Vegetable casserole

Ingredients

• 1 (about 250 g)potato
• 250 gready-to-use squash or pumpkin
• 1/3green plantain
• 200 gfrozen peas
• 2 handfulschopped spinach
• to tastevegetable oil
• 1/2white onion, chopped
• 3 clovesgarlic, finely chopped
• 1/2carrot, chopped
• 1/2red pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoonground cumin
• 1 teaspoondried oregano
• 1 teaspoonachiote seasoning
• 2bay leaves
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 2tomatoes, finely chopped
• 500 mlvegetable stock
• 200 mlcoconut milk
• 1 tablespoontomato purée
• 2, halvedlimes
• to tastechopped coriander
• to tastechopped parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften aromatics

   Warm vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes, until softened.

2. 2

   Cook vegetables

   Add the chopped carrot and red pepper and cook over a high heat for a few minutes.

3. 3

   Toast spices

   Stir in the cumin, oregano and achiote seasoning. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant.

4. 4

   Simmer the sauce

   Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, vegetable stock and coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

5. 5

   Prepare vegetables

   Clean and peel the potato, squash and green plantain, then cut them into bite-sized pieces.

6. 6

   Blend the sauce

   Once the sauce has simmered for about 20 minutes and the vegetables are ready, briefly blend the sauce with a hand blender. It does not need to be completely smooth.

7. 7

   Cook the vegetables

   Add the 2 bay leaves, potato, squash and green plantain. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are nearly tender.

8. 8

   Add greens

   Add the peas for the final 5 minutes of cooking. Stir in the spinach just before serving, then remove the bay leaves.

9. 9

   Finish and serve

   Serve in an earthenware casserole dish or a deep bowl. Top with lime juice and fresh herbs. Serve as it is, with white rice and patacones, or with a light green salad.

What is Colombian vegetable casserole?

This is a Colombian-style vegetable stew, with chunks of potato, squash and green plantain cooked in a coconut-based sauce. The mix of vegetables makes it substantial, while lime and fresh herbs bring a bright finish.

Here, the sauce is flavoured with cumin, oregano and achiote, then briefly blended so it coats the vegetables without losing all its texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 340 calories, 8g protein, 52g carbs, 13g fat.

The potato, squash, plantain and peas provide most of the carbohydrates; coconut milk and cooking oil contribute much of the fat, while peas and spinach add some protein. For a balanced plate, serve it with a green salad, or choose a modest serving of rice alongside.

Building the coconut sauce

Aromatics: soften the onion and garlic first, then cook the carrot and red pepper before adding the spices. This gives the sauce a savoury base and lets the cumin, oregano and achiote become fragrant.

Coconut and tomato: tomato, purée, stock and coconut milk simmer together for about 20 minutes. Achiote adds colour and can be left out if you cannot find it.

Cut the vegetables evenly

Chunk size: cut the potato, squash and plantain into similarly sized, bite-sized pieces so they cook at a similar rate. The recipe does not specify an exact size, so aim for even pieces rather than very small dice.

Plantain: use a green, unripe plantain for this savoury casserole, and peel it along with the other vegetables.

Getting the texture right

Blend briefly: use a hand blender to partially smooth the sauce after its first simmer. Stop while some texture remains; the sauce does not need to be completely smooth.

Tenderness: simmer the root vegetables covered for 15–20 minutes, checking that they are nearly tender before adding the peas. Add the spinach just before serving so it only wilts in the hot casserole.

Timing the vegetables

The sauce simmers for about 20 minutes while you peel and cut the vegetables, helping the preparation and cooking overlap. Once the vegetables go in, allow a further 15–20 minutes, then add the peas for the final 5 minutes.

Cooking times can vary with the size of the pieces, so check the potato and squash for tenderness as they simmer.

How to serve it

Serve the casserole in a deep bowl or an earthenware dish, with lime juice and chopped coriander and parsley on top. The lime gives the rich coconut sauce a fresher finish.

It can be eaten on its own, paired with white rice and patacones, or served with a light green salad.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a green plantain rather than a ripe one for the savoury flavour intended here.
• Cut the potato, squash and plantain into even pieces to help them cook at the same rate.
• If using frozen peas, add them straight to the pan for the final 5 minutes.
• Blend the sauce briefly and stop while it still has some texture.
• Taste the sauce after simmering and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
• Add the lime juice and fresh herbs at the end for a lively finish.

Variations

• Omit achiote: leave it out if unavailable; the sauce will have less of its red colour.
• Change the herbs: use coriander, parsley or a mixture of both to finish the casserole.
• Adjust the lime: serve lime halves at the table so everyone can add juice to taste.
• Serve with rice: pair the casserole with white rice for a more filling meal.
• Add a salad: serve it with a light green salad for a fresh accompaniment.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Over-blending the sauce: stop while it still has some texture rather than making it completely smooth.
• Adding spinach too early: stir it in just before serving so it does not cook for the full simmer.
• Adding peas too soon: put them in only for the final 5 minutes so they do not overcook.
• Uneven vegetable pieces: cut the potato, squash and plantain to a similar bite-sized scale for more even cooking.
• Skipping the simmer: give the sauce about 20 minutes before blending so its flavours have time to develop.

How to store

Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until steaming hot, stirring carefully; add a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened.

Frequently asked questions