Cookie + Kate has been one of my favorite blogs for a while now and if you take a look at her site, you’ll probably see why. She’s all about whole foods and fresh, seasonal vegetables, and her photos make me want to get in the kitchen asap. As expected, her cookbook Love Real Food has been inspiring me left and right, so I wanted to share her West African Peanut Soup that I made last week. And since it was so good, I think I’ll close out my soup season on that note (currently in the middle of a blizzard but it’s spring in my mind!!).
This soup is for all of my fellow peanut butter lovers — you have to try this sweet potato-tomato-PB combination! Chickpeas make it plenty filling for a main course and some hearty dino kale adds great texture and tons of nutrients (because of course, it’s kale). And the chopped peanuts on top are key for crunch. I was planning to freeze half of it…but then I just kept bringing it for lunch and didn’t want it to end.
I usually like my soup to be a little thicker and more stew-y, so I cut back the liquid a bit and gave it a few pulses with my immersion blender. Make it however you like, though — I included all of the modification details in the recipe.
I loved it just on its own but you could have it over brown rice if you want to stretch it into a couple more servings. Let me know in the comments how it goes for you!
West African Peanut Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 medium-large sweet potato (mine was about 3/4-lb.), peeled & cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 jalapeño, seeds & ribs removed; finely chopped
- fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & grated, or minced (from ~2-inch piece of ginger root)
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1-2 cups water
- 3/4 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter*
- 6 oz tomato paste (canned with a BPA-free lining)
- 1 medium bunch of lacinato (dino) kale**, ribs removed & leaves chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups packed)
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
- 1/2-1 tbsp Sriracha or other hot sauce
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Garnishes:
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped peanuts
- 1 handful of chopped fresh cilantro or other herbs (I used leftover parsley)
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or very large pot, warm 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, sweet potato, jalapeño and a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the sweet potatoes are beginning to soften - 10-15 mins. (If the onions are starting to brown, you can turn the heat down a bit).
- Add the grated ginger, garlic and 1 tsp of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 min or until fragrant.
- Pour in the broth and 1 cup of water for a thicker soup, or 2 cups for thinner (but either way, the liquid will reduce quite a bit; I used 1 cup). Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer (beginning to bubble - this may take a while). Once simmering, cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a medium glass or other heatproof bowl, combine the peanut butter and tomato paste. Transfer 1-2 cups of hot broth to the bowl (avoid the potato pieces but it's okay if you pick up some smaller bits). Whisk the mixture until smooth, and then pour into the soup and mix well.
- Continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes, or until the soup has thickened. At this point, I gave it a few quick pulses with my immersion blender because I wanted a creamier consistency (see photos above), but that's not necessary at all.
- Add the chickpeas and chopped greens, and continue cooking for another 5-10 mins. Add Sriracha and cayenne to taste (I used 1 tbsp Sriracha and 1/4 tsp cayenne). You can also add a bit more salt to taste. Serve topped with chopped peanuts and herbs.
- Leftovers keep really well in the fridge for about a week (perfect to bring to work), or I bet they'd freeze well, too.
Sue S.
Siobhan: Cookie & Kate is one of my favorite cooking blogs. I just received Kate’s cookbook and like you, are loving it! Thanks to your recommendation here, this soup is next up on my meal plan! Hoping you, your taste-tester Ross, Laura and Tate will make a visit to Wilton this spring for supper, courtesy of our backyard garden! Bundle up and stay warm! Congrats on your awesome blog!
Siobhan
Yay hope you love the soup! And a Wilton visit would be so fun – thank you!! It’ll be a great excuse for me to test out a new recipe 🙂