Groundnut Soup
My groundnut soup recipe is a rich, nutty, and palate-pleasing meal when served with rice, plantains, or any starch. Making it from scratch pays some serious flavor dividends. Plus, you’ll love serving your friends and family such a nutritious, comforting meal.
Whether we call it maafe, groundnut soup, or sauce d’arachide, this West African peanut soup is a comfort food that my family comes back to regularly. The last time I made it, a friend asked me why we call them groundnuts.
Well, groundnuts and peanuts are the same thing, so we use the words interchangeably. It’s called peanuts in America, but in Africa, we refer to them as groundnuts.
Making a Peanut Soup Recipe From Scratch
Using natural peanut butter (with no added sugar or sweeteners) makes it incredibly easy. I was thrilled the first time I saw a peanut grinder in a health food store because I now know I’m using 100% peanuts.
However, feel free to make it from scratch, which is what I did for you. Making your own peanut butter is a breeze and avoids added sugar, salt, oils, and often preservatives. Grind the roasted peanuts in a food processor with a bit of oil to prevent overheating the motor. Not only is it healthier, but it also tastes better!
Ingredients
The basic ingredients for this sauce are peanut butter, tomato sauce, onions, meat, and spices, depending on availability. You can omit the oil to make it healthier, and it will still taste superb.
How to Make Groundnut Soup
Follow along with my easy numbered instructions below to see how to make groundnut soup in your own kitchen.
- Roast your unpeeled peanuts in a pan on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. You could also bake the peanuts on a baking tray at 300℉ (150℃) oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool them completely. (Photo 1)
- Grind – When the peanuts have cooled, grind them into a fine paste. You may need to do it in three to four batches to avoid overheating the motor. Set aside. (Photos 2-3)
- Make Stock – Season the beef with half the salt, pepper, and paprika. Add water to cover and simmer until the meat is tender (about 30 minutes, depending on the cut). A pressure cooker speeds it up. Remove the beef and reserve the stock. (Photos 4-6)
- Sauce – Next, blend the tomatoes, half the onion, garlic, fresh ginger, and parsley in a food processor or blender with a little water until smooth. (Photos 7-8)
- Brown Beef – In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add your cooked meat, and brown it for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the remaining onion and sauté for 2 minutes. (Photo 9)
- Add the tomato mixture and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the mixture from burning. (Photo 10)
- Season – Add the groundnut paste, 3 cups of reserved broth, and the rest of the salt, paprika, bouillon powder, and white pepper to taste. (Photo 11)
- Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, then adjust the soup to the desired consistency. (Photo 12)
- Serve with rice, and enjoy.
Chicken Alternative
If you want to use chicken instead of the beef above, follow these directions.
- Season the chicken with paprika, ½ of the onion, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken with oil in a large pot, stirring frequently and scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Puree the tomatoes, half of the onion, garlic, ginger, and parsley in a blender. Pour the mixture into the pot of chicken, bring to a boil, and simmer until the meat is tender.
- Assemble – Add the creamy peanut butter and broth, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Adjust the thickness to the desired consistency, and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- To make a peanut stew, simply simmer the soup until it thickens more.
- A high-speed blender or coffee grinder works best to get a paste. A food processor may do the job, but the texture is a little different.
- If opting for peanut butter, use the natural creamy version with no additives.
What Pairs With Homemade Peanut Soup
West African groundnut soup pairs beautifully with garlic rice or traditional white rice. Other African favorites, like njama njama and fufu, go great with groundnut soup. Wash it all down with a cold glass of pineapple ginger juice.
More Incredible African Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in November 2012 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Groundnut Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) peanuts, shelled with the skin
- 1-2 pounds (450-900g) stew beef (cut into cubes)
- 2 teaspoons (10-12g) salt (divided)
- 2 teaspoons (5g) white pepper (divided)
- 2 teaspoons (4g) paprika
- 2 teaspoons (5g) bouillon powder (divided)
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) oil
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped (divided)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 ½-inch knob (15g) ginger
- 3 tablespoons (10-12g) parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Roast your unpeeled peanuts in a pan on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. You could also bake the peanuts on a baking tray at 300℉ (150℃) oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
- When the peanuts are ready, set them aside to cool completely.
- When the peanuts have cooled, grind them in a coffee grinder to a fine paste. You may need to do it in 3 to 4 batches to avoid straining the grinder. It should make about a cup of peanut paste. Set aside.
- Add beef to a pot and season with half the salt, pepper, and paprika. Add 4-5 cups of water to cover the beef and cook covered until the meat is tender. That usually takes 30 minutes or more, depending on the cut. A pressure cooker will shorten the process.
- When the beef is ready, take it out and reserve the stock.
- Next, blend the tomatoes, half of the onion, garlic, ginger, and parsley in a food processor or blender with a little water until smooth.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil, add your cooked meat, and brown it for 3-4 minutes. Then add the rest of the onion and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Next, add the blended tomato mixture and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Add the groundnut paste, 3 cups of reserved broth, and the rest of the salt, paprika, bouillon powder, and white pepper to taste.
- Continue cooking for 10 minutes, and adjust the soup's thickness to the desired consistency.
- Serve with rice, and enjoy.
Tips & Notes:
- Peanut soup is amazing with beef or chicken. Feel free to mix and match. I usually use chicken, but my family wanted beef the day I made this one.
- If using beef, simmer in water or broth until tender, then do a reverse sear. Reserve the broth for later.
- To speed up cooking beef until tender, a pressure cooker comes in handy.
- 2-3 pounds (900-1,500g) chicken (1 chicken, cut into pieces, or just thighs works great.)
- 1 tablespoon (7g) paprika
- 1 medium onion (mince half the onion to season the meat, and save the other for the sauce)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) oil (any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point)
- 2 medium tomatoes (Roma and plum tomatoes work best because they’re less juicy)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 ½-inch knob (15g) ginger
- 3 tablespoons (12g) parsley
- ½ cup (128g) natural peanut butter
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
- Season the chicken with paprika, ½ of the onion, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the oil over low heat, then add the chicken and sauté, stirring frequently and scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Puree the tomatoes, half of the onion, garlic, ginger, and parsley in a blender. Pour the mixture into the pot of chicken, bring to a boil, and simmer until the meat is tender.
- Add the peanut butter and broth, and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Add water or broth if the soup is thicker than you prefer, or simmer it longer, uncovered, to achieve the desired thickness. Drip a little soup from your stirring spoon. If you are satisfied with the thickness, serve it.
I love this food so much
Thank you, Effiong! 🙂
Love your recipes. One question about this recipe. In step one you mention 1/2 onion to be included with the chicken and seasoned. What to do with that 1/2 onion? The video also does not so the chicken being marinated with onion.
Thanks. You blend with the tomatoes .
Thank you so much for this. I know that I can always count on your page for authentic delicious African food recipes. I’m going to attempt this today with oxtail. It’ll be my first time ever. Thank you again for creating this page and sharing it.
Thank you Ekene 🙂 ! This would go really well with the oxtail! Already salivating :). Let me know how it works out for you.
Hi, are your nutritional facts for the 4-5 servings you get from this recipe or is this per serving?
Thanks!
Hello Ms K.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. The nutritional facts are per serving. I have adjusted the recipe, so you might want to check that. Also, if you still want to cut down on calories, you could reduce the quantity of oil used. It will still taste delicious!!
Thank you ! I’ve been craving this forever , I put some ginger in mine but other wise followed your directions to a T . It tastes just like the stew my teacher use to make ! I paired it with fufu . Thanks again !
Oh I love the ginger addition! Thanks for sharing.
The ginger was a great addition! This was so good
interested… I’ll try your recipe it seems to be delicious
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you.
Hi Imma,
I like your recipe, my only recommendation is to do without the olive oil being that peanut butter by its self has oil.
Try making it next time without the additional olive oil.
I decided to try your recipe. Waiting to break my Fast with it. Even without tasting I can tell it’s a great recipe. I’m so glad to have come across your site as a dietician.
Will definitely try some of your healthy recipes.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Looking forward to hear more from your cooking journey. And welcome to the blog! 🙂
Been loving a bunch of your recipes recently, they never fail! Trying this one tonight, can’t wait to dig in. Send love from the UK 🙂
Awesome! So glad to hear you are Monty. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Love from Los Angeles.
Your recipe is good,how can i get ingredients for 15 portion
It depends on your guests… And what else you are serving . You might want to double or triple this recipe .
This recipe is most interesting to me. Do I understand correctly that I can omit the oil for frying the chicken and instead use a non stick spray? I am hoping to reduce the calories a bit.
Can’t wait to try this today. I will be leaving out parsley but adding a few habanero peppers. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe!
My pleasure! Enjoy!
Made the brown chicken stew today and it was really good! I want to make this because I love peanuts but I can’t stand parsley. Could you recommend something else instead or would it be ok if I just left it out?
Leave out the parsley. You are good with the rest of the ingredients.I have made several times without parsley.
Happy Cooking!!!!
Hello!
For how many diner guest is this recipe?
I already tried with less amount because I wanted practice first before cook for my friends, I cooked just for my girlfriend and for me, we love the textura of the peanut butter paste, I blended the peanut roasted at home.
Hello! It’s about 4-6 servings depending on the amount of chicken.
I’ve been trying to find a recipie for peanut stew for a bit now but the last time I tried it it wasn’t so good. I’m soo glad I found this recipie, sure it will turn out great! Thanks for sharing.
It always does. It’s so easy and delicious. Thanks for giving it a try . And do report back with your feedback . Thanks!
You are a life saver! I’m so glad I found your site. My fiance is Ghanaian and I’m from the southern part of the US. Needless to say, I’ve struggled the past couple of years in the kitchen. Not anymore! Thank you!
My Pleasure! Glad to be of Help! There are tons of recipes here that you are going to love. Happy Cooking !!!
Really like this dish with a mild sweet taste. I have added 2 more onions (since we love onions) so the sauce is nicely sweet and thicken. So glad to find your site, will try more of yours. Thanks Imma for sharing.
Yay!!Thanks for trying it out and it was to your liking. Super happy you are here Dao!!!
followed ur recipe and had a fantastic result. enjoyed it with rice and my family loved it too. thanks immaculate bites for ur wonderful recipes
Made these with boneless chicken thighs and loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked them .
I love this. I was looking for an easier way to do this and here it comes.
But please can I just add the paste to the steamed chicken since I wouldn’t want to use oil?
And also how do I go about it if I’m using only dry fish.
Please how can I follow you
Hi, Seyram. You can join my email list to get the recipes via email first hand by signing up to my Free Email Bonus box at the right pane of this blog. Or you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest @immaculatebites.
Hi. Yes, you can. As for the dry fish, I have to look into that so I can give an accurate answer.
I used fresh ground nut and it came out delicious. Everyone in my family is wondering where my cooking skills have suddenly emerged from – but I am not telling. Not yet anyway 🙂
There is probably a chef in you Maria,I am glad you are loving the recipes- it’s going to be our little secret.
Thanks so much. This is so great. I followed this recipe and my groundnut was so tasty. Thanks once again.
So awesome to know that! Now you got me wanting to make one.