African Peanut Stew
Hearty vegan African peanut stew with garbanzos, veg, berbere spice, and creamy peanut butter. Ready in about 40 minutes. Serve with rice or injera.
Recipe courtesy of Spice House employee Stephanie Schultz
Submitted by: Stephanie from Milwaukee, WI
- Simple one-pot stew using berbere spice, garbanzo beans, vegetables, tomatoes, spinach, and creamy peanut butter.
- Adjust spice by changing berbere; thicken with more peanut butter or blend beans, thin with stock or water.
- Make ahead and freeze for up to 3 months; reheat gently and stir to recombine the peanut butter.
Spices
Featured in this Recipe
Preparation Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic in a large pot with 1 teaspoon Berbere and olive oil until softened and fragrant.
Throw in the remaining vegetables except spinach, stir and sauté for five minutes, adding oil or water as needed.
Place the stock, tomatoes, beans, and 1 tablespoon Berbere in the pot. Raise the temperature, and continue stirring until it begins to boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are completely softened.
Remove from heat. Stir in spinach and peanut butter until thoroughly combined. Adjust salt or Berbere to taste.
Serve alone or with rice and injera bread.
thespicehouse.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this stew vegan and gluten free?
Yes. Use vegetable stock and check that your berbere blend has no added gluten. Injera often contains gluten, so serve with rice or gluten free bread if needed.
Can I make this stew if I have a peanut allergy?
You can swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter to keep a similar texture and flavor. Tahini or coconut milk will change the taste but work as nut free options.
Can I add meat or other proteins?
Yes. Brown bite sized chicken, beef, or turkey first, then continue the recipe. If using raw meat, simmer until cooked through. Canned or cooked beans keep it vegetarian.
How do I control the spice level?
Reduce or omit the berbere to lower heat. To mellow a spicy stew, stir in extra peanut butter, coconut milk, or a small pinch of sugar.
How can I thicken or thin the stew?
For a thicker stew, simmer uncovered to reduce liquid, add more peanut butter, or blend part of the beans. To thin it, stir in vegetable stock or water a little at a time.
Can I make this ahead and freeze it?
Yes. Cool completely, transfer to airtight containers, and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low heat and stir well to recombine the peanut butter. Add a splash of stock if it is too thick.
What should I serve with this stew?
Serve over rice or with injera. Crusty bread, cooked grains, or mashed potatoes also pair well. Garnish with fresh cilantro, lime, or yogurt if you like.
Can I use natural or chunky peanut butter?
Natural or chunky peanut butter works. Natural brands may separate, so stir well before adding. Chunky will give more texture; smooth gives a creamier stew.
Is this stew vegan and gluten free?
Yes. Use vegetable stock and check that your berbere blend has no added gluten. Injera often contains gluten, so serve with rice or gluten free bread if needed.
Can I make this stew if I have a peanut allergy?
You can swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter to keep a similar texture and flavor. Tahini or coconut milk will change the taste but work as nut free options.
Can I add meat or other proteins?
Yes. Brown bite sized chicken, beef, or turkey first, then continue the recipe. If using raw meat, simmer until cooked through. Canned or cooked beans keep it vegetarian.
How do I control the spice level?
Reduce or omit the berbere to lower heat. To mellow a spicy stew, stir in extra peanut butter, coconut milk, or a small pinch of sugar.
How can I thicken or thin the stew?
For a thicker stew, simmer uncovered to reduce liquid, add more peanut butter, or blend part of the beans. To thin it, stir in vegetable stock or water a little at a time.
Can I make this ahead and freeze it?
Yes. Cool completely, transfer to airtight containers, and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low heat and stir well to recombine the peanut butter. Add a splash of stock if it is too thick.
What should I serve with this stew?
Serve over rice or with injera. Crusty bread, cooked grains, or mashed potatoes also pair well. Garnish with fresh cilantro, lime, or yogurt if you like.
Can I use natural or chunky peanut butter?
Natural or chunky peanut butter works. Natural brands may separate, so stir well before adding. Chunky will give more texture; smooth gives a creamier stew.
Also is great with chunky peanut butter too!
As mentioned in my previous post I tried making the recipe with peanut butter powder. My concern was losing the great mouth feel, because of the lack of fat in the powder. True to my concern it did not have that great creamy base like the original version, but it is still delicious. I will definitely go back to using regular peanut butter the next time….it’s just worth it.
Exceptional…a creamy base with wonderful mouth feel and a very filling soup. Anyone who’s a fan of peanut butter should love this recipe. I will try it next time with peanut butter powder to try to cut down on the calories a bit, hope it doesn’t change the mouth feel, and report back. Thank you for sharing the recipe for this fantastic soup!