Spicy Sweet Potato: African Peanut Stew

African Peanut Stew is a warm and hearty vegetable stew filled with chickpeas, cauliflower, squash and more. This delicious vegetarian soup tastes delightful different from your everyday vegetable soup thanks to exotic spices like cumin, curry powder, and ginger plus the addition of peanut butter. It may seem pretty strange to add peanut butter to a savory soup but it’s often found in recipes for African stew and it provides a wonderful flavor to the dish. Instead of traditional peanut butter, I used a mix of peanut butter powder and pumpkin puree for my stew. The pumpkin adds a nice creaminess, as well as a touch of sweetness to balance the heat cayenne and jalapeno.

African Peanut Stew
Gluten Free
Serves Four
Click Here for Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon peanut butter powder ( like the kind by PB2 )
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon grapeseed oil
1/4 of a red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 of a small jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1.5 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne, adjust according to taste
1/4 cup diced tomatoes, lightly drained
8 ounces butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 1.5 cups once diced)
8 ounces cauliflower florets (about 2 cups)
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
2 cups baby kale, loosely packed
Fresh Parsley, for garnish
Salt & Pepper
Optional--Cooked Rice for Serving

1. Add peanut butter powder to a small mixing bowl. Sir in pumpkin and mix until smooth. Set peanut butter mixture aside to be added to stew later.

2. Add oil to a large saucepan and and heat to medium-low. Stir in red bell pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes or until pepper is tender.

2. Add jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Continue to sauté for 1 minute more.

3. Add curry powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper, stirring to coat vegetables in spices.

4. Add peanut butter mixture and diced tomatoes to saucepan and stir to combine. Continue to sauté mixture for about 2 minutes.

5. Add squash and cauliflower, then stir to incorporate vegetables into stew. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Pour in broth and raise heat to high. Bring stew to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Partially cover stew, and let simmer for 14-16 minutes, or until squash and cauliflower are tender.

7. Once vegetables are tender, remove lid and stir in chickpeas. Add kale, then recover pot, and let cook 2-3 minutes or until kale is slightly wilted and cooked down. Stir, then continue to simmer stew for 4-5 minutes more, until all ingredients are heated through. Taste stew, and adjust seasoning, if necessary.