Best 7 West African Peanut Stew With Sweet Potato Spinach Recipes

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Journey to the vibrant flavors of West Africa with this tantalizing peanut stew, a harmonious blend of earthy sweet potatoes, vibrant spinach, and rich peanut sauce. This hearty and flavorful dish is a symphony of textures and tastes, offering a delightful balance of sweet, savory, and nutty notes. Discover the culinary treasures of West Africa through this authentic and delectable recipe, sure to transport your taste buds to a realm of culinary wonders.

In addition to the classic peanut stew recipe, this article also features tantalizing variations to suit diverse preferences. Explore a vegan version of the stew, crafted with plant-based ingredients to cater to vegan and allergy-conscious individuals. Indulge in a variation that incorporates succulent chicken, adding a layer of savory richness to the dish. For those seeking a gluten-free option, a dedicated recipe provides a delicious solution without compromising on flavor. Each recipe is carefully explained with step-by-step instructions, ensuring culinary success for home cooks of all skill levels.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP



West African Peanut Soup image

This West African peanut soup recipe is made with simple ingredients like peanut butter and tomato paste, but has a unique delicious flavor!

Provided by Yumna Jawad

Categories     Entree

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 large onions (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger (optional)
3 oz tomato paste
1 sweet potato (chopped)
6 cups vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup baby spinach (optional)
8 oz shredded chicken (optional)

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot. Add onions and ginger, and cook for 5-10 minutes until the onions are very soft and translucent, but not browned.
  • Add tomato paste and mix with the onions until they are well coated. Add the sweet potatoes to the pot, season with salt and cayenne pepper, and mix with the onion and tomato paste mixture.
  • Pour the vegetable broth or water into the pot and bring mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are cooked. Stir in the peanut butter until it's well blended with the mixture. Add spinach and/or chicken, if desired, and stir to combine.
  • Serve over white rice with crushed peanuts, if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 385 kcal, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 21 g, Fat 26 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Cholesterol 28 mg, Sodium 755 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT STEW WITH SWEET POTATO & SPINACH



West African Peanut Stew with Sweet Potato & Spinach image

Sweet potatoes, peanut butter, spinach, cumin ... the comforting combo results in the heartiest, most flavorful vegan stew around.

Provided by Kare for Kitchen Treaty

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 17

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion (diced) (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic (minced)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and diced) (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper (plus or minus to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups packed fresh baby spinach
2 cups cooked brown rice
Fresh cilantro
Chopped salted peanuts

Steps:

  • Cook the rice according to package instructions.
  • While the rice cooks, make the stew. Set a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
  • Add the broth, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, ginger, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the stew comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the sweet potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes.
  • Stir in the peanut butter and the spinach. Stew is done when the peanut butter has distributed and the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
  • Serve with a scoop of brown rice and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 470 kcal, Sugar 10 g, Sodium 530 mg, Fat 21 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Carbohydrate 60 g, Fiber 10 g, Protein 15 g, ServingSize 1 serving

AFRICAN PEANUT SWEET POTATO STEW



African Peanut Sweet Potato Stew image

Back when I was in college, my mom made an addicting sweet potato and peanut stew. I shared it with friends, and now all of us serve it to our own kids. They all love it, of course. -Alexis Scatchell, Niles, Illinois

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 6h20m

Yield 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
8 cups chopped fresh kale
Chopped peanuts and additional cilantro leaves, optional

Steps:

  • Place the first 8 ingredients in a food processor; process until pureed. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in sweet potatoes, beans and water., Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender, adding kale during the last 30 minutes. If desired, top each serving with chopped peanuts and additional cilantro.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 349 calories, Fat 9g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 624mg sodium, Carbohydrate 60g carbohydrate (23g sugars, Fiber 11g fiber), Protein 10g protein.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT STEW



West African Peanut Stew image

A hearty stew that's super-easy to make and great for peanut butter lovers. Can be made vegetarian or with chicken. In a pinch, feel free to use vegetable or corn oil for peanut oil, powdered ginger for fresh, water for stock, etc. Kale works well in place of collard greens.

Provided by km1312

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Stews     Chicken

Time 1h5m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 pound chicken, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
5 cups chicken stock
3 small sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 (16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
¼ pound collard greens, roughly chopped
1 cup chunky peanut butter

Steps:

  • Heat the peanut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir the onion, garlic, and ginger in the hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken; cook and stir until completely browned. Season with the crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Pour the chicken stock over the mixture. Stir the sweet potatoes into the liquid and bring the mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover the pot partially with a lid, and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Stir the tomatoes, collard greens, and peanut butter into the soup. Partially cover the pot again and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, another 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 730.6 calories, Carbohydrate 44.9 g, Cholesterol 70.1 mg, Fat 43.8 g, Fiber 11.1 g, Protein 45.5 g, SaturatedFat 7.7 g, Sodium 1470.3 mg, Sugar 14.5 g

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT STEW



West African Peanut Stew image

One-pot meals are staples in Gullah-Geechie households, and this dish is a special one to me. West African enslaved people were brought to the Low Country, and with them they brought their indigenous foods like collards, tomatoes, peanuts and rice. This stew has all of those ingredients, and it's delicious served on its own or over rice.

Provided by Kardea Brown

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h20m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 large fryer chicken, cut into stewing pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 chicken bouillon cubes
One 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups all-natural peanut butter
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, sliced and seeds removed
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 small bunch collard greens, stems removed, leaves sliced
Hot cooked rice, for serving, optional

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven until hot. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and cook until browned on all sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and bouillon cubes to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste and peanut butter. Add 4 cups of water and the Scotch bonnet pepper. Return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and let simmer 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes and collard greens. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. (Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper if someone has a low tolerance for heat.)
  • Serve warm with hot cooked rice, if using.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP WITH CHICKEN



West African Peanut Soup With Chicken image

This West African soup is about as different from a traditional European chicken-in-a-pot soup as you can get, flavored with ginger, garlic and chiles (sounds Chinese, yes?), and incorporating vegetables like sweet potatoes and kale. Then of course there are the peanuts. When it comes to the peanut butter, "natural" peanut butter, made from peanuts and salt and nothing else, works best. Chunky or creamy? It doesn't matter much. Finally, it's nice to time the cooking so that the sweet potatoes do not quite fall apart.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories     dinner, one pot, soups and stews, main course

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

3/4 cup roasted and shelled peanuts
2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 medium red or white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken (about 2 thighs or breasts) cut into chunks
Pinch of cayenne
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 cups stock or water
2 sweet potatoes or yams (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into thick slices
8 plum tomatoes, cored and halved (canned are fine; drain and reserve liquid for another use)
1/2 pound collards or kale, washed and cut into wide ribbons
1/4 to 1/2 cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth

Steps:

  • Chop peanuts, or crush them with the side of a knife, or pulse them in a food processor to chop roughly.
  • Put oil in a deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat; a minute later, add onion, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken and continue cooking for another 3 or 4 minutes, until just coloring. Add 1/2 cup peanuts and the cayenne and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Stir in the stock and the sweet potatoes, bring to a boil, and turn heat down to medium-low so the soup bubbles gently. Stir in tomatoes and collards, then cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in 1/4 cup peanut butter. Taste, adjust seasoning (you may want to add more peanut butter at this point) and serve, garnished with remaining peanuts.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 689, UnsaturatedFat 29 grams, Carbohydrate 53 grams, Fat 40 grams, Fiber 11 grams, Protein 37 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 1870 milligrams, Sugar 18 grams, TransFat 0 grams

WEST AFRICAN-STYLE PEANUT STEW WITH CHICKEN



West African-Style Peanut Stew with Chicken image

African-inspired spices infuse the peanut butter and tomato base of this hearty one-pot stew starring chicken, sweet potatoes, and collard greens. This recipe, which appeared in Allrecipes magazine's Dec/Jan 2020 issue, comes from Ellie's new cookbook, "Whole in One: Complete, Healthy Meals in a Single Pot, Sheet Pan, or Skillet". This keeps up to 4 days, chilled in an airtight container.

Provided by Ellie Krieger

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Stews     Chicken

Time 1h

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
2 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ bunch collard greens, tough ribs removed and leaves chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
⅓ cup natural peanut butter
6 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Steps:

  • Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken; cook until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining chicken.
  • Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and reduce heat to medium. Add onion; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
  • Stir in broth, tomatoes, sweet potato, collard greens, and red bell peppers; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Return chicken and accumulated juices to the pot. Return to a boil, then stir in peanut butter; simmer until incorporated and chicken is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped peanuts.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 444.2 calories, Carbohydrate 32.9 g, Cholesterol 61.2 mg, Fat 21.2 g, Fiber 7.4 g, Protein 33.2 g, SaturatedFat 4.2 g, Sodium 702.1 mg, Sugar 11 g

Tips:

  • Use a flavorful vegetable broth or stock as the base of your stew. This will add depth and complexity to the final dish.
  • Don't be afraid to adjust the spices to your liking. If you like it spicy, add more cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the amount of spices.
  • Use a variety of vegetables in your stew. This will add color, texture, and nutrients to the dish. Some good options include sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, and tomatoes.
  • Cook the stew low and slow. This will allow the flavors to develop and meld together.
  • Serve the stew with rice, quinoa, or your favorite bread. You can also top it with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Conclusion:

This West African peanut stew is a delicious and hearty meal that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It is also a great way to use up leftover vegetables. The stew is packed with flavor and nutrients, and it is sure to please everyone at the table. So next time you are looking for a new and exciting recipe, give this West African peanut stew a try.

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