One of my all-time favorite stew recipes, this African Peanut Stew to hearty, delicious and filling. Full of healthy plant-based ingredients along with delicious peanut butter, it is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.
My family especially loves this hearty stew recipe because of our love for peanut butter. The peanut butter makes the stew broth creamy and of a thicker consistency. If you like peanut butter, you will love it too! In addition to the peanut butter, it is full of hearty sweet potatoes, greens and beans.
What’s to love about this recipe:
This vegan African Peanut Stew uses many pantry/freezer ingredients and can be very versatile. Swap the kidney beans for chickpeas or black beans. Use your favorite leafy green if you do not like kale or have it on hand. If you are not a fan of sweet potatoes, use white potatoes.
If you like peanut butter, you will love this recipe. The creaminess of the peanut butter combines with the tomatoes to make a hearty base for the potatoes, greens and beans. The hint of ginger and garlic are also a great contribution for flavor.
Stew Ingredients:
Garlic and Onion – both have many proven health benefits. This recipe calls for 3 cloves of garlic but you can always use more if you are a garlic lover.
Ginger – I store ginger in the refrigerator to extend its freshness. If you do not peel the ginger before grating or mincing, you will want to purchase an organic version if possible. If not, you will want to peel it first.
Peanut butter – be sure to use a natural form of peanut butter so that you are not adding in additional sugars and other ingredients.
Tomatoes – use fresh or canned tomatoes for the this recipe. Simply chop them into cubes before adding to the broth.
Sweet potatoes – peeled or unpeeled it is your choice. Be sure to chop into uniform cubes so the potatoes cook with consistency.
Vegetable broth – use veggie cubes or buy a carton from the store. I try to go for low sodium and organic when possible.
Canned kidney beans – this is the bean traditionally used in this stew; however, feel free to change it out to your favorite bean. The beans add additional protein to the recipe.
Kale – be sure to destem the kale and chop into bite size pieces. The kale can also be swapped out for your favorite leafy green.
Pro tip:
Be sure to squeeze a small amount of fresh lime juice over the top. It brightens the dish and truly brings out the flavors. Chopped cilantro also makes a nice addition.
African Peanut Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp veggie broth or water
- 1 med onion, diced
- 1 tbsp ginger, fresh and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
- 1/4-1/2 tea red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes, 14 oz each
- 1/4-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 lb sweet potato, chopped (approximately 1 large)
- 1 can kidney beans, drain and rinse
- 2 handfuls of chopped kale
- salt and pepper to taste, optional
- cilantro and lime for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable broth or water in a large pot and add the diced onion. Cook until translucent.
- Next add the garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and peanut butter. Stir until well combined.
- Next add the vegetable broth and diced sweet potatoes and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft but not mushy.
- Add the kidney beans and kale and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Taste and add salt or pepper if using.
- Serve warm. Top with cilantro if desired. It is highly recommended to squeeze a small amount of fresh lime juice for each bowl.
- Enjoy!
