One-Pot African Peanut Stew Recipe: A Flavorful and Comforting Meal

Nov 06, 2025 0

I had seen recipes for Peanut Stew and all of it’s many variations around the internet for years before I finally gave it a try, and I’m only kicking myself for not trying it sooner. This stew, inspired by several peanut based stews made in West Africa, is seriously DE-LIC-IOUS!!

This rich and creamy tomato-peanut stew is so incredibly flavorful, super comforting, and is truly a meal in a bowl. This delicious stew is inspired by the many versions of peanut stew made in several countries across West Africa. Originating from several countries across West Africa, peanut stew is also known as groundnut stew, maafe or domoda.

The recipe and names for the stew vary from region to region, some of the names being: groundnut stew, maafe, or domoda, to name a few. The common thread between these regional recipes is a tomato broth made rich and creamy with peanut butter, and seasoned with plenty of delicious spices. The flavors are simply incredible.

African Peanut Stew is a wholesome dairy-free meal, full of warm flavors. This peanut stew is a wholesome dairy-free and gluten-free meal that’s packed with nourishment and warming flavors. Make this stew on a stove top, in a crock pot, or Instant Pot!

Also known as peanut soup or West African peanut stew, the recipe originates from Mali, in western Africa. We enjoy this peanut stew served alongside white or brown rice to make it an even heartier meal.

Kardea Brown's West African Peanut Stew | Delicious Miss Brown | Food Network

Ingredients and Variations

This West African peanut stew recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients. I want the meals I make to have warm flavors and also to be warm in temperature. This way, we can trick our mind into ignoring the fact that the weather outside is cold and ugly, right?

Creamy peanut butter (natural, no-stir variety) - In African cooking, peanuts are helpful for adding healthy fats and protein, but also to help thicken dishes. I prefer to use creamy peanut butter for this recipe as it assures a nice smooth broth but crunchy will also work, if that’s what you have on hand.
Tomato sauce - If you need a substitute, you can use a can of plain diced tomatoes.
Veggies - chopped onion, sweet potatoes, spinach (or baby spinach) and carrots. The starchy vegetables (carrots and sweet potato) add nourishment and a touch of sweetness. Sweet potatoes get added to the mix to help thicken and flavor the broth.
Aromatics - minced garlic and fresh ginger give an earthy flavor to the stew. It starts with a combo of fresh ginger, onion and jalapeño cooked in a broth with tomato paste and peanut butter.
Spices - Smoked paprika, ground coriander, kosher salt and black pepper, and if desired, a little cayenne pepper. Add the garlic, jalapeño, ginger, cumin and cayenne then stir together and cook for 3 minutes more.
Spicy chilies of choice - Originally, African peanut stew is topped with scotch bonnet peppers (a West African pepper), which are the hottest of hot! If you’re up for the spicy challenge, feel free to add them.

If you plan on making a vegetarian peanut stew, you’ll omit the meat and you’ll use a little less broth. When I make it, I like to use meat, but it is equally delicious as a vegetarian stew. If you prefer it meatless, no problem. You can either use 1 cup less broth, or keep the broth and add a drained can of chickpeas instead - easy!

Serving Suggestions

Brown rice is my carb of choice to go with this dish because of it’s slightly nutty flavor and extra texture, so I like to scoop a bit straight into my bowl of stew. That being said, it can certainly be served without rice as well, or even with some bread (maybe some naan) for dipping.

I also like my stew a bit spicy, so I like to top it off with a little drizzle of sriracha, even though that’s totally mixing and matching cultures. The addition of crunchy peanuts on top gives this dish a salty crunch with every bite.

To serve the Vegan Peanut Stew, ladle about 1.5 cups of stew into a bowl, top with 3/4 cup cooked brown rice, a tablespoon or so of chopped peanuts, a light sprinkle of cilantro, and a drizzle of sriracha (if desired). Garnish and serve! Serve warm with rice and garnish with cilantro, peanuts, and lime juice. Serve hot over rice or quinoa.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to make this flavorful stew:

Make the Sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, whisk together in a bowl. Add all the sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse to combine.
Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables. Heat a large pot over medium-high. Add oil to the pot. Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. I like to use a 4-quart sauce pot. Sauté onion for 3-4 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Saute the onions for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. If you’re going to add meat, this is when you’ll add it to the pot. Add the ginger and garlic and saute them, then add the sweet potatoes and carrots (if using), stir well to combine everything.
Simmer. Stir in sauce, broth, and spinach. Add the tomato paste, peanut butter, broth and sweet potato then bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the meat is cooked through. Simmer (cover the pot after the stew comes to a simmer) until the sweet potatoes are tender and meat is cooked through.

Instant Pot Instructions

You can also make this stew in an Instant Pot:

Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil. If using meat, brown first.
Add meat (if using), sweet potatoes, carrots, sauce, broth, and spinach to the slow cooker.
Lock lid and cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes. When the pressure has released, remove the lid and transfer the stew to serving bowls.

Variations and Tips

Adjust the Heat: For mild flavor, skip cayenne.
*To make without oil: toast the cumin and cayenne in a large pot over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup of water with the onion, garlic, jalapeño and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, peanut butter, broth and sweet potato then bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the collard greens to the pot, stir, then cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

Storage Instructions

This recipe holds up really well both in the refrigerator or freezer. This stew will stay fresh for up to 5 days when properly sealed and refrigerated. It can also be frozen in an airtight container for several months.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.

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