African Peanut Sauce Recipes: From Mafé to Domoda

African peanut sauces showcase peanut butter as the star ingredient. These versatile preparations can be paired with roast chicken, grilled fish, roasted vegetables, plain rice, or pretty much whatever you want.

If you like peanuts, peanut butter, or any kind of peanut-flavored anything, these recipes are definitely for you. While these sauces are good fresh off the stove, they also improve overnight after the flavors have expanded.

Mafé: A West African Staple

Known as one of the mother sauces of African cuisine, Mafé is my go-to sauce whenever I’m feeling a little bit homesick, or lazy, or in need of that warm, fuzzy feeling you get from eating your favorite comfort food. This recipe was excerpted from 'Simply West African' by Pierre Thiam. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Ingredients:

• ▢ 8 cups of water or broth - chicken or veggie works best
• *1 Tablespoon Bouillon for flavour if using water. Not necessary if using stock.
• ▢ A dash of salt
• ▢ 1 pound stewing beef lamb or mutton (cubed)
• ▢ 3 heaping Tablespoons of peanut butter
• ▢ ½ can tomato paste or 2 heaping Tablespoons
• ▢ Half an onion finely diced
• ▢ 2 cloves of garlic
• ▢ Root veggies such as carrots, potatoes, yams and cassava * Any or all of the above will do.
• ▢ 2 whole habanero peppers
• ▢ Rice to serve Broken rice is traditional, but you can substitute any type of rice.

Instructions:

1. Pour 8 cups of water (or stock) into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add salt to flavour.
2. Add meat, peanut butter and tomato paste (and bouillon if using water instead of stock) and reduce to a slow boil (med-high heat).
3. Chop onion and place in a mortar with the garlic and crush with a pestle until the juices are released and both the onion and garlic are crushed and softened. Add to sauce. *If you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can use a food processor or simply chop onion finely and crush garlic with a press or chop finely and add to sauce.
4. Peel and roughly chop veggies into large chunks and add to the sauce. Add the whole habanero peppers and stir.
5. Allow veggies to cook until tender (about 15 minutes). Cook rice while waiting for sauce to cook.
6. Once veggies are cooked, remove from sauce with a slotted spoon and set aside.
7. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook until sauce is reduced to desired thickness (about another 5 minutes or so).

Spoon your peanut sauce, meat and veggies overtop of rice (either in individual serving bowls or on one giant, communal platter as is customary in Senegal) and garnish with a little fresh parsley.

Domoda: The National Dish of Gambia

Domoda is the national dish of Gambia. It is a delicious “groundnut stew” (peanuts) consisting of whatever vegetable happens to be available, typically pumpkin or sweet potatoes, and a saucy base. Whether vegetarian or including meat, the base is pretty consistent: A rich and flavorful sauce featuring ground peanut paste (or natural, unsweetened peanut butter), fresh tomatoes, and tomato paste. Caramelized onions, chicken and tomato stock, and hot chili peppers are also added.

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Ingredients:

• Oil
• Onions, golden
• Beef and garlic
• Tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Chilies
• Peanut butter
• Water
• Bouillon cubes
• Squash
• Salt and pepper
• Rice

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in large Dutch oven or heavy pot.
2. Saute the onions until golden.
3. Add the beef and garlic and continue to sauté until the beef is no longer pink.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste, chilies, peanut butter and stir to combine.
6. Add the water and bouillon cubes.
7. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add squash, cover, and continue to cook for 35-40 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender, stirring occasionally.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Serve hot with rice.

Vegetarian dishes are common in Gambia because of the expense of meat. Domoda is often eaten without meat as well. But when a Gambian family is able to enjoy a little luxury, they’ll often add chicken or beef to this national dish.

Ugandan Peanut Sauce (GNut Sauce)

Ugandan Peanut sauce is creamy, delicious and easy to make. It is great to drizzle over just about anything. Main dishes usually center on a sauce or stew of groundnuts/ peanuts, beans or meat. Peanuts aka groundnuts are an important staple in Uganda.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Smooth Peanut butter
• 1 cup Low sodium vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
• 1½ tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
• To taste Salt & pepper
• For Mashed Sweet Potatoes:
• 3 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
• 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
• To taste Salt & pepper
• For Chickpea-Spinach Sauté:
• 1 tablespoon Peanut Oil
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped
• 1 lb.

Instructions:

1. To make Ugandan GNut Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter, veggie stock, peanut sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk till the mixture is smooth. Place on low heat and cook for 2~3 minutes or until the mixture starts to simmer and thicken. Peanut sauce is ready. Set aside until ready to serve.
2. For the Sweet Potatoes: Poke holes in sweet potatoes and place on a microwave safe plate. Cook for 7~10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are very soft*. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, scoop the flesh out of the sweet potato into a bowl. Mash with cumin, lemon juice, turmeric, salt and pepper.
3. For Spinach & Chickpeas: In the meantime, heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onions and saute until the onions are starting to brown around the edges, about 4~5 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas and cook for 1~2 minutes. Stir in spinach, lower the heat and cook for 3~5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
4. To Serve: Ladle Sweet potato mixture into 2 bowls. Top with chickpea-spinach mixture and cover with the peanut sauce.

Traditionally roasted peanuts are ground in a stone grinder until smooth and creamy to make this g nut sauce. But store bought peanut butter is a great alternative and a huge time saver. This peanut sauce is usually served plain or with matooke (boiled and mashed plantains). It is also great to serve with greens.

Spicy Peanut Sauce from Benin

This Spicy Peanut Sauce from Benin is a delicious staple in Benin’s African cuisine. It can be enjoyed on meat, rice, potatoes, or vegetables, and is a great choice for spicing up any meal!

Ingredients:

• Onion
• Habanero pepper
• Oil
• Tomato paste
• Salt
• Bouillon cube
• Peanut butter
• Water

Instructions:

1. Blend onion and habanero pepper together in a blender until smooth.
2. In a frying pan on the stove, use oil to fry the blended onion and pepper with tomato paste, salt, and bouillon cube. Fry for about 5 minutes.
3. Add peanut butter and water to the pan. Mix to combine.
4. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Use to top meat, vegetables, rice, or potatoes.

This Beninese Peanut Sauce tends to stray from the “sweet.” The onions in the sauce and the spicy pepper make the sauce a great treat that’s different from any Asian peanut sauce you’ve tasted before. In Benin, they enjoy this Spicy Peanut Sauce on… almost everything. Rice, vegetables, potatoes, meat (when they eat it). It’s been said that this sauce is the Beninese form of ketchup… it goes on everything!

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Here’s a table summarizing the key differences between the African and Thai peanut sauces:

Feature	African Peanut Sauce	Thai Peanut Sauce
Flavor Profile	Earthy, savory, and sometimes spicy	Sweeter, creamier, and more balanced
Key Ingredients	Peanut butter, tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, and spices	Peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sometimes red curry paste
Texture	Can vary from chunky to smooth depending on preparation	Typically smooth and pourable
Common Uses	Served with meats, vegetables, and rice dishes	Used as a dipping sauce, marinade, or sauce for noodles and spring rolls

While both African and Thai peanut sauces use peanut butter as a base, they offer distinct culinary experiences. African versions often lean towards savory and spicy notes, while Thai sauces are typically sweeter and creamier. Experiment with both to discover your favorite!

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