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African Peanut Stew

Inspired by a West African dish known as maafe, this Vegan Peanut Stew is jam packed with flavor and will satisfy even the hungriest among you. Creamy peanut butter acts to unify tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and hearty greens with a delightfully ginger and garlic-forward spice mix that'll tickle your palate.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 457kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1" fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 ½ pound sweet potato, about 1 large sweet potato
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. coriander
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
  • 1 14 (oz) can diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup smooth peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 14 (oz) can kidney beans or pinto beans
  • 2 cups loosely packed kale or collard greens
  • cilantro, for garnish
  • dry roasted peanuts, for garnish
  • lime juice, for serving
  • 1 ½ cup rice, uncooked

Instructions

  • Begin by preparing the rice. Cook the rice according to package instructions. You can use either brown or white rice just note that brown rice takes about 2x as long to cook as white rice.
  • Grate the ginger and mince the garlic. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes – until they are translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for an additional 60 seconds. While the onions cook, dice your potatoes. Note: Feel free to leave the skin on the potatoes for extra nutrition. If you do keep the skins on, simply scrub them under warm water to clean them first.
  • Add the potato and spices, stirring to completely coat the potatoes. Sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, peanut butter, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Optional: For a thicker stew, transfer 2-3 cups of the potato/broth mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the puree to the soup pot.
  • Once the potatoes are tender, add the kidney beans and kale. Let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to allow the kale to wilt slightly. Remove from heat and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately over rice along with roasted peanuts, cilantro, and lime juice.

Notes

Serving & Storing - I love serving this vegan peanut stew over rice immediately after the kale has wilted so that the color remains bright and vibrant. Serve with chopped, dry roasted peanuts for crunch and some fresh cilantro and lime wedges for brightness. Leftovers will keep for up to a week in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer.
Recipe Tips - For a thicker, creamier stew, I recommend blending 2-3 cups worth of the potato and broth mixture before adding in the remaining stew ingredients. Alternatively, you can use the immersion blender to pulse the mix (being sure to leave some chunks) if you don't want to make extra dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Can I make this without peanuts? While I haven't tried either, I'd bet both sunbutter and cashew butter would make excellent swaps!
  2. Can I make this lower carb? Sure! The first suggestion I have would be to swap cauliflower rice for regular rice, immediately eliminating a hefty carb count. Butternut squash also has about ½ the carbs of sweet potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1013mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 17255IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg