Haitian legume, also called legim, is a vegetable stew from Haiti traditionally made with eggplant, cabbage, and other vegetables, often cooked with meat. This vegan version uses chayote, green beans, and a fresh epis seasoning paste for a savory, tender stew that is usually served with rice; ingredients and proportions vary between cooks and regions.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb eggplant, peeled in alternating strips and cut into 1-inch cubes (680 g)
- ½ medium green cabbage, cored and cut into bite-size pieces (about 450 g)
- 2 chayote squash, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 500 g total)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds (about 160 g)
- 6 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (170 g)
- 5 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped (140 g)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped (about 150 g)
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water (240 ml), plus up to ½ cup (120 ml) more if needed
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (30 ml)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (5 g), or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 1 g)
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice (about 1 g)
- 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, whole and uncut (optional)
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems (15 g)
- 4 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped (about 60 g)
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped (about 75 g)
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled (about 15 g)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (about 1 g), or ½ teaspoon dried thyme (about 0.5 g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (15 ml)
- 2 tablespoons water (30 ml), for blending the epis
Instructions
- Make the epis. Add the parsley, scallions, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons water to a blender or small food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture becomes a coarse, spoonable paste. It need not be perfectly smooth. If the blades cannot catch the ingredients, add another teaspoon of water at a time; too much liquid can make the seasoning watery. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
- Prepare the vegetables. Peel the eggplant in alternating strips, leaving some skin for structure, then cut it into cubes. Peel the chayote, cut it in half, remove the flat seed, and cube it. Cut the cabbage, carrots, green beans, and tomato as described in the ingredient list. Chayote can release a little sticky sap when cut, so rinse your hands and knife afterward if they feel tacky.
- Start the vegetable simmer. Put the carrots, green beans, chayote, and cabbage in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the eggplant on top, pour in 1 cup broth or water, and sprinkle over the salt, black pepper, and allspice. Add the whole hot pepper, if using. Cover and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook covered for 25 minutes, stirring carefully once or twice so the vegetables soften evenly without breaking apart.
- Add spinach and check tenderness. Stir in the spinach, cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes. The carrots should be easy to pierce with a fork, and the eggplant and chayote should be very tender. If the pot is dry before the vegetables soften, add broth or water a few tablespoons at a time. If there is a large pool of liquid, do not worry; you can drain and reserve it in the next step.
- Drain and roughly mash. Set a colander over a bowl and carefully drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the whole hot pepper. Return the vegetables to the pot and use a potato masher to crush about one-third to one-half of them. Keep plenty of soft pieces intact. This gives the stew body while preserving the distinct vegetables; avoid blending it into a smooth purée.
- Cook the seasoning paste. Wipe out the pot if needed and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the epis and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and a little darker. Keep the heat moderate: browned garlic can taste bitter, and the paste should sizzle gently rather than scorch. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until it softens and begins to break down.
- Finish the legume. Return the vegetables to the pot and fold them through the seasoning. Pour in ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring from the bottom occasionally. Add more reserved liquid if the mixture looks dry or catches on the pot; for a thicker stew, let it simmer for a few extra minutes. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lime juice. Remove the pot from the heat and serve hot.
Tips
- Cut the vegetables to similar sizes. Uniform pieces cook at roughly the same pace, so the carrots are more likely to soften while the eggplant still has some texture. The cabbage will shrink considerably as it cooks; do not pack it down tightly before adding the lid.
- Use chayote if you can find it. Chayote has a mild, crisp texture that holds up in the stew. If it is unavailable, use peeled zucchini, but add it during the final 15 minutes of the covered vegetable simmer because it softens faster and can become watery.
- Keep the pepper whole for gentle heat. A whole Scotch bonnet or habanero seasons the pot without making the stew extremely hot if it stays intact. For a hotter result, carefully pierce it once; avoid crushing it into the vegetables unless you want the heat distributed throughout.
- Do not discard the cooking liquid right away. It carries vegetable flavor and helps loosen the finished stew. Reserve it before mashing, then add only as much as needed so the legume stays thick rather than soupy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Haitian legume hot in shallow bowls, with a mound of plain white rice or rice and beans alongside. The rice catches the seasoned vegetable juices and makes a simple, filling plate. You can also serve it with boiled plantain, roasted plantain, or a piece of crusty bread for scooping. A small dish of pikliz, the spicy pickled cabbage condiment, adds a sharp, crunchy contrast; offer it separately so each person can choose the heat level. A squeeze of lime at the table brightens the rich, soft vegetables without changing the stew’s basic seasoning.
For a balanced meal, put the rice and legume on separate parts of the plate rather than stirring them together in the pot. That keeps the rice from absorbing all the liquid if you have leftovers. If serving guests, keep the optional hot pepper out of the serving bowl and provide sliced chile or pikliz on the side.
Variations
Vegetable combinations are flexible. Some versions include pumpkin or another winter squash, while others use more cabbage, spinach, or carrots. To add squash, replace about 1 cup (150 g) of the chayote with peeled, cubed kabocha, butternut, or calabaza. Squash turns softer and sweeter, so add it with the carrots and check that it has not broken down too much by the end of the simmer.
If you cannot find chayote, zucchini is the easiest substitute; add it late as described in the tips. Green papaya can also work when available, though it is firmer and more neutral in flavor. For a deeper savory taste, use vegetable broth instead of water and add an extra scallion to the epis. To keep the recipe gluten-free, check that any prepared broth and serving condiments are labeled gluten-free. For a milder stew, leave out the Scotch bonnet entirely rather than substituting a large amount of a milder chile.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. Store the legume in a covered, airtight container for 3 to 4 days. It may thicken as it sits because the vegetables continue to absorb the seasoned liquid. Keep rice in a separate container when possible so each portion reheats evenly.
Reheat a serving in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently and adding a splash of water or broth if it seems too thick. Heat until steaming throughout. You can also microwave it in a covered, microwave-safe container, stirring once during heating so the center warms evenly. For longer storage, freeze cooled portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently; the vegetables may be softer after freezing, but the flavor remains useful for a quick meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Haitian legume usually vegan?
Not always. Haitian legim has many household and regional versions, and some are cooked with beef, pork, or other meat. This recipe is a vegan version: it uses vegetable broth or water and builds flavor with epis, garlic, herbs, and vegetables rather than meat.
What is epis, and can I use a substitute?
Epis is a Haitian seasoning paste commonly made with ingredients such as herbs, scallions, peppers, and garlic; recipes differ. The fresh paste in this recipe gives the stew its fragrant savory base. If you cannot make it, use about ⅓ cup (80 ml) of prepared Haitian epis if available, then taste before adding salt because prepared versions can already be salty. A generic herb paste can work in a pinch, but the flavor will not be quite the same.
Do I have to peel the eggplant?
Peeling it in alternating strips is optional, but it helps the cubes soften and blend into the stew while leaving some skin to hold their shape. If using a small, tender eggplant, you can leave the skin on. If its skin is tough, peel it fully so the cooked legume has a softer texture.
Can I make the epis ahead?
Yes. Blend it up to 2 days ahead, transfer it to a clean covered container, and refrigerate it. The herbs may darken slightly, but it is still convenient for cooking. If you have extra epis, freeze it in small portions so you can use only what you need; thaw it in the refrigerator before using.
How do I keep the stew from becoming watery?
Measure the initial broth, keep the pot covered during the vegetable simmer, and drain the vegetables while saving their liquid. Mash only part of the vegetables, then add the reserved liquid gradually during the final simmer. If the finished stew is too loose, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes; if it is too thick, stir in broth or water a tablespoon at a time.
Can I make Haitian legume without a blender?
Yes. Finely mince the parsley, scallions, bell pepper, and garlic, then stir them together with the thyme, lime juice, and water. The seasoning will be more textured and may take a minute or two longer to soften in the oil, but it will still flavor the vegetables. Chop the ingredients as finely and evenly as you can so no large pieces of raw garlic remain.
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).