West African Peanut Stew (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

With fall right around the corner, we thought it would be a great time to make a big batch of this West African peanut stew. It’s super hearty, creamy, and a little spicy to keep you warm as the days begin cooling off!

What are you waiting for? Let’s get to it!

Nuts for Peanuts!

This stew is the absolute best, especially for all the peanut lovers out there. It’s so easy to whip up, which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners!

The broth is made extra creamy through combining peanut butter, tomato paste, and sweet potatoes together. Then, it’s loaded with other hearty vegetables, chickpeas, and spices. Seriously, this is what our comfort food dreams are made of.

The inspiration for this delicious meal comes from various peanut stew recipes made all across West Africa. People use different names depending on the region, but some include maafe, groundnut stew, or domoda. Whatever you call it, there is one thing for sure. This stew tastes amazing!

You’ll find most recipes online using meat like beef, lamb, or chicken. But, this plant-based version is so incredibly flavorful, you won’t miss those ingredients one bit!

Key Ingredients for West African Peanut Stew

• Peanuts: the secret weapon to this delicious stew. Peanut butter creates an uber thick and creamy broth. We also love to top this dish with roasted peanuts to create a crunch element and a little extra flavor in each bite. Peanuts have a high fat content, which we love. Yes, people, we aren’t afraid of fat, and you shouldn’t be either. Although fat is more calorie dense, it’s vital for many functions in your body. Peanuts contain certain fats that help lower your bad cholesterol, which will protect your heart over your lifetime!

• Chickpeas: this high protein legume is a perfect meat replacement for those of you trying to cut down on your animal consumption. Their nutty taste and grainy texture is what makes them pair so perfectly with the rest of the ingredients in this stew. We personally love using dried chickpeas and cooking them in a pressure cooker. But, if you’re short on time, chickpeas are super quick to prep when they’re canned!

• Sweet potatoes: we love when we get to cook with sweet potatoes. This delicious root vegetable has a sweet, nutty taste, similar to that of a pumpkin. The texture is kind of like a starchier butternut squash, making it perfect for this stew! The vibrant orange flesh is packed with vitamins and nutrients, which is why we can never get enough sweet potatoes in our meals. In just one cup, there is 769% of your daily vitamin A needs and 65% of your vitamin C needs! Pretty impressive stuff.

• Kale: this cruciferous vegetable has to be our favorite of the leafy greens. We love the chewy, fibrous texture it maintains in salads, and even when its cooked. It’s one of the most nutrient-packed foods on this planet, and is best known for its high vitamin K content (you can thank vitamin K for your bodies ability to form blood clots). We usually find the best deals at our local farmers market or in our garden! Nothing better than fresh and organic, especially when it’s cheaper than store-bought, or even free.

How to Make West African Peanut Stew

To start, you’ll need to heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add in the diced onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger, and sauté those for a couple minutes. Next, you’ll mix in the cayenne and red chili flakes to spice things up. We kept the heat level fairly moderate to cater to a wider audience. But feel free to add in extra spices if you can handle it!

Once your spices are getting fragrant, add in the tomato paste, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and water, stirring everything together. Cover your pot, and reduce the heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.

Then, add in the peanut butter and chopped kale. Make sure you stir the broth quite well to properly incorporate the peanut butter. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, making sure to add in sea salt and pepper. If you like more spice, add in extra cayenne, red chili flakes, fresh spicy peppers, or sambal oelek sauce if you have some.

Serve this stew over your choice of grain (we prefer ours with rice), and top it with roasted peanuts, cilantro, raisins, hot sauce, or lime wedges.

How to Store West African Peanut Stew

This stew stores really well in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. It’s also a great meal to freeze. Pack it in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags, and you can get up to 2-3 months in the freezer. Just make sure to store the stew and rice separately to prevent the broth from getting absorbed into the rice.

Why You’ll Love This West African Peanut Stew

This stew makes the perfect summer-to-fall transition meal. We hope you love it as much as us! It’s:

• Rich
• Creamy
• Hearty
• Spicy
• Flavorful

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment, rate it, and tag us on Instagram with #brokebankvegan. Happy eating!

Other Recipes You’ll Enjoy

• Southwest Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad
• Vegan Poke Bowl
• Creamy Ramen Noodle Bowl
• Kale Caesar Salad with Tempeh & Chickpea Croutons

West African Peanut Stew

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Broke Bank Vegan Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: West African, AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cook time

30

minutes

Calories

412

kcal

Cost per recipe

$5.71

USD

Cost per serving

$0.95

USD

Total time

45

minutes

With fall right around the corner, it’s a great time to make a big batch of this West African peanut stew. It’s super hearty, creamy, and a little spicy to keep you warm as the days begin cooling off!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil ($0.12 USD)

• 1 medium white onion, diced ($0.24 USD)

• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced ($0.20 USD)

• 3 tbsp fresh ginger, grated ($0.09 USD)

• 1 tsp cayenne powder ($0.08 USD)

• 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes ($0.03 USD)

• 3 tbsp tomato paste ($0.24 USD)

• 700 grams (~2 medium) sweet potatoes, cubed ($0.87 USD)

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas ($0.26 USD)

• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes ($0.38 USD)

• 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.99 USD)

• 2 cups water ($0.00 USD)

• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, smooth or crunchy ($1.32 USD)

• 3 cups fresh kale, chopped ($0.87 USD)

• Sea salt & pepper to taste ($0.02 USD)

• For Serving optional

• Roasted peanuts, whole or chopped

• Raisins

• Rice, quinoa, or couscous

• Chopped cilantro

• Hot sauce of choice

• Lime wedges

Directions

• To start, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add in diced onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
• Next, add in the cayenne and red chili flakes. Stir to combine.
• Once that’s fragrant, add in the tomato paste, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and water, stirring everything together.
• Cover your pot, and reduce heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender to pierce with a fork.
• Then, add in the peanut butter and chopped kale. Stir well to incorporate the peanut butter.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, making sure to add in sea salt and pepper. If you like more spice, add in extra cayenne, red chili flakes, fresh spicy pepper, or sambal oelek sauce if you have some.
• If you want to thicken the stew even more, you can mash some of the sweet potatoes against the side of your pot with a spoon or spatula.
• Serve this stew over your choice of grain (we prefer ours with rice), and top it with roasted peanuts, cilantro, raisins, hot sauce, or lime wedges.

Tips

• Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of the recipe.
• We always prefer cooking our chickpeas from dry, but canned work well in this recipe too.
• For a variation in this stew, try using butternut squash or pumpkin in place of the sweet potatoes.

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