Ghanaian Red Bean and Kontomire Stew with Tomato-Pepper Sauce

This stew leans on two pantry staples of Ghanaian cooking — red kidney beans and kontomire (cocoyam leaves) — cooked down together in a thick tomato and pepper base scented with ginger and smoked paprika. If kontomire isn't available where you shop, collard greens work as a close, easy substitute.

Beans and dark leafy greens both carry non-heme iron, and we've built the finishing touches around helping your body absorb more of it: a squeeze of lemon juice stirred in at the end, plus a side of fresh orange segments, both bring vitamin C to the table alongside the iron. It's a fully plant-based dinner that still feels substantial thanks to the beans' natural creaminess.

Let the stew simmer low and slow so the greens soften completely and the sauce thickens on its own — no need to rush it. Ladle it over rice, warm flatbread, or eat it on its own with the orange segments alongside for brightness.