Groundnut Soup from Scratch

This traditional soup from West Africa is flavorful, rich, and nutty. Making it from scratch pays some serious flavor dividends. Plus, you'll love serving your friends and family such a nutritious, comforting meal.

Course Main, Soup

Cuisine African

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 958kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1-2 pounds (450-900g) beef (cut into cubes)
3 cups (375g) peanuts, shelled with the skin
2 teaspoons (4g) paprika
2 teaspoons (10g) salt (divided)
2 teaspoons (5g) white pepper (divided)
2 teaspoons (5g) bouillon powder (divided)
2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) oil
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (divided)
1 ½-inch knob ginger
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons (10-12g) parsley, chopped

Instructions

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.
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 3-4 batches so you don't strain the grinder. It should make about a cup of peanut paste. Set aside.
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 onions 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 thickness to the desired consistency.
Serve with rice, and enjoy.

Notes

Use a pressure cooker to shorten the beef stock-making process.

Unpeeled peanuts can burn quite quickly, so don't leave the room while roasting them. Keep a close eye on them and stir frequently until they're nice and toasty. You can rub them to remove some or all the skins. More skins make a darker paste, and less will make a lighter one.

Blend the roasted peanuts in batches because they're pretty tough. Dumping them all in at once could seize up your blender or, worse, burn out the motor. (The exception would be if you have a Vitamix.) Pulse a few times to break them up first, then grind them slowly into a paste.

Use high-quality peanuts for authentic results. If opting for peanut butter, use natural peanut butter with no additives, especially sugar.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition