West African Peanut Soup

Warm up from the inside out with this amazing West African peanut soup: the place where nutrition and great flavor walk hand in hand!

As the colder months take a little longer to wind down, stews and soups help keep us warm. There’s nothing better than coming in from a bone-chilling day outside and enjoying a hot soup to warm the soul. Here in Toronto, it gets really cold, so I thought I would make a West African peanut soup. This soup is completely different than anything you will ever have. Peanut soup is native to Africa and even eastern Asia. And it isn't your traditional watery soup. This soup is hearty filled with peanuts, spices, and sweet potatoes. This soup is bursting with nutrients and vitamins such as vitamin A and C!

This soup has such an incredible earthy taste from the peanut butter. Make sure to buy natural peanut butter without sugar. I used a full fat coconut milk in my recipe but you can always opt to use the low fat version. I added finely sliced Swiss chard to my recipe but if you are having problems finding chard, you can always use kale or collard greens. Make sure to remove the stem before placing it in the soup.

If you have an allergy to peanuts, you can always substitute the peanut butter for roasted almond butter. I’ve tried it, and it’s absolutely delicious. This soup can be served over rice, millet, or couscous. If you feel adventurous, you can add some sliced chili peppers, okra, and diced plantains! This will add to the soup’s incredible flavor profile.

This recipe will yield a large amount, so any leftovers can be placed in the freezer in an air tight container. I love doubling up on recipes so that I have leftovers during the week. With every reheat, the tastes just becomes more vibrant and complex.

There are plenty of variations to this soup, but I hope you enjoy my vegan and gluten free version!