What I love about Vegan African Peanut Stew
This Vegan African Peanut Stew has been a recent favourite of mine, especially this time of year. It is finally starting to feel like fall here on the island after a very drawn-out summer. We have had a couple of days of rain and it has been so refreshing after being in a drought for so long. So, I am definitely pulling out all of the cozy, warm soups, casseroles and stews!
This easy one-pot vegan stew is so delicious and perfect for chilly fall evenings. It’s super easy to make and you only need one big pot to throw everything in. It’s full of nourishing vegetables and it has a really yummy, creamy peanut and tomato broth for the base. The main source of protein in this stew comes from red lentils. Actually, if you have any leftovers, it will thicken even more overnight in the fridge as the lentils absorb more of the liquid giving it a really nice consistency.
Once you have all of the vegetables prepped and ready to go, this dish only takes about 15-20 minutes to make. I love to pair it with basmati rice, fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts. A squeeze of lime is highly recommended as well to balance the flavours. This healthy peanut stew makes about 6 servings, so you will likely have leftovers and we love leftovers!
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Ginger – Fresh grated ginger also adds delicious flavour to this stew. You will need 1 small knob about 2-3 inches long.
- Red chillies – You can skip the red chillies if you’re really sensitive to heat, but it doesn’t make the stew spicy really at all. Just be sure to discard the seeds if you don’t want any heat whatsoever.
- Yams – Yams add beautiful orange colour and a sweet, soft texture. You could use sweet potatoes too, if you don’t have yams.
- Cabbage – I love to use purple cabbage in this stew for a bit of colour, but green cabbage works as well.
- Lentils – I recommend red or yellow lentils for this recipe.
- Diced tomatoes – I recommend using diced tomatoes rather than crushed tomatoes for the right consistency.
- Broth – Vegetable broth is recommended for this stew to keep it vegan, but if you’re not vegan then chicken broth works as well!
- Peanut butter – Peanut butter is one of the best ingredients in this stew. It gives the broth that creamy, peanut-y flavour which I love! I recommend using smooth, all-natural peanut butter with no added sugar for this recipe. You want it to be as raw and natural as possible.
- Spinach – I always like to add some greens, so I opted for a few handfuls of baby spinach for colour and nutrition. The recipe calls for 4 packed cups, but you can really add more or less depending on your preference. As we know, spinach cooks down to almost nothing so I like to take the opportunity to load it up!
My favourite toppings:
- Basmati rice
- Fresh, chopped cilantro
- Chopped peanuts
- Squeeze of lime juice
FAQ
I would say it’s pretty mild. When you add the chillies without the seeds, they are barely noticeable. However, if you’re worried about it all, you can just omit the red chillies altogether.
Yes! You can certainly make this recipe a day or two in advance. In fact, it almost gets better as it sits in the fridge while the lentils absorb more liquid giving it a thicker consistency.
I recommend storing any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes! For the slow cooker method, place all ingredients except the spinach in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Stir in the spinach at the end until wilted and serve with garnishes.
Vegan African Peanut Stew
Equipment
- 1 Large, Heavy-bottomed Pot
Ingredients
- avocado oil for cooking
- 1 white onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 2 red chillies minced
- 2 cups yams or sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 cup purple cabbage washed and chopped
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed and drained
- 1 (27 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves packed
- 1 cup cooked basmati rice for serving
- fresh cilantro finely chopped, for serving
- chopped peanuts for serving
- fresh lime juice for serving
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot, add some avocado oil and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger and chillies on medium heat until softened.
- Add the yams, purple cabbage, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper sauté another couple minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Add the red lentils, diced tomatoes, broth and peanut butter and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and lentils are fully cooked.
- Stir in the spinach until wilted and taste to adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve with warm basmati rice, fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts. Squeeze a lime all over and enjoy!
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