Fall

African Stew

September  4, 2016
4.5
11 Ratings
Photo by Fille de la Foret
  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 40 minutes
  • Makes a large pot
Author Notes

This is one of my favorite recipes that I have made for the last 25 years. I have altered it over the years to my liking. It was originally published in a small booklet distributed by Land-o-Lakes. It combines many spices that are reminiscent of both Northern Africa and India. I love these spices and usually add a little extra of each. It is vegan! —Fille de la Foret

Test Kitchen Notes

This dish is so full of everything... color, texture, flavor and food, that you don't even notice how healthy it is for you. All of the ingredients are pantry staples and none are overly expensive. This stew filled a family of 6 for less than $1 per person. My favorite part of this recipe is that tiny bit of cinnamon in a savory dish creating such an interesting flavor profile!! Tasty, easy, cheap and pretty, this stew is a winner! Welcome fall—oooh, maybe I can add a little pumpkin next time, hmm... —Terri A. Sanders

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Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
  • 1 large onion, medium dice
  • 2 stalks of celery, sliced diagonally
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes or yams—peeled and 1/2 inch dice
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes—juice included
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 medium zucchinis, sliced in half lengthwise then sliced into 1/2 inch slices
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup dried elbow macaroni
Directions
  1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil and add onions, celery, and sweet potatoes. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the zucchini, garbanzo beans, and macaroni. Cover and bring to a boil, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Stir in zucchini, garbanzo beans, and macaroni, and cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the macaroni and zucchini are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
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3 Reviews

Douglas B. September 30, 2016
Due to dietary restrictions I made this with out any tomato product and substituted cilantro for parsley. Quiet good for the first stew of this season
Martha September 25, 2016
Looks delicious. I expect if you wanted to make it non-vegan, one could add shredded chicken at the end, or boiled eggs. The boiled eggs are a common item in similar stews in Ethiopian cooking.
txchick57 September 5, 2016
Another great looking recipe. I will make this one too. Thanks!