This simple West African Peanut soup recipe is king of cozy on a cold winter night. The easy dairy-free and vegetarian ingredients are an unexpected combination of sweet, nutty, and spice in one delicious soup!
Are you looking for a good soup recipe? Do you want a comforting meal on a rainy day that the whole family loves? My 30 Minute Lasagna Soup is an excellent recipe to put on your menu!
Ingredients for Simple African Peanut Soup:
- Peanut oil. Peanut oil amps up the peanut flavor but olive oil works well, too.
- Onion. I use whatever kind of onion I have on hand, usually a red onion.
- Red bell pepper. I prefer using a red bell peppers or yellow pepper rather than a green, for this soup.
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Crushed tomatoes
- Salt & black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Crunchy peanut butter. Smooth peanut butter is fine, if you prefer. Use all-natural peanut butter for the best flavor.
- Milk or broth. Traditional African Peanut Soup is made with vegetable broth. I often make mine with cashew, almond milk, or even coconut milk for extra creaminess and nuttiness while being able to stay dairy-free. Use traditional milk or even chicken broth if you prefer.
- Sour cream and chopped green onions for serving.
This soup recipe makes for a great dairy-free recipe that comes together in a fast hurry and one of the soup recipes my husband frequently asks for! He loves the leftovers in his lunch the next day.
Can this be made in the Instant Pot?
Heck yes! I have easy instructions in the recipe notes.
This soup is vegan and gluten-free, making it a great recipe for many houses. Try the basic recipe first and then add and tweak for the variation your family loves. We’ve listed some of our favorite additions in the recipe notes.
To Make African Peanut Soup:
- To start out your soup, chop up a large red onion, a red bell pepper, and 4 cloves of garlic while you heat oil in a large pot (make sure you use a large soup pot so your ingredients don’t overflow like mine often do :)). If you like, chop green onion to be used later as topping for your soup.
- After you’ve sauteed your onions, red pepper, and garlic for about 7 minutes on medium-high…
- Add in your peanut butter. Use sugar-free peanut butter for the best flavor and nutrition. Stir it in well and don’t be surprised by how thick this soup gets. It’s a hearty one!
- After the peanut butter is stirred in well, gently stir in your broth or milk. Put the soup back on medium heat and heat the peanut butter and milk thoroughly.
Note: Check the sugar content in your peanut butter. You might be surprised that many brands contain a lot of sugar. If yours does, you may want to double the spices going into the soup to help offset that sweetness.
Where is West African Peanut Stew from?
Traditional peanut stew originates in West Africa and usually full of chicken, peanuts, and various veggies. This peanut soup recipe has similar flavors but is much faster and simpler.
Can this soup be frozen?
Heck yes! Especially if you use veggie broth instead of a milk product. The milk products tend to thaw out not as well as the broth. Still fine. But…I would recommend going with a broth base for freezing purposes.
This whole soup is put together in about 20 minutes from start to finish. Serve it over brown rice or white rice to stretch the recipe even further and top it with peanuts, green onions, and sour cream. It’s highly nutritious, packed full of flavor, and one of those dinner recipes so easy that you will make it again and again!
Some additions to try in your soup:
-extra peanut butter
-a dash of hot sauce or chili powder
-adding sweet potatoes to the onion and pepper
-diced jalapenos or green chilis
-collard greens or kale are a fantastic addition!
-add cooked, diced chicken for a great way to add heartiness
-substitute tomato paste for the crushed tomatoes for a thicker soup
-add fresh ginger with the onion and pepper
-try cooked ground pork or chicken for added protein
-add shrimp
-a tablespoon of curry powder or curry paste
-serve with fresh cilantro on top
easy African Peanut Soup recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil olive oil is fine too!
- 1 large red onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter creamy is fine, if you prefer. Use all-natural peanut butter for the best flavor.
- 4 cups milk or broth I prefer a cashew milk, coconut milk, or veggie broth
- sour cream sliced green onions, peanuts for toppings
Instructions
- Heat peanut oil on medium heat in large pot.
- Add chopped onion and red pepper.
- Cook on medium heat until onion is translucent. About 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic.
- Keep on medium heat for about 1 minute. (stir while cooking to avoid burning)
- Add tomatoes, pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Continue cooking on medium heat for 7 minutes, stirring often.
- Add peanut butter and Silk cashew milk (or broth) and cook on low, stirring often, until heated through.
- Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve over rice, if you like.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
