Spicy West African Peanut Soup Recipes

SPICY PEANUT AND PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently until softened and just beginning to brown around the edges, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chile and pumpkin purée, and whisk in the water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer on low, giving an occasional stir, for 20 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened. Remove the chile after the soup simmers if you don't care for much spice.
• Add coconut milk, agave or honey (if using), and peanut butter to the pot. Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a standing blender, purée the soup until smooth. Season with salt and keep warm over low heat. Do not bring soup up to a simmer or boil at this point. (This reduces the risk of the oils in the peanut butter separating and breaking the soup's smooth texture.)
• Divide soup between bowls, sprinkle with the chives and a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt, or a drizzle of olive oil to make it vegan. Serve with a warm crusty baguette or chunks of warm sourdough for dipping.

AFRICAN SWEET POTATO AND PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Mix in the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrot, and continue to cook and stir about 5 minutes.
• Pour water into the saucepan, and season the mixture with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
• Remove the soup mixture from heat. In a food processor or blender, blend the soup and peanuts until almost smooth. Season with cayenne pepper. Return to the saucepan. Whisk in the peanut butter, and cook until heated through. Serve warm topped with fresh cilantro.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP WITH CHICKEN

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.

SPICY AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat.
• Add pepper, ginger, carrots, garlic, onions and cayenne or chilies.
• Cook for 2 minutes, then add potato and stock.
• Bring to the boil and simmer 10 minutes.
• Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and purée until smooth.
• Return the purée to the saucepan and stir in peanut butter and tomato juice or mash the vegetables in the saucepan until slightly lumpy.
• Add sugar, salt and pepper.
• Serve sprinkled with green onions.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Saute the onions in oil until just translucent.
• Stir in the cayenne and ginger.
• Add the carrots and saute a couple more minutes.
• Mix in the potatoes and stock.
• Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• In a blender or food processor, puree the vegetables with the cooking liquid and the tomato juice.
• Return the puree to the soup pot. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.
• Taste the soup. Its sweetness will depend on the sweetness of the carrots and sweet potatoes. If it is not naturally sweet, add just a little sugar to enhance the other flavors.
• Reheat the soup gently, using a heat diffuser if needed to prevent scorching.
• Add more water, stock, or tomato juice for a thinner soup.
• Serve topped with plenty of chopped scallions or chives.

SPICY PEANUT SOUP WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine chicken cubes and hot sauce in medium bowl and toss to coat well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again. Whisk chicken broth, peanut butter, and tomato paste in another medium bowl to blend.
• Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and zucchini; sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add chicken and sauté until no longer pink on outside, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
• Add broth mixture and tomatoes to pot. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Add rice to soup and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is tender.
• When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter and return to a simmer, and serve. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired.