Haitian Lalo

Haitian Lalo is a mouthwatering, savory, stew made with Jute leaves and spinach. It is the perfect vegan make-ahead meal that’s beyond flavorful!

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Our easy recipe for Lalo or jute leaves, prepared in the instant pot, and cooks in about 45 minutes.

Because it is even better the next day or two, it is the meal to have for meatless Mondays. I highly recommend making a big batch to freeze for later!

What are Jute Leaves?

Jute, also refers to as Corchorus olitorius, saluyot, ewedu or of course Lalo in Haiti, are not common to most people but is well known in Asia, parts of Africa, and the Middle East.

The leaves are very flavorful and tender once cooked properly. 

Lalo is different from the Caribean Callaloo stew. The leaves that are used to prepare Jamaican Callaloo or Caribbean Callaloo is known as Amaranthus Viridi. Similar to jute leaves, Jamaican Callaloo is similar to spinach but has a stronger flavor.

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Jute Leaves Benefits

When the weather outside gets cold and chilly, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a stew or soup heating up in the kitchen. 

While chicken tomato soup is as comforting, it doesn’t get any better than this Haitian Lalo stew served on a bed of white rice. 

As the mouth-watering scent from the instant pot fills your home, consider the following benefits jute leaves also contain. 

• Protein, 
• Thiamine 
• Vitamin A, C and E 
• Iron,
• Riboflavin
• Niacin
• Folate 

Ingredients used in Making Haitian Lalo?

Jute Leaves: 1 box (7 oz.) Mulukia Leaes. Washed three times to cut down on the bitterness of the leaves. 

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Spinach: I use 1 bag of spinach. You can use fresh or frozen spinach. 

Tomato paste, Garlic, salt and pepper, better than bouillon and Haitian Epis to season the dish. 

Oil and water: Use it to sauté the onions first. Then cooked to finished the stew for extra body and richness. You may use olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil. You may also use broth. 

Fresh lemon juice: The juice will help provide an acidic flavor to the dish. 

Habanero pepper: The pepper will add a subtle heat, and will make all the flavors pop!

 Do not squeeze the pepper in the stew as it will make it spicy. The pepper is used as a seasoning base, but it is completely optional. 

How To Make The Stew

Haitian Lalo has a reputation for being a labor-intensive dish. But if you don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen, this Lalo recipe is simpler than a traditional one, and the results are just as flavorful. Here’s how it goes:

First, sauté the onions and garlic. In a traditional Lalo recipe, you would brown and cook the meat first. However, this vegan version skips this step entirely, but is optional to add if you’d like. 

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In our recipe, I streamline this process. You’ll sauté the onions and garlic. Cook them for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables soften and the garlic starts to brown.

Add the tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste. Use a the spoon to breakdown the paste. Add the jute leaves, stir. Next add in the spinach in batches. Add each batch as the spinach starts to wilt.

Once all of the spinach is added, add in the water. 

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Season the stew.  Season with salt, pepper, epis, lemon juice, and better than bouillon vegetable base. 

Finally, cook and enjoy! Once all of the ingredients are added. Give it a quick stir. Cover with the instant pot lid. Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. 

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Serve over a bed of white rice or rice and beans. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. We like it best on days 2 and 3, as the flavors have had more time to develop. 

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Lalo Recipe Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to enjoy Lalo as mentioned above is over a bed of white rice. Here are a few more delicious ways to serve it:

• Top it over Mais Moulin (Haitian Cornmeal).

• Spoon it over this air fryer plantains. 

• Serve it with Yams.

• Serve with boiled dumplings.

• Serve it with bread.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Favorite Instant Pot Recipes

If you love this pressure-cooked Haitian Lalo recipe, try one of these other instant pot dishes next:

1. Haitian Legume recipe
2. Instant Pot Cabbage Soup recipe
3. Instant Pot Cabbage 
4. Mashed Cauliflower Instant Pot Recipe

We would love to know if you tried this recipe, tag us on Instagram or Facebook so we can see your beautiful dish.

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