This Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew Costs Me Just 85p A Serving

I don’t know if it’s because of the dark days, the cold weather, or my anaemia; but recently, I’ve just been too exhausted to cook. 

I wish I didn’t feel guilty about it. The guilt leads me to buy ingredients for meals I’ll never cook in an attempt to make up for some perceived wrongdoing; the consequent failure heralds expensive takeaways and further shame. So, about a week ago, I admitted to myself; something has to change. 

That meant the purchase of a second-hand slow cooker, and the addition of tasty, low-effort recipes to my roster. And this sweet potato and peanut butter one has won my heart; I’ve eaten it for the last three days, and have yet to grow sick of it. 

So, I thought I’d share the TikTok that shared it all, as well as modifications and storage. 

What’s the recipe?

TikToker and easy recipe enthusiast tamingtwins shared the recipe which involves one 400g tin of tomatoes, another 400g can of chickpeas, yet another 400g can of coconut milk, a kilo of sweet potatoes, an onion, and 150g peanut butter. 

Spices and flavour enhancers include three cloves of garlic, three teaspoons each of ground ginger, tomato puree, and cumin, a teaspoon of coriander, and half a teaspoon of chilli flakes (you can do more if, like me, you like spice). This serves six; for me, that means a serving is around 85p.

Assembly couldn’t be easier ― just bang all the ingredients into the slow cooker and get going. You don’t even need to brown the onions separately before cooking the whole thing on high for four hours or low for six. 

How did the cooking go?

Honestly, ridiculously easy ― it truly is a dump-and-go dream. However, I recommend *actually* measuring peanut butter and using tinned tomatoes instead of passata; I used too much (smooth) peanut butter and a smaller box of passata, and unusually for a slow cooker recipe, the results were a little too thick. 

Also, I recommend going with crunchy peanut butter. Not only is it frankly better, but the texture is looser, meaning you’re less likely to face a paste-like scenario. 

The recommended cook times are exactly right, by the way; don’t be tempted to go too far over, as the sweet potatoes fully dissolve.

In terms of subbing, you can try butternut squash instead of sweet potato. And adding skinless chicken thighs to the mix before you cook can provide a meaty option.

You can go for low-fat coconut milk if preferred; again, I will say that this recipe manages to miss the usual watery pitfall of most slow cooker options, and if anything, it risks running a little thick.

How long will it last?

It freezes fine, so if you choose that option, it can last until you choose to defrost it. In the fridge, however, it’ll last as long as its most perishable ingredient; if you add chicken, that’s about three to four days.

Coconut milk lasts around five days once opened, so I wouldn’t refrigerate it for longer than that with the veggie version. 

This recipe generously serves around six people. Usually, when I read that, I think “oh, so it’ll last ME about three days”; but this actually serves six. 

It’s perfect with rice (microwaveable packs will do great in a rush), but you can also use bread or speedy couscous. 

Whatever I eat with it, though, I’m just glad to have cooked something for myself on these exhausting near-winter days.