I had seen recipes for Peanut Stew and all of it’s many variations around the internet for years before I finally gave it a try, and I’m only kicking myself for not trying it sooner. This stew, inspired by several peanut based stews made in West Africa, is seriously DE-LIC-OUS!! This rich and creamy tomato-peanut stew is so incredibly flavorful, super comforting, and is truly a meal in a bowl. You’re going to love this flavorful stew!
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What is Peanut Stew?
This delicious stew is inspired by the many versions of peanut stew made in several countries across West Africa. The recipe and names for the stew vary from region to region, some of the names being: groundnut stew, maafe, or domoda, to name a few. The common thread between these regional recipes is a tomato broth made rich and creamy with peanut butter, and seasoned with plenty of delicious spices. The flavors are simply incredible. While most versions of this dish are made with chicken, I made a few subs to make it vegan, but I promise you won’t even miss the meat.
Substitutions
I love the texture and flavor of the collard greens in this Vegan Peanut Stew, but I’ve seen versions using all sorts of different greens, so feel free to substitute with kale, spinach, mustard greens, or whatever hearty greens you prefer.
Either chunky or smooth peanut butter will work here, but make sure it’s natural style, with no added sugar, to maximize the peanut flavor.
How to Serve Vegan Peanut Stew
Brown rice is my carb of choice to go with this dish because of it’s slightly nutty flavor and extra texture, so I like to scoop a bit straight into my bowl of stew. That being said, it can certainly be served without rice as well, or even with some bread (maybe some naan) for dipping. I also like my stew a bit spicy, so I like to top it off with a little drizzle of sriracha, even though that’s totally mixing and matching cultures. :) I’m all about fusion!
Meal Prep or Freeze for Later!
This recipe holds up really well both in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to pack up my bowls with rice and everything, then refrigerate for a few days or freeze for longer term storage.
Vegan Peanut Stew
Servings 6 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger ($0.30)
- 1 sweet potato (about 1 lb.) ($1.47)
- 1 medium onion ($0.21)
- 1 tsp cumin ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- 1 6oz. can tomato paste ($0.45)
- 1/2 cup natural style peanut butter ($0.55)
- 6 cups vegetable broth ($0.78)
- 1/2 bunch collard greens (4-6 cups chopped) ($0.99)
Optional Garnishes
- 1/4 bunch cilantro ($0.25)
- 4.5 cups cooked brown rice ($0.53)
- 1/3 cup chopped peanuts ($0.16)
Instructions
- Peel and grate the ginger using a small holed cheese grater. Mince the garlic, and dice the onion. Sauté the onion, ginger, and garlic in a large pot with the olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
- While the onion, ginger, and garlic are sautéing, peel and dice the sweet potato into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the sweet potato cubes, cumin, and red pepper to the pot and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, peanut butter, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir until the peanut butter and tomato paste have mostly dissolved into the broth. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to high. Allow the stew to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very soft.
- While the soup is simmering, prepare the collard greens. Use a sharp knife to remove each stem (cut along the side of each stem), then stack the leaves and cut them into 1/2-inch wide strips. Place the chopped collard greens in a colander and rinse very well
- Once the stew has simmered for 15-20 minutes and the sweet potatoes are very soft, stir in the collard greens. Let the stew simmer for about 5 minutes more, then begin to smash the sweet potatoes against the side of the pot to help thicken the stew.
- Finally, taste the stew and add salt or red pepper, if desired. Serve the stew with a scoop of cooked rice (about 3/4 cup), a few chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of sriracha, if desired.
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Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- White Cutting Boards
- Chef’s Knife
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Peanut Stew – Step by Step Photos
Dice one onion, mince four cloves of garlic, and grate about 1 Tbsp fresh ginger. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to a large soup pot along with 1 Tbsp olive oil, and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.
While the onion, garlic, and ginger are sautéing, peel and dice one sweet potato (about 1 lb.) into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the sweet potato cubes to the pot along with 1 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Continue to sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup natural-style peanut butter, one 6oz. can of tomato paste, and 6 cups of vegetable broth to the pot. Stir until the peanut butter and tomato paste are mostly dissolved into the broth (it will look a little weird and grainy at this point). Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and bring the stew up to a boil. Once boiling, turn it down to medium-low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very soft and mashable.
While the stew is simmering, prepare the collard greens. Run a sharp knife down the side of each stem to remove the stems.
Stack the leaves and slice cross-wise into 1/2-inch wide strips. Place the sliced collard greens in a colander and rinse very well (they tend to be very sandy).
Once the stew has simmered for 15-20 minutes and the sweet potatoes are very soft, add the rinsed collard greens. Stir them into the hot stew and let them simmer for about 5 minutes more.
Use a large spoon to smash some of the sweet potatoes against the side of the pot to help thicken the stew. Give the peanut stew one last taste and add more salt or red pepper flakes, if desired.
To serve the Vegan Peanut Stew, ladle about 1.5 cups of stew into a bowl, top with 3/4 cup cooked brown rice, a tablespoon or so of chopped peanuts, a light sprinkle of cilantro, and a drizzle of sriracha (if desired). Enjoy!
Fanstastic recipe the whole family loves!
Has anyone tried slowcooker for this? Just wondering how to adapt the recipe so it cooks while I am working
This is one of my favorite fall recipes. So cozy, hearty, and easy to make!
Throw in whatever veggies you have in the fridge, it’s good with anything!
Delicious! This is another version of African Ground Nut stew that I’ve made and definitely on of my favorites! Tons of flavor, easy to prep and open for minor adaptations I’m not vegetarian, so I decided to add some shredded cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast during the final 10 minutes Hearty and healthy!
Only bad thing is the first time I made it I learned I should have doubled it because of how fast it gets eaten. Perfect recipe as is. Freezes perfectly for a quick cozy meal later. Thanks for opening our eyes to great tastes from around the world.
This is an absolutely lovely recipe that I tweak a little bit to suit my tastes. I use only four cups of vegetable stock instead of six because I like more of a gravy consistency, I double the cumin and pepper flakes, and also add a few good shakes of Worcestershire sauce to really round out the flavors. I also frequently add shredded chicken or ground chicken to increase the protein. Serving with cilantro and lime are essential! You can also easily cook this in a dutch oven over the fire when you go camping, it has become a favorite camping meal for me!
I’ve made this so many times and it adapts really well – shredded chicken, chickpeas, tofu, red lentils all worked really well in it.
I love this soup! I’ve made it with all sorts of greens, collards are my favorite.
So good! I make it often.
Absolutely delicious!
I’ve made this soup a million times, but somehow this past weekend I forgot to add the peanut butter at the beginning with the tomato paste, and ended up stirring it in at the very end. The nutty flavor is SO MUCH stronger that way! So for anyone who really wants a strong peanut butter flavor, try adding it at end of cooking. Otherwise, this is one of my favorite soups and great for using up random veggies in the fridge (this time I added a red bell pepper, a zucchini, can of chickpeas, and a handful of split yellow peas).
I love this! Beth and I were talking just the other day about how some of the best meals, and ideas from new dishes, generate from the times we make “mistakes!” We just have to trust our instincts as cooks and make adjustments. ~ Marion :)
Really simple, very good savory peanut stew. I added two bay leaves and some extra red pepper. Will definitely make it again, I might add some vegetarian sausage next time.
Amazing!
Very good and very easy! The first time I tried this stew was a dehydrated backpacking meal. This is my second time trying the stew and it’s delicious and filling.
I make this recipe and it is a favorite. I use crunchy peanut butter and use carrots instead of potatoes since I am putting it over rice. Sometimes I throw in zucchini. You can’t go wrong.
Thanks for this idea, i dont have sweet potatoes and almost screatched this one off the list
This recipe is so good! Definitely for people who like easy meal prep, but delicious meals. I used a bag of frozen diced sweet potatoes and a bag of frozen diced butternut squash, added a bunch of turmeric and it came out wonderfully. Served it with crushed peanuts, sour cream, and siracha over brown rice!
Who it their right mind cooks collards for 5 min?
It’s the perfect amount of time for this recipe. Absolutely delicious!