Roasted Cauliflower & Black Bean Coconut Stew
This healthy, spicy black bean coconut stew is exactly what we need during these upcoming autumn weeks! It’s full of roasted cauliflower, butternut squash, caramelized red peppers, warming spices, coconut milk, hearty black beans, and lots of lime juice. Serve it over rice for a complete, satisfying meal that will warm you up from the inside out.
I’ve shared so many delicious, flavorful recipes over the months with Spice Tribe’s unique spices (check out this decadent porcini-spiced parmesan pasta if you missed it last month), and today we are bringing a little Caribbean flare into the kitchen with their Haitian blend – Mama Manje.
These spice blends always inspire me to try something new, and they easily add so much flavor to a dish. I love how minimal I can keep the rest of the ingredients since the spices really do all of the work. And that’s exactly the case with this black bean coconut stew.
This stew is the perfect blend of fresh, vibrant flavor with a cozy autumn feel. The Mama Manje spice blend includes green bell pepper, onion, thyme, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, habanero, and star anise. The warm spices of cinnamon and star anise make this the perfect spice to use in the colder months, yet the other spices provide a really unique, fun contrast of brightness.
With all of these spices, I kept the rest of the stew really simple. It’s completely vegetable focused, using beautifully golden roasted cauliflower and seasonal butternut squash, along with some caramelized red peppers for a pop of color. The cauliflower adds heartiness, while the squash and red peppers add sweetness. You could easily mix it up and add any roasted vegetable you’d like in here – carrots, broccoli, and pumpkin would all be great.
The other ingredients included – some caramelized shallot, garlic, a little fresh chile (however, the spice blend is fairly spicy, so if you want a milder heat, I would omit the fresh chile), creamy coconut milk, stock, lime juice, and scallions – all build on each other, creating lots of layers of flavor and texture.
I like serving this stew in a big bowl over rice to complete the meal. It’s comforting and fresh at the same time, perfect for cozying up with during these colder months. It comes together pretty effortlessly, too, and is really easy to make in a big batch…so I would definitely save this one for a busy week where the leftovers will come in handy!
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (about 2 ½ lbs), peeled + cut into 1” cubes
- 1 cauliflower (about 2 ½ lbs), trimmed + cut into 1” florets
- Olive oil, as needed
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 red peppers, stemmed + thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small red fresno chile, seeded + minced (optional)
- 2 tbsp Spice Tribe Mama Manje Haitian Blend
- 1 (13.5 fl oz) can coconut
- 2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 1/2 cups rice, cooked
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 handful cilantro leaves
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the cubed squash onto a half sheet pan and the cauliflower florets onto another. Drizzle enough olive oil over both to coat well. Toss, spread into an even layer, and season with a good pinch of salt. Roast for 25 minutes until caramelized and tender.
- Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt. Saute for a minute or so. Add the red peppers. Continue to saute until the shallot and peppers are both caramelized. Stir in the garlic and fresno chile. Cook for another minute or so.
- Stir in the spice blend and allow to toast for a minute. Add the coconut milk and stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and roasted vegetables. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Lastly, add the lime juice. Taste the stew and season with more salt if needed.
- Serve the stew over the rice. Garnish with the scallions and cilantro.