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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

    Ital Stew (Vegan, Paleo, GF)

    Last Updated January 7, 2023. Published October 26, 2019 By Charla 20 Comments

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    stew in a saucepan pin

    This ital stew recipe is a warm and hearty Rastafarian dish that is a medley of vegetables, herbs and spices simmered down in coconut milk.

    Stew in a pot

    Jamaican ital stew is a tasty Rastafarian derived one pot stew consisting of Caribbean root vegetables, fresh herbs and spices simmered down in coconut milk

    I'm so excited to share this Jamaican dish with you all called ital stew. It is delicious, filling and definitely good for the soul without a doubt.

    The type of stew that you turn to on a cold, winter's day or if you need something to "hold you" as Jamaicans would say (meaning to give you that extra boost).

    What is ital stew?

    In short ital stew is a one pot plant based dish which derives from the Jamaican Rastafarian movement.

    The dish is made with root vegetables, herbs, spices and then simmered down in coconut milk.

    There is absolutely no meat included in ital stew is it strictly vegan. Although some Rasta's consume small fish under 12 inches, other types of flesh i.e pork, chicken, beef is prohibited.

    You can of course include pulse or beans in this recipe i.e. kidney beans, black eyed peas etc... but meat/poultry would be culturally offensive so I would advise against doing so.

    Salt is debatable, strict Rasta's will not use salt and instead overcompensate with additional herbs.

    On the other hand, some Rasta's choose to relax a little by using kosher salt, sea salt or pink salt (one that is minimally processed).

    Also, the use of freshly squeezed coconut milk is best to compliment the natural/aspect of the recipe too.

    Here is a good link to refer to of how make your own coconut milk from a fresh coconut.

    The great thing about this Jamaican ital stew is that you can include an abundance of vegetables; carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, breadfruit, dasheen (taro/eddoe), cocoyam, yam (name), cassava (yuca), plantain (plantano), cho cho (christophine/chayote) okra.

    You name it and you can make your ital stew according to your vegetarian taste buds.

    This stew is delicious just like my Curry Jackfruit Run Down 

    Close up of the stew

    Ingredients to make ital stew

    I like to use a combination of carbohydrate loaded vegetables in my stew and omit the use of pulse/beans.

    I also like to add the vegetables in two stages so some of the vegetables breakdown and are used as a means to naturally thicken the stew.

    The remaining vegetables are adding towards the latter part of the recipe and add that bulkiness/volume.

    • Pumpkin
    • Carrot
    • Sweet potato
    • Plantain
    • Dasheen (Taro/Eddoe)
    • Cho cho (Christophine/Chayote)
    • Coconut milk
    • Thyme
    • Coriander/cilantro
    • Onion
    • Scallion
    • Tomato
    • Bay leaves
    • Black pepper
    • Turmeric
    • Pimento berries (allspice)
    • Scotch bonnet

    How to make ital stew

    Steps 1-6 making onion and herbs to coconut milk

    • Pour the water and coconut milk into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
    • Once the liquid has reached boiling point reduce the heat to medium then add the scallion, tomato, thyme, coriander/cilantro, onion, garlic. pimento berries and bay leaves.
    • Simmer for 5 minutes

    Steps 7-12 adding veggies to coconut milk

    • Add the sweet potato, dasheen, carrots along with 1 cup of pumpkin and 1 plantain while stirring the saucepan

    Steps 13-16 adding root veggies to saucepan

    • Add the spices - turmeric, black pepper, pink salt (if you are using it) and stir once more.
    • Bring the saucepan to a final rolling boil before reducing the flame to medium/low.
    • Toss a scotch bonnet into the saucepan (prick it if you want heat)
    • Cover the saucepan and simmer for  25 minutes. After this time you will notice the stew thicken from the vegetables breaking down
    • Fold in the remaining plantain, pumpkin and cho cho so they cook evenly.
    • Cover the saucepan with a lid again and cook the vegetables for 15 minutes until soft
    • Remove the thyme stems, scotch bonnet, pimento berries, scallion and bay leaves before serving

    Notes and tips for making ital stew

    • Only burst the scotch bonnet if you want a fiery heat. By adding the whole scotch bonnet (not pricked) will simply yield flavour NOT heat.
    • If you cannot obtain scotch bonnet, fresh chilli or habanero pepper works too.
    • Don't worry if you cannot obtain ALL of the root vegetables - use butternut squash in place of pumpkin, regualr potato if sweet potato isn't available. Use green banana if plantain isn't to hand and swap cassava for dasheen or another root vegetable .i.e different type of potato.
    • Feel free to include pulse or beans, meat is a NO NO it won't be ital if meat is included (you were warned).
    • If using salt do not use processed white salt, clean salt such a kosher, sea or pink salt is suitable.
    • To keep the recipe ital use fresh herbs, thyme, coriander etc... are preferred.
    • Pimento berries are known as allspice

    Stew with bay leaf

    More vegan Caribbean recipes you may like

    • Vegan Caribbean plantain curry
    • Caribbean curried bean butters
    • Belizean inspired stew beans
    • Slow cooker black beans
    • Caribbean potato curry
    • Jamaican steamed cabbage
    • Red pea soup

    Don't forget to check out this Caribbean style vegan roundup of my favourite vegan recipes right here.

    Stew with spoon

    Ital Stew

    Delicious one pot Jamaican style ital stew is wholesome, plant based and filling.
    5 from 16 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Entree
    Cuisine: Jamaican
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 673kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups pumpkin chopped (260g)
    • 1 medium sized carrot chopped
    • 1 medium sweet potato chopped
    • 2 yellow plantains chopped
    • 1 small dasheen chopped
    • 1 cup of cho cho 130g
    • 2 cups of coconut milk 400ml
    • 2 cups of water 400ml
    • 4 sprigs thyme
    • ¼ cup of coriander/cilantro chopped (5g)
    • 1 small onion chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves minced
    • 2 scallion ends removed
    • 1 large tomato chopped
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • 6 pimento berries allspice
    • Pink salt if using to taste, or any unrefined salt i.e kosher, sea salt

    Instructions

    • Pour the water and coconut milk into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
    • Once the liquid has reached boiling point reduce the heat to medium then add the scallion, tomato, thyme, coriander/cilantro, onion, garlic. pimento berries and bay leaves.
    • Simmer for 5 minutes
    • Add the sweet potato, dasheen, carrots along with 1 cup of pumpkin and 1 plantain while stirring the saucepan
    • Add the spices - turmeric, black pepper, pink salt (if you are using it) and stir once more.
    • Bring the saucepan to a final rolling boil before reducing the flame to medium/low.
    • Toss a scotch bonnet into the saucepan (prick it if you want heat)
    • Cover the saucepan and simmer for  25 minutes. After this time you will notice the stew thicken from the vegetables breaking down
    • Fold in the remaining plantain, pumpkin and cho cho so they cook evenly.
    • Cover the saucepan with a lid again and cook the vegetables for 15 minutes until soft
    • Remove the thyme stems, scotch bonnet, pimento berries, scallion and bay leaves before serving

    Notes

    • Only burst the scotch bonnet if you want a fiery heat. By adding the whole scotch bonnet (not pricked) will simply yield flavour NOT heat.
    • If you cannot obtain scotch bonnet, fresh chilli or habanero pepper works too.
    • Don't worry if you cannot obtain ALL of the root vegetables - use butternut squash in place of pumpkin, regualr potato if sweet potato isn't available. Use green banana if plantain isn't to hand and swap cassava for dasheen or another root vegetable .i.e different type of potato.
    • Feel free to include pulse or beans, meat is a NO NO it won't be ital if meat is included (you were warned).
    • If using salt do not use processed white salt, clean salt such a kosher, sea or pink salt is suitable.
    • To keep the recipe ital use fresh herbs, thyme, coriander etc... are preferred.
    • Pimento berries are known as allspice

    Nutrition

    Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 1553mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 11595IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!
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    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Empress

      January 07, 2023 at 7:09 am

      My family and I all have colds so I decided to make this. FAM… when I say it cleared our sinuses, throat soothed, nourished is from the inside out. Amazing. This is going to be a staple in our home. Thank you for putting us on, Sis.

      Reply
      • Charla

        January 07, 2023 at 9:47 am

        Hi Empress, this is wonderful news. I'm so glad that the ital stew helped to boost your families immune system. Thank you for your positive feedback.

        Reply
    2. Oly F

      August 31, 2022 at 10:06 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight, with butternut squash, sweet potato, white potato, plantain, fresh sweetcorn from a local farm, carrots and kidney beans. Fresh thyme from my garden. We like our food hot so i pricked the scotch bonnet at the beginning and mashed it up into the stew at the end of cooking. Served with brown basmati rice. DELICIOUS. NUTRITIOUS. ITAL

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 31, 2022 at 10:07 pm

        Sounds wonderful! Glad you were able to increase the heat to your preference too, which is a bonus!

        Reply
    3. Nate

      December 31, 2021 at 5:07 am

      5 stars
      Very tasty. Thanks for the recipe! I used red potato, sweet potato, squash and carrot. With those veggies, the stew ended up a little bit sweet tasting so I added some extra salt and a bit of lime juice. End result was delicious, will make again!

      Reply
      • Charla

        December 31, 2021 at 7:18 am

        Yay! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe Nate.

        Reply
    4. Avis

      December 25, 2021 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      I made today for my son
      It came out so good and taste delicious

      Reply
      • Charla

        December 25, 2021 at 11:01 pm

        Thank you so much for the feedback. I'm pleased to hear that yourself and your son loved the Ital stew 🙂

        Reply
    5. Kelly Wilson

      February 21, 2021 at 11:26 pm

      5 stars
      Omg simple delicious!!! I usually make Jamaican chicken soup with dumplings but this blew me away. Very rich and thick, I added 1 pack of pumpkin soup mix to mines and used green plantains instead of sweet. Will probably add corn next time.

      Reply
      • Charla

        February 22, 2021 at 10:46 pm

        Thanks Kelly. Glad you enjoyed the recipe, your adaptations sound mouthwatering.

        Reply
    6. Rosa

      February 14, 2021 at 4:36 pm

      I made it for my husband . I’m white and never seen this vegetable but I went to town and find it . Karl will be happy

      Reply
      • Charla

        February 14, 2021 at 4:42 pm

        No problem Rosa. I hope your husband likes the stew. I actually have a lot of readers with Caribbean spouses who make my recipes all the time with both parties enjoying my recipes.

        Reply
    7. Louise lyttle

      November 05, 2019 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      Making this for a party of rastas I've tried it and thumbs up

      Reply
      • Charla

        November 05, 2019 at 3:26 pm

        I'm sure the rastas will give the thumbs up just like you have.

        Reply
        • Jessica

          January 02, 2023 at 12:47 am

          5 stars
          Love this recipe! I’m Filipino and my husband is Antiguan. I when I make this I chop up everything and split them in two. I chop up the sweet potatoes, dasheen, cassava, plantain, pumpkin… whatever we have on hand. I make him the ital stew which is savoury. Then I make a filipino dish I grew up with which has the coconut milk and all the same things I chopped up but is on the sweeter side. I always ate it for breakfast or a dessert. I make him flour dumplings for the stew and for the other pot I make rice dumplings. Always found it pretty cool. But it was one way we could also use up all the ingredients without waste too.

          Reply
          • Charla

            January 02, 2023 at 7:52 am

            Thank you for sharing that with me Jessica and I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe.

            Reply
    8. Ali

      November 01, 2019 at 12:22 am

      5 stars
      Made this after trying some of the others. Also yummy.

      Reply
      • Charla

        November 01, 2019 at 9:30 pm

        Thanks Ali

        Reply
        • Jackson

          June 28, 2020 at 5:45 pm

          How do you know how much ingredients to use?

          Reply
          • Charla

            June 28, 2020 at 5:49 pm

            The recipe card is just above the comments section. If you read through that it tells you how much of each ingredient you need.

            Reply

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