Nigerian Plantain Stew
Ripe plantains, tomatoes and vegetable broth come together in this vegan β 70 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, the ingredients are plant-based.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Peel the plantains and cut them into thick rounds or chunks; choose plantains that are yellow with some black spots so they are sweet but still hold their shape.
- Blend the tomatoes, red bell pepper, scotch bonnet and one clove of garlic into a smooth puree and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat and saute the chopped onion and remaining minced garlic until fragrant and soft, about 4 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes to deepen its colour.
- Pour in the blended pepper mixture, add the paprika and thyme, and simmer, stirring now and then, for about 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce reduces, darkens and the oil begins to surface.
- Add the vegetable broth and a little salt, bring to a simmer, then gently add the plantain pieces and stir to coat them in the sauce.
- Cover and cook over a low simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the plantains are tender and have soaked up the stew, stirring carefully so they do not break apart.
- Taste and adjust the salt, then let the stew rest off the heat for a few minutes before serving with rice or on its own.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet Β· Large pot Β· Saucepan Β· Blender
Tips & common questions
How long does Nigerian Plantain Stew take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Nigerian Plantain Stew vegan?
Based on its ingredients, this recipe contains no meat, fish, dairy or egg, so it looks vegan-friendly. Always double-check labels on packaged items.
Related recipes
Nigerian Plantain Stew is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: White rice, plantain and stew (Nigerian dish).jpg by Beendy234, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.