West African Peanut Stew

Excellent recipe! Easy to make, full of flavor, and open to variation based on preferences and what’s available in the pantry (this recipe is quite forgiving). Here are mine: Use a large crock pot. Additional ingredients: 1 chopped green pepper and 1T each of nutmeg, cumin, and smoked paprika. Save the collard greens as a garnish. Mix the stock, tomatoes, peanut butter, and seasonings in the crock. If you’re preparing in the morning, set crock to low; otherwise, set to high. Sauté the onion and green pepper; add the garlic about a minute before you are done sautéing. Add to the crock. Add the chunked sweet potatoes. Don’t bother peeling, just give them a good scrub. The skins are full of nutrients and they’ll soften. Add whole, uncooked chicken breasts (thawed or frozen). After a few hours, remove chicken and shred by pulling apart with two forks (I prefer the look and texture of shredded chicken in my stews). If the chicken is fully cooked, it will pull apart quite easily. Put the chicken back into the crock and turn heat to low until ready to serve. Right before serving, sauté the collard greens with a bit of butter and a generous pinch of salt. Use tongs to toss the greens. Sauté until slightly wilted and a pretty green. Serve over quinoa, and garnish with wilted collard greens, shredded carrots, and coarsely chopped peanuts. Love, love, love this recipe! Many thanks!!

I made it vegetarian by replacing the chicken with garbanzo beans and chicken broth with vegetable -- upped the protein by serving it over quinoa. Delicious!

Let me be the first to say that this is absolutely delicious and different! I followed the directions exactly except for subbing regular potatoes for the sweet potatoes. Shared with some friends that couldn't believe how tasty it is. If not for the high fat/high carb/high cholesterol I'd make frequently. As is...it will have to be a rare treat.

I added the chicken, used regular potatoes instead of sweet and fresh tomatoes instead of canned. It was really good. I thought it was a tad bit too spicy, but dad and hubby both thought the spice level was perfect. Next time, I will add the tomatoes and greens at same time I add potatoes, didn't think they needed extra cooking as they came out very soft (maybe because I cut them in small bite size chunks).

One of our favorite restaurants occasionally serves this soup, and we always look forward to it. I generally followed the recipe and used red garnet sweet potatoes as they are chock full of nutrients. We omitted the greens, cut the red pepper flakes by half, and used chunky natural peanut butter (no sugar added) so I tossed in a small fistful of brown sugar, and a little cinnamon, ground cloves and cumin for added aromatic spice. I actually liked that the potatoes cooked down and gave the soup a comforting thick texture perfect on a cold day. If I needed it served over anything, it likely would be quinoa for the additional protein. I will be making this again!

Love this dish! I've always called it African Groundnut Stew. I like it thick so cut way down on the chicken stock. Added tomato paste - did not add potatoes. Eat over rice.

This an amazing dish....I made some changes I used smoke Turkey wings instead of chicken and instead of sweet potatoes I used white potatoes. I cooked this for my husband and kids and having him tell me as soon as he put the spoon in his mouth..... that it brought back all his childhood memories of his mom cooking that dish and the fact that my husband mother pass away when he was only 8yrs old and he really didn't remember her that much up until that very moment..... meant a lot to me.

My bestie was down for a much needed visit, and having told me she just decided to go Vegan, I thought it would be best to take her to this Vegan restaurant I love so much. Well on this particular day, one of the chefs just had HIS best friend from Senegal over, who made this dish for him, so he was trying it out on the patrons. We were the first tasters!INSTANT LOVE! I felt it wasn't decent to ask a chef for a recipe to something, so as usual I came here! So far so good! In the finishing stages of cooking it now. Did a taste test, almost identical to the one I tasted from the vegan restaurant :D! Definitely a keeper! The only things I needed to change (And thus the reason for 4 and not 5 stars) was I did find that 5 cups of chicken stock is quite a bit, especially when you then add the juice from the diced tomatoes. So you may want to use 3-4 cups of stock, and none of the juice from the diced tomatoes. OH! And I ended up adding a cup of creamy Peanut butter in addition to the crunchy for more peanut buttery taste and not SO many nuts (Although I think that is more Brand specific than recipe specific). All in all, I DEFINITELY think you should give this a try!

I made this for a co-worker who is from Benin in West Africa. He loved it and deemed it very authentic! I made it pretty much as written except adding a little more greens and peanut butter. This recipe is the real deal!

It was surprisingly delicious. Like lick the bowl good. I changed the recipe to use what.I had: 1) used 32 oz / 4 cup of Swanson Thai Ginger broth instead of chicken broth. I think five cups is too much. 2) used two 10 oz cans of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chili's instead if 16 oz chopped 3) Used five cloves of garlic 4) I think I'll add more sweet potatoes next time, they cooked down more than expected. 5) used 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs. It was very easy and a gorgeous dish.

Very tasty! Used cubed butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes and left out the crushed chili pepper for the kids. Probably easier to make with the sweet potatoes because the squash was tough to chop but that is what we had on hand.

Amazing! I always adjust the recipes that I use and it was still awesome! I used kale instead of collard greens, some homemade cashew/almond butter instead of peanut butter, vegetable broth (only 4 cups) instead of chicken broth and I did not put in chicken. I also used olive and grapeseed oil instead of peanut oil. Like some of the other reviews suggested, I added some cinnamon and cumin. Our family likes spice, so I added more red pepper flakes. Fantastic! The flavor is rich and very satisfying but yet still healthy...this is def one of our new favorites!

I've tried many recipes from this site, and most have lived up to their ratings. However, this is my first review. After trying the west African peanut stew I was blown away! I like peanut butter, but do not consider it a staple. I made the stew for my family, following the recipe, and everyone loved it! The aromatic spices set the stage, the chicken and greens blended nicely, but the sweet potatoes and peanut butter were the stars. The potatoes held their shape, but cooked down to velvety pieces. The peanut butter thickened the stew and mellowed into a subtle earthy flavor. There was nothing wrong with this dish. Had it re-heated the next day and it was just as delicious. Thank you for a brand new taste, what a great dish!!!

I made this with the closest ingredients I had (yellow onion instead of red, regular greens instead of collard greens) etc, and I thought it came out very good. There are a lot of veggies and the peanut butter adds a nice flavor.

Super good! I substituted butternut squash for the sweet potatoes and i forgot to add the ginger but it turned out great anyway.

Delicious and different! The collard greens added to the broth flavor, and the potatoes came out really good. I don't eat much meat, so these two ingredients were great. I changed the recipe a bit, and replaced chicken with pork, and used russet potatoes. When browning the meat, I also added in some cumin, turmeric, and ginger powder.

So different and tasty! I added a green bell pepper and used dried ginger; a definite crowd pleaser

There's only one word to describe this soup, OUTSTANDING. I fought temptation, and followed the recipe precisely. Pure perfection. Because my family devoured it so quickly, I will double the ingredients when I prepare it tomorrow (it beckons to be shared with friends)! To spice it up, I will increase the red pepper and add additional crushed peanuts and kale instead of collards (only because I always have kale in the frig). I have a gathering planned for later this month, I will eliminate the chicken and use vegetable stock for my vegan friends --they will be pleased. This soup is so versatile. Thanks, KM1312!

So delicious, deserves 10 stars. Used kale as I didn't have collard greens and it was great but next time, and there will be a next time!, will add it along with the sweet potatoes so the potatoes aren't too soft before the kale is cooked tender. Used creamy PB instead of crunchy. Thanks for posting this recipe!

Excellent! Cut your ginger thick and it has the most beautiful crunch. Doubled the red pepper and added 1/2 tsp allspice. Super yum. Definitely gonna try other greens in this. So many possibilites!

My family loved this dish and it made plenty for leftovers. As per other suggestions I used chickpeas and veggie stock instead of chicken and chicken stock to make it vegetarian and cut the crushed peppers in half, it was plenty spicy for us. I also used one medium sweet potato and two red potatoes just because that's what I had. Instead of including the greens in the stew I fried them up with some crushed peanuts and cilantro to top the dish, turned out incredible!

This is a delicious stew! Flavors can be tweaked to your liking. I used less red pepper. And actually the chicken doesn't add a lot and could easily be a vegetarian stew ... yummy!

I made this skeptically the first time, and have since made it twice. My family absolutely loves this! I use homemade stock and omit the chicken. I put shrimp in it last time and served it with rice. Excellent meal!

I've never tasted anything like this! Very different but couldn't stop "tasting" it. I copied others and added a dash of cinnamon, cumin & a pinch of sugar. Also subbed dried ginger for fresh. (I know, a big no-no) But I was out. I'm letting it simmer on the stove until dinner. Will serve over jasmine rice.

I was nervous the whole time while it was cooking but I followed the directions exactly and it turned out wonderful. My man doesn't like stew and soup very much but he stated, "Add this one to your book!" We will definitely be eating this more often.

I like it very much that African peanut butter soup/stew allows a lot room for creativity. I heard that there are many versions of it and African men usually know how to make it. If you like the combination of tomato and chunky peanut butter, don't be discouraged if you don't like this specific recipe. Go search for others and you'll find what you like to make one yours. I love spices, so I added some cumin, turmeric, and saffron. My choice of vegetables were potato, cabbage, carrot, celery. My choice of meat was turkey leftover from Thanksgiving. My friends preferred chicken usually. In addition, I usually grow collard greens and kale in summer, so I'll add them into the stew next year.

This recipe was really awesome. Tons of delicious peanut flavor. I used chickpeas instead of chicken, as another reviewer suggested. Try it-you won't miss the meat.

I made this recipe in Ecuador, with the ingredients we have available here. It was delicious! My (necessary) substitutions were as follows: purple camote for sweet potato; fresh tomatoes for canned; chard for collard greens; and canola oil for peanut oil. I should also note that it was made with homemade chicken stock. It only required fifteen minutes for the final cooking step, not twenty. Thanks for the great recipe!

MMMM MMMMM!!! Made a version of this today with several variations: used about 20 oz. of nice tri-tip beef cut into large chunks. Used fresh garlic, ginger paste, chili paste, cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes, along with a good amount of smoked paprika and a bay leaf. I added some green and red bell pepper strips, three peeled sweet potatoes cut into small chunks, and two sliced medium carrots. I don't like onions, so I omitted them. For the liquids, I used a total of about 3C: about 1/2C old red wine, about 1C of water with chicken stock paste (Better than Boullion--used about 2 1/2 tsp), and 1 1/2C light coconut milk. I added one 14oz can of whole tomatoes in puree and smashed them a little and 1C of chunky peanut butter. Once I had everything together and to a boil on the stove, I put it into a preheated 300 degree oven for a total of 1 1/2 hours. I checked and did add some of the liquid that made the total above as needed. I checked and adjusted the seasonings along the way too. I didn't want to make it too hot or have too much ginger, but I added more of these and would probably add just a smidge more next time. Before the last 30 minutes, I threw in just a little frozen chopped kale. I served this with brown rice and it was spectacular. I would probably leave the kale out next time because I feel it didn't really add much with all the other flavors in the dish. Play around with the recipe and enjoy!

Slow cooked it using fantastic guidance by another reviewer. I would recommend using 3.5 to 4 cups of chicken stock. 5 cups is way to much and makes it more of a soup than a stew.

Really wonderful and unique recipe! I'm a calorie counter, so I had to lower the cals/serving to fit this into my daily intake budget. So....I only used about 2/3 cup peanutbutter. I also didn't put in the greens due to personal preference, and I didn't add chicken out of sheer laziness (would've had to thaw it). I think 1 tbs was too much crushed red pepper, but this is up to the individual, so I recommend you start with less and work your way hotter to get it right. Also, I used an immersion blender and preferred this consistency because the potatoes ended up too mushy for my liking after 35 min of boiling/simmering. Anyway, fabulous - thanks for sharing!

This recipe is fantastic! I subbed kale for collard greens but kept everything else the same. Also... the recipe says this only makes four servings? Maybe my husband and I just have small appetites, but I would put this at six servings instead.

Fabulous! I follows the recipe exactly except I omitted the red pepper flakes and one cup of the chicken broth. So tasty and healthy! I love all the ginger! Thanks km1312

Definitely make this again! I skipped the onion, diced fresh tomatoes in lieu of the canned, and only used 4C of broth. Husband and I both liked it. I ladled it on plates over brown rice. My favorite was the little bits of ginger root. I wouldn't make this if I didn't have the root.

Pretty delicious! I made and used my own chicken stock and ended up using about 4 & 1/2 cups (cutting back based on other reviews). It was thick. But I also used fresh cherry tomatoes (quartered) instead of canned diced tomatoes. I substituted kale (that I already had on hand) for the collard greens and it was great. It's nice that's it's full of healthy power foods: sweet potatoes and dark, leafy greens. Will definitely make again.

Loved this! Ate it over rice. Added some other veggies - carrots, beans and celery. Didn't have collard greens so used turnip greens. Will definitely make again, but will leave out the chicken since we are trying to eat more vegetarian and the chicken really didn't add much - the peanut butter is the protein source.

This was good but needs a few adjustments. First off the sauce is way too thin. I only used 3 and a half cups of chicken stock and next time will use even less. I also used a bit less PB since I was using less stock (about 2/3 cup). I used 2 lbs of chicken thighs and a can of garbanzo beans. The sweet potatoes got too mushy so next time I will add them with only 20 minutes left. I didn't have collard greens so I used spinach which worked out great. With these changes I will certainly make again.

I made this vegetarian style (no chicken, veggie broth), with curly kale instead of collards and it was amazing. We had it over white rice which held it together very nicely.

This was one of my favorite soups before I developed an allergy to peanuts (sad). I just made it with sunflower butter and it was so good!

Love this recipe. So good!

good, but spicy.

This is an amazing recipe. Added a little extra spice.

I made this vegan with a few substitutions (mentioned in other reviews here) and it was delicious.

Absolutely loved this recipe! I made it with some of the suggested substitutions - 1 tsp powdered ginger, kale instead of collard greens, 2 tsp crushed red pepper, and I also used 12.5 oz canned chicken. I reduced the stock to 4 cups. Tastes like chicken satay soup. Fantastic!

Seriously good AND healthy. I didn't have everything the recipe called for and it was still outstanding. I would say if you are on a budget skip the stock and use water. Start with half the peanut butter and add more to taste. It's worth it to make sure you have sweet potatoes. I made it twice and cut the crushed hot pepper in half the second time. I liked it the first time but it was too spicy for my friends. It really is a great recipe that you can play with and make your own version. Thank you SO MUCH to the person who posted this recipe. It's a super keeper!

This is absolutely delicious! Definitely a new regular for me.

Delicious! I added carrots and replaced the chicken with stew meat, and it was still amazing.

This was amazing! I made some tofu in a separate pan and added it to my portion, as I'm cutting down on meat. However- my partner unexpectedly LOVED this recipe too, and he's hard to please. So I will definitely be making this again soon! (Hint: use natural, good quality peanut butter!)

The only changes I made were: yellow onions, all I had on hand; fresh spinach instead of collard greens, again, what I had on hand. This is a very good recipe!

I love this recipe, it's delicious, nutritious and very easy. I have personalized it by seasoning with smoked paprika, cumin, cloves, and coriander. I also use only 4c chicken stock. I add 1lb mushrooms after the sweet potatoes, I prefer to use fire roasted tomatoes and add the collards at the very end to keep them just barely cooked. Lastly, I like to cut the peanut butter just a little and add dry roasted peanuts; the texture of the cooked nuts is one of my favorite parts of this dish.

True to description- this was a very adaptable recipe, I wanted a meatless Monday dish with lots of peanuts for protein...this fit the bill! We added chickpeas and lots of veggies and bright kale- topped with chopped peanuts and served over fluffy brown rice. Made wonderful quick lunches throughout the week, too. Nourishing and delicious!

I first tasted this stew in the late 60's when I was a child, and a West-African student came to our house and cooked for us. I never forgot the taste. Fast-forward 50 years later to this recipe, which is PERFECT. I didn't change a thing.

This recipe came out excellent. I left out the salt since there was enough in the recipe to begin with. I did add 2 additional cloves of garlic and about a 1/4 Tablespoon each of Cumin, Paprika and Nutmeg as was suggested by others. Because we had large sweet potatoes I went with the 5 cups of stock so all of it was covered by liquid to cook down but I did have to thicken it towards then end so it was more of a stew. Also I doubled the collard greens. Will definitely make again.

Awesome!

The chicken and collard greens went very well together, and I loved the peanut butter with the tomatoes. I wish the broth had been thicker.. I think if it was 4 cups of water with the bullion to make chicken stock instead of 5 it would've been better. Overall, I still really liked it.

this was excellent. I can't believe just how good it is!! I replaced collared greens with spinach and made my own broth (from leftover veggies and turkey bones/skins).

My family was dubious but loved this and asked for it again.

Yum! I omitted the meat and used a mixture of sweet potatoes and russets. It was very different and delicious! I love spicy food, but if you dont id recommend using a lot less crushed red pepper.

I did love this recipe. Like many others I only used 4 cups of stock to make it thicker and used fresh tomatoes instead of canned. Also, about 7 minutes before it was done cooking I added in a pound of medium shrimp. Not my wife's favorite dish which just means I get all the leftovers!

So good. I made it veg with tofu and veg broth, also I used a stick blender to make it more creamy, then threw in a handful of peanuts at the end.

Excellent - different Dad loved it Aiyana wouldn't even try it but her friend liked it.

I made it into a vegan dish, tofu instead of chicken and veggie broth instead of the kind listed. Also I added a little more water and put all the ingredients into a slow cooker on low over night. I served it over quinoa also - first recipe ever that I ate the WHOLE thing. It sounds strange but it is good.

Really nice recipe! I used only .5 TBSP of red pepper and it was still spicy enough! Can use ground peanuts to add crunchiness if you have creamy peanut butter.

Excellent recipe and awesome helpful reviews. I added tomato paste to compensate for the lack of canned tomatoes; turned out great. My husband lived in West Africa and this was his favorite meal there.

Hubs LOVED it, he said save it and make it again. I subbed powdered peanut butter and saved 1040 calories and got 8, 1 1/2 cup servings out of it. Delish!

I’m so glad I made it. Super simple and quite tasty. As everyone stated, use less stock. Also, I’ve upped the seasoning for my taste. Since I didn’t have collard greens I used the Swiss chard I had on hand. Who would have thought that the combination of tomatoes and peanut butter would work. It smelled terrific as it was simmering. Served it with white rice. Will definitely make it again.

I can't get enough of this stew. It's so quick and easy and it's such a hearty meal!

I LOVED this soup. I didn't have kale or collard greens so I used spinach instead. I also used double the stock (I like mine a bit more soupy instead of stew) and I doubled the tomatoes too. The flavor was incredible with the ginger and peanut together. I will definitely make this again. My hubby raved for days!

This is one of my favorite soups. It's so easy and delicious. 731 calories per serving is not something I can justify, though, so I use one quarter cup of peanut butter and about four tablespoons of powdered peanut butter. Way less calories and no compromised flavor.

I love this recipe, and have tried several variations. I prefer it without the tomatoes (they're too sweet for me), and with spinach instead of collard greens. I usually add red peppers and some white potatoes too. I am a wimp when it comes to spice, so I just add a pinch of red pepper flakes and up the other spices a bit. I have also tried different types of peanut butter and prefer organic peanut butter. This is a satisfying, delicious, stick-to-your-ribs winter soup!

Made it twice. Didn't look like the picture at all. you have to cut back the liquid to about half of what it says. Otherwise it's too soupy

I don't put chicken in it and add more kale/greens and it's soooo good.

I loved it, my boyfriend refused to try it. Just means more for me! I made it as the recipe states and it was really good. I think for next time I would add rice and more chicken and throw in some shrimp, and maybe some more vegetable. To make it more of a meal, and stretch out the peanut broth for it's pretty fatty. I'm a big fan of cooking up a big batch and freezing for quick lunches. I'm going to make this one time and time again.

On the first run of this recipe, in which I followed the directions and cooking methods it did start to burn on the bottom, and I saved it with the old trick of pouring it into a clean pot and scraping ever so lightly to get everything that wasn't singed, discarding the bottom layer. The second time I made the recipe I changed cooking methods and changed the recipe, and my results were as follows: I modified the recipe for a slow cooker and applied some of the techniques recommended by Cooks Illustrated for increasing the strength of the spices and the tenderness of the chicken. I doubled the recipe, but that is a challenge for all but the largest slow cookers. First thing; do NOT be afraid to load up on the spices. I shorted them and then had to add more later. This soup needs them for its characteristic taste. The amounts below have been changed so they are all in there in the correct amounts from square one. Second thing; do NOT add the peanut butter until the very end, and once you do, turn down the heat and watch it like a hawk. Even having singed the bottom the first time and adding the peanut butter later, I still singed the bottom again, just not nearly so badly.

I love the heat and richness of this soup. It's a good winter meal when you're tired of stews and chilis.

As one poster suggested, I also added cumin and nutmeg. Since my husband has a heart history, I left out the salt. Added all ingredients into the slow cooker and cooked on high for about 4 hours. Just before serving, I added a small jar of coconut milk and stirred in roasted peanuts for texture. We have a lunch club where we try out different international foods. Despite people looking very dubious when they heard about this recipe, everyone LOVED it!! Several people said it was their favorite of all the dishes we have tried over the last 4 months.

Very flavorful and delicious

So good, and I usually don't eat spicy food. I recommend only going with 4 cups of broth like others have suggested. Beans would be a good addition too if you want something to substitute for the chicken.

I will definitely make this again! I will play around and tweak it a bit but this was definitely delicious. The one thing to note is I do love my food spicy but 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes is quite a lot for these proportions ! I used about half of that and it still had a nice kick.

OMG! So Delish! Followed all exactly except for 1 less cup of broth and I probably added more chicken and collards than was called for. Definitely making this again.

I used the 1/2 cup left over kale from the smoothie recipe and it is to die for.

Not my favorite. It was lacking something. It needs more authentic flavors.

Tasty and nutritious.

Very hearty and great as a special treat.

This recipe has become a standard go to for a quick hearty dinner. I have made it vegetarian, made it with pork, and made it with ground beef. I have used kale, I have used spinach in place of the collard greens which I prefer, but not alway easy to get fresh, in Canada. I have added kidney beans, pinto beans, and garbanzo beans on different occasions as the legume whim hits me. This recipe is super versatile, and forgiving.

I did it to recipe, except kale instead of collards, and no chicken. It was interestingly and surprisingly good. I will make again, maybe adding shredded chicken next time

Great recipe. I did add the cumin, paprika, etc. suggested in the comments and made it in a slow cooker. Shredded the chicken breasts after 4 hours on high. My two sons who had never experienced W. African cuisine before both loved it. Definitely will make again.

so tastey...I really love recipes with peanuts. This is a keeper!

I make this all the time in the winter. I follow the recipe unless I can’t find collard greens, then I use kale (cannot tell the difference) also sometimes I use the cubed butternut squash from Trader Joe’s instead of sweet potatoes. This recipe is excellent and full of flavor. Super interesting and addicting. Oh. I never have fresh ginger! I omit it.

Served over rice noodles....yum! Substituted chard for greens

I just made this and stuck as close to the printed recipe as I had ingredients. I loved this and will make it again. I had to substitute Siracha for heat and romaine for greens and it was wonderful. I don't know that I will want a plain sweet potato again. Thanks

Excellent recipe! I made it vegetarian and substituted spinach for collard greens. I also used 1 tsp ground red pepper instead of red pepper flakes. It was a tad spicy, but my young kids loved it. Served alongside curried quinoa.

This was great. It has the perfect blend of flavors. I made it with diced pork chops instead of chicken. If you like satay sauce you will love this.

I made some changes. I added okra and kale, omitted paste and substituted ginger for turmeric. I used cayenne for heat and it was wonderful! Can be served over rice.

Excellent stew!!! Do cut broth to 3.5 or 4 cups. Red pepper flakes could be cut somewhat unless you like your food spicy. I added 2 chicken breasts, turnips & carrots (with sweet potatoes) and red peppers ( with tomatoes). You could add anything. Otherwise made as is! We liked the red pepper flakes as called for. Served with Quinoa and it was perfection!! I will make again and again! a new favorite!

Recipe is soooo good as is! I've also made a vegetarian version substituting chick peas for chicken and using veggie broth. Also used half chunky and half smooth all natural peanut butter. Using fresh ginger and garlic over powdered makes a difference!

I followed the recipe completely and was very surprised at how well and tasty this stew came out!

Wonderful recipe. Love it

This recipe is great. We followed the suggestions from Michelle Pietsch and prepared it in our slow cooker. The kitchen had an amazing smell for most of the day. What a great meal for a late summer evening!