West African Peanut Sweet Potato Stew

by SpiceRouteCooks
Prep: 25m
Cook: 40m
vegetarian
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Ingredients
Servings:12
2tbspolive oil
2cupyellow onion
1 1/2cupred bell pepper
3garlic
28ozpetite diced tomatoes
5cupsweet potatoes
1/2cupcreamy peanut butter
5cupvegetable broth
2tbsplight brown sugar
2tspground ginger
1 1/2tspground cumin
1tspkosher salt
1/2tspblack pepper
1/4tspcayenne pepper
chopped peanuts
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Soften the aromatics

    Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

  1. 2

    Build the stew

    Add the diced tomatoes (with their liquid), sweet potatoes, peanut butter, vegetable broth, brown sugar, ground ginger, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine, cover, and bring to a boil.

  2. 3

    Simmer until tender

    Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are completely tender.

  3. 4

    Thicken and serve

    Scoop out about 2–3 cups of the stew with a small amount of broth and blend until smooth — do it in batches and don't overfill the blender with hot liquid. Return the puree to the pot and stir to thicken. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped peanuts.

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West African Peanut Sweet Potato Stew

Created by: SpiceRouteCooks

Prep Time: 25m
Cook Time: 40m
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cup yellow onion
  • 1 1/2 cup red bell pepper
  • 3 garlic
  • 28 oz petite diced tomatoes
  • 5 cup sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 5 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • chopped peanuts

Instructions

  1. Soften the aromaticsHeat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  2. Build the stewAdd the diced tomatoes (with their liquid), sweet potatoes, peanut butter, vegetable broth, brown sugar, ground ginger, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine, cover, and bring to a boil.
  3. Simmer until tenderReduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are completely tender.
  4. Thicken and serveScoop out about 2–3 cups of the stew with a small amount of broth and blend until smooth — do it in batches and don't overfill the blender with hot liquid. Return the puree to the pot and stir to thicken. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped peanuts.

Notes & Tips

Maafe (also spelled mafé) is the peanut stew of West Africa — most closely associated with Senegal and Mali, where groundnut-based sauces have been building flavor for centuries. The combination sounds unlikely if you've never made it: sweet potatoes and peanut butter in a savory pot. But it works beautifully. The cumin and ginger do the heavy lifting on spice, while the brown sugar just barely tips the balance toward sweet. Don't skip the chopped peanut garnish — you need that crunch against the creamy stew. This is a fully vegan pot that doesn't feel like it's trying to be anything other than deeply satisfying.