Spiced Sweet Potato and Peanut Lentil Stew
A deeply nourishing Ethiopian-inspired stew packed with protein-rich lentils, sweet potatoes, and a creamy peanut butter swirl. Perfect for meal prep to keep your energy steady all week.
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Makes
4 servings
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthSteadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
Trigger-aware comfort
Make the meal work for today
Keep spicy extras on the side and adjust the temperature or portion to suit you. The best version is the one you can enjoy comfortably.
Notice: comfort + personal triggers
Digestive comfort
A portion that works for you
Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.
Notice: comfort + portion
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Blender · Whisk · Mixing bowl
Time saver
This stew tastes even better the next day as the spices meld, making it an ideal Sunday batch-prep meal for the week's lunches.
Do these three things first
- 1Prep cups dry red lentils (rinsed), yellow onion (diced), garlic cloves (minced)
- 2Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 3Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
From Your Pantry
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 6 steps complete
Next: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in…
- 01
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in…
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Look for: softened
Tap card to mark done - 02
Stir in the minced garlic
Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 1 minute until highly fragrant.
Look for: highly fragrant
Tap card to mark done - 03
Add the cubed sweet potatoes
Add the cubed sweet potatoes, red lentils, the entire can of diced tomatoes (including the juices), and the vegetable broth.
Tap card to mark done - 04
Bring the pot to a gentle boil
Bring the pot to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have broken down and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
Look for: the lentils have broken down and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender
Tap card to mark done - 05
Whisk the peanut butter with a ladleful…
In a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter with a ladleful of hot broth from the pot until completely smooth. Stir this creamy mixture back into the stew.
Look for: completely smooth
Tap card to mark done - 06
Remove the pot from the heat
Remove the pot from the heat. Fold in the baby spinach and stir gently for about 2 minutes until just wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
Look for: just wilted
Tap card to mark done
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