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–+ servings

Sweet Potato Beans

4.80 | 5 reviews
These spicy-sweet sweet potato beans are my dream beans. They use unexpected ingredients like kalamata olives (delicious), calabrian chili and of course, sweet potato to turn the unexpectedly humble canned bean into something delicious.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 & 1/2 tbsp calabrian chili paste
  • 2/3 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
  • 1 15 oz. can of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2/3 cup 5 oz. cooked sweet potato, no skin
  • 2 cups water, plus more as needed
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 cups spinach
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh oregano, for serving
  • 1 oz. freshly grated parmesan, for serving

Instructions 

  1. Put a high-sided sauté pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it come to temperature. Then add the yellow onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes, or until the onion starts to become soft and transluscent. Season with salt.
  2. Add in the garlic and chili paste and stir. Cook for another 2 minutes to let the garlic cook down. Add in the kalamata olives and stir, cooking another minute.
  3. Pour in the beans and stir to combine.
  4. In a small blender, blend the cooked sweet potato and 2 cups of water to make a sweet potato "broth." Pour this over the beans and swirl to combine everything. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Let this simmer for 5-7 minutes, letting the ingredients combine and the flavors build. Taste at the end of the simmering time, and add a squeeze of lemon if you're feeling it.
  6. Lastly, toss in the spinach and give it a stir. It will wilt into the beans in seconds.
  7. Remove the beans from the heat and serve with a sprinkle of fresh oregano and freshly grated parmesan. Serve warm with rice or crusty bread!