West African Peanut Stew

This is the weirdest sounding soup ever, but probably also our all-time favorite soup. It's so yummy! Don't be afraid of the calories from the peanut butter, because the rest of the soup is all veggies and very low-calorie.

I've always been hesitant to photograph this stew. It's not photogenic.
Don't be deceived.

West African Peanut Stew

Source: The Vegetarian Family Cookbook (Nava Atlas)

1 large onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 C. shredded white cabbage (I've also used red and it's fine)
2 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
One 16 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (more if you like spicier soup)
10 oz. bag frozen cut green beans
1/2 C. natural-style smooth peanut butter (I've used both natural and commercial, and both turn out fine)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt to taste (about 1 tsp., maybe more)
Chopped peanuts, optional
Chopped green onions, optional


1. Saute onion until translucent in a large soup pot sprayed with non-stick spray. Add garlic and cook one minute more.


2. Add cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, and 3 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the potatoes and cabbage are nearly tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Add the green beans and heat through, then stir in the peanut butter, a little at a time, until it melts into the broth. Stir in the cayenne, then cover and simmer gently until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add a bit more water if needed for a moist but not soupy consistency. Season with salt, then serve over hot cooked rice if desired and garnish with chopped green onions and chopped peanuts.


7 Servings, 219 calories each


*I never serve this over rice--we always just eat this as a soup. I highly recommend the peanuts as a garnish if you have some around. Also, be careful not to cook it too long because sweet potatoes can get mushy pretty quickly.