. If you think vegetarian food is dull, think again. It’s also so so fun to use new ingredients like plantains!!!