March brings a wide range of weather, so your table is likely to be going through some mood swings. One day it's spring-inspired tacos. The next, a hearty beef stew. And sometimes, if you are lucky, it's a taco stew! Grab a bunch of your favorite taco fixings and get ready to make a special bit of comfort food for you and your family.
As is often the case, there are some tweaks available. I love it with ground beef, but lots of different types of protein will work, including using several kinds of beans for a vegetarian version - just add some oil when cooking the veggies since ground beef would not be providing some fat for that step. You can use any number and variety of peppers to tweak the heat in this dish and, while lime juice is not strictly required, I love the pop it gives to this dish. Corn is a great way to counter the heat of the peppers and chiles, but you can skip that too. If you do, I'd recommend making at least one of your peppers a sweet variety to give your stew some flavor variety. And, of course, let your toppings be inspired by your preferences and what you have on hand.
If you want to make this less of a stew, serve it over hot cooked rice and stir it in to make it a plate-worthy meal. I like it in bowls and often have salsa and chips alongside it. And, of course, a chilled beer that brings you joy would be a lovely accompaniment as well!
Beef & Sweet Potato Taco Stew
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning - I used Penzeys Bold Taco
- 1 small onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces (you can peel them, but it's not necessary)
- 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped
- 1 can green chiles
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup shredded white cheddar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 1 avocado - seeded, peeled, and sliced
Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add the ground beef and the taco seasoning to the skillet. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until it’s light brown. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.
With the pan still over medium heat, add the diced sweet potatoes, canned tomatoes, red pepper, jalapeño, and canned green chiles. Ensure everything is coated well. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 20 minutes so that the sweet potatoes begin to soften. Add up to a half cup of water if the mixture begins to dry out. Do not let it burn.
Turn the stove burner to low heat. Add the juice of one lime, then stir to combine. Add the corn and black beans, stir again, and replace the lid and cook for 5 minutes or until the corn is cooked through and the black beans are heated through.
Serve in bowls topped with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro and green onions, and sliced avocado.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes