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west african peanut soup
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West African Peanut Soup

West African Peanut soup or Groundnut stew is a staple in most African cuisine as well as some other cultures like Taiwan in East Asia and Virginia in the states.  It is warm, nourishing and full of flavors. It is also very versatile which makes it perfect for any season of the year.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine African
Keyword homemade, west african peanut soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 436.5kcal
Author Lola Osinkolu

Ingredients

  • 1 lb beef cut into chunks
  • 1 smoked turkey thigh
  • 1 cup peanuts raw or roasted
  • ¼ to ½ cup palm oil or peanut oil
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 habanero pepper adjust to taste
  • 1 large onion divided
  • 1 tablespoon ground crayfish
  • 2 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 seasoning cubes
  • salt to taste
  • A generous handful of spinach

Instructions

  • Wash the beef thoroughly. Season with salt, one seasoning cube, half the onion (roughly chopped), the habanero, and the grated ginger. Add enough water to cover generously. Cover and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, until tender.
  • About 10 minutes into cooking the beef, debone the smoked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces, and add to the pot. Continue cooking until the beef is tender.
  • While the meat simmers, dry-roast the groundnuts over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until well browned but not burnt.
  • Let them cool until just warm, then grind to a fine powder using a coffee grinder, dry mill, or spice grinder. A mortar and pestle also works.
  • Roughly chop the tomato, bell pepper, and remaining half of the onion, then blend until smooth.
  • Pour the blended mixture into the pot with the meat and stock. Add the palm oil, crayfish, and remaining seasoning cube. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the raw tomato smell is gone and the sauce has reduced slightly.
  • Stir in the groundnut powder a little at a time, mixing until completely dissolved with no lumps. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat, stirring and checking every few minutes.
  • Stir in the spinach and simmer for two more minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Adjust thickness with extra stock if needed.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

  1. The stock from the beef seasons the whole soup, so be generous with water at the start, and taste before you build the sauce. If it's flat, correct it then.
  2. If you are starting with re-roasted groundnuts, also roast for a few minutes in a dry pan to release the oils.
  3. Let the groundnuts cool to warm before grinding. Hot nuts are hard on a blender.
  4. Nigerians generally like some bite left in the meat, hence the 40–50 minute cook. Simmer longer if you want it falling apart.
  5. Once the ground peanut is in, check every 5 minutes. It catches quickly.
  6. Adjust thickness at the very end. Add more stock to loosen, a few more minutes uncovered to thicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 436.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.2g | Protein: 20.8g | Fat: 36.4g | Saturated Fat: 12.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15.4g | Trans Fat: 0.9g | Cholesterol: 57.2mg | Sodium: 66.7mg | Potassium: 581.9mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 2.8g | Vitamin A: 1365.8IU | Vitamin C: 35.2mg | Calcium: 61.5mg | Iron: 2.9mg