This vegan African Peanut Stew is so, so, so very good! Stews are perfect fall food, and this is the time I love to cook up hot, satisfying stews in my kitchen, including classics like this vegan gumbo, vegan mushroom stew, vegan Irish stew, vegetable stew and this African Peanut Stew. The stew is loaded with healthy veggies like eggplants and sweet potatoes, and loaded with flavor from simple spices, including fenugreek, coriander, cumin and a garlicky, fiery harissa paste. It is both yummy and nourishing, especially when served over a bed of brown or white rice. If you still aren’t convinced you should make this African peanut stew recipe, here’s what this dish really boils down to: a delicious, bubbling pot of peanut butter with tasty spices and veggies. Now how could you say no to that?
Why you’ll love this recipe
It’s full of flavor. There are so many layers of flavor in this stew, from a simple dry spice mix of fenugreek, coriander and cumin, from the peanut butter, from the veggies, and from the harissa paste. The stew comes together quite quickly but the flavors make this appear a greater labor of love than it really is. It’s easy to put together. Although it sounds exotic, the ingredients in this stew are easy to find anywhere in the world, and it is just as easy to make it. It’s soy-free and gluten-free. There are peanuts in this recipe because the peanuts form the main flavor base. If you are allergic to peanuts see the “variations” section below.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil. Any oil, including avocado oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil. Olive oil is not preferred for sauteing but if that’s what you have you can use it. Aromatics: Ginger and onions Spices: Chili peppers like scotch bonnet, serrano or jalapeno, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and harissa paste. Vegetables: Tomatoes, tomato paste, eggplants and sweet potatoes, Nuts: Creamy peanut butter, whole or halved raw peanuts. Check out the “variations” section below for nut free alternatives. Vegetable stock or water Salt to taste
Variations
You can use potatoes, winter squash like pumpkin or butternut squash and cauliflower or other veggies of your choice in the stew. I have often used okra in this recipe and it’s delicious. The sliminess of the okra helps thicken the stew without making the dish slimy. If you are sensitive to heat don’t use scotch bonnet peppers and opt for a milder chili pepper. Also be sure to deseed. Remember you will be adding in the harissa paste, and that has plenty of heat. If you had to pick either the harissa or the fresh chili peppers, pick the harissa. If you have a peanut allergy but can consume other nuts, you can use almond butter or cashew butter instead. Or try this stew with pumpkin seed butter or sunflower seed butter.
How to make African Peanut Stew
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: This stew can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Freeze: Freeze the stew for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Reheat: Thaw and reheat over the stove until warmed through.
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