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.
Find it online: https://www.suppersanity.com/black-bean-plantain-stew/
