African Peanut Stew

You can never go wrong with a hearty slow cooker soup, especially one as comforting and nourishing as this African peanut stew, when you’re serving a large group. In West African cuisine, peanuts are a common ingredient used in stews, sauces and marinades, and peanut butter is used to help thicken these dishes to give them a creamy texture without the use of dairy. This makes this African peanut stew recipe vegan, making it the perfect meal to serve a crowd with all types of dietary restrictions.

Why is it called African peanut stew?

African peanut stew is also referred to as maafe or domodah. It’s a soup that originated in western Africa, from the Mandinka and Bambara people of Mali. This peanut stew has different variations across western and central Africa, but is traditionally made with peanuts, sweet potatoes, greens and ground nuts, similar to peanut butter.

Ingredients for African Peanut Stew

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• Diced tomatoes: A can of diced tomatoes goes into the food processor to help make the base of this African peanut stew.
• Cilantro leaves: Cilantro gives this soup an herbaceous taste that cuts into the salty peanut butter. Save some of it for topping in bowls at the end.
• Chunky peanut butter: Traditional maafe soup includes a ground nut base, such as peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter can work well as a substitute for chunky if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure your peanut butter hasn’t gone bad!
• Garlic cloves: Garlic cloves are the aromatic in this recipe to help elevate the flavors of the vegetables and peanut butter.
• Cumin: This sweet and earthy ground spice gives this stew extra complexity and complements the rich peanut base.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a warming spice added to the base of this soup to round out this dish.
• Smoked paprika: Smoked paprika gives this recipe a hint of spice and smokiness.
• Sweet potatoes: Peeled and diced sweet potatoes help make this stew hearty. No need to cook them beforehand; they’ll slowly cook and soften in the crockpot for you.
• Garbanzo beans: Adding chickpeas (also labeled as garbanzo beans) to the soup makes it filling because of the plant protein.
• Fresh kale: Kale, stirred in at the end of this soup’s cooking time, gives it an extra boost of leafy green goodness.
• Chopped peanuts: Top your bowls with chopped peanuts for added crunch and texture.

Directions

Step 1: Puree the soup ingredients

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Place the can of diced tomatoes, cilantro leaves, chunky peanut butter, garlic cloves, ground cumin, salt, ground cinnamon and smoked paprika into a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Step 2: Transfer to a slow cooker

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Pour the puréed ingredients into a 5-quart slow cooker. Stir in the chopped sweet potato, garbanzo beans and water.

Step 3: Slow cook on low

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Cover and cook on low for six to eight hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the fresh kale during the last 30 minutes of cooking. When it’s time to serve, feel free to serve the African peanut stew in bowls with chopped peanuts and cilantro on top.

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Recipe Variations

• Add another protein: Traditional, authentic meats that you can add to African peanut stew include lamb, chicken or beef, and even or hard-boiled eggs. Add these cooked proteins into your soup with the kale so that they can heat up during the last 30 minutes, then serve.
• Make it hearty with rice: To make this soup even more filling, add in cooked brown rice to turn it from a simple stew into a hearty meal.
• Swap out kale with collared greens: Not a fan of kale? Collared greens are traditionally used in an African peanut stew recipe, so feel free to use them here if that’s a taste you prefer.

How to Store African Peanut Stew

African peanut stew will last in the fridge for up to five days in airtight containers. You can also freeze the soup in airtight containers or sealed plastic bags for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, move the containers to the fridge to thaw overnight.

How do you reheat African peanut stew?

For the best results, dump the contents of the soup into a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until the stew is warmed through, stirring often. You can also heat it up in the microwave, stirring every minute to make sure the stew thoroughly heats throughout.

African Peanut Stew Tips

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What do you serve with African peanut stew?

Adding toppings to this African peanut stew helps to make it a hearty meal. Peanuts and rice are the most common, or try traditional proteins such as cooked chicken, beef or lamb.

Is African peanut stew dairy-free?

Yes! This slow-cooker soup is vegan-friendly, using strictly plant-based ingredients that work well for all types of dietary restrictions. The stew is thickened with peanut butter instead of cream, imparting a salty and nutty flavor to this vegetable-based meal.

Can you make African peanut stew in an Instant Pot?

Don’t have a slow cooker on hand, or maybe don’t have the time to slow cook this stew? You can make a faster version in your Instant Pot. Follow the instructions as normal (plus adding the kale), but instead of slow cooking, cook the stew on high pressure for 20 minutes.