Monthly Archives: February 2019

African Peanut Stew

I wanted to share this delicious recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron. Serve it on its own, or with crusty bread or cooked grains (millet, quinoa, brown rice, etc.). The original recipe is made in a slow cooker, but I experimented with it to cook it on the stovetop. Here are the changes I made: 

  • Cooked it on the stovetop in a stock pot. 
  • Heated 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat to saute the onions until light brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Added remaining ingredients (except peanuts) and cooked until sweet potatoes were tender and the stew was thickened, 20-30 minutes.
  • Used 8 chopped plum tomatoes (when in season) instead of canned tomatoes
  • Used 1 bunch chopped collard greens (or kale) instead of spinach and added along with remaining ingredients.

There are many variations of this recipe in various regions of African. Some are a thinner soup, but this one is a thicker stew. Other ingredients sometimes used include okra, chicken, or beef. This version is plant-based and can also be made in the slow cooker – just cook all ingredients except greens and peanuts, reducing broth to 3 cups, for 8 hours on low. After cooking, garnish with peanuts. It can also be frozen after cooking.

African Peanut Stew image

African peanut stew image, uncooked in slow cooker
Uncooked, in slow cooker
African Peanut Stew image, finished in slow cooker
Finished in slow cooker