Peanut Butter Soup Recipe

By
Freda Muyambo
Freda Muyambo
Freda Muyambo
Celebrated food writer and blogger focusing on African cuisine. She has published recipes since 2011 on her blog My Burnt Orange.
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Updated on 12/13/22
Peanut Butter Soup Recipe

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 6 bowls

The popularity of peanut butter soup, like this West African peanut soup has spread like wildfire over the past couple of years. Peanut-based sauces are said to originate from the Mandinka people of Mali.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions, peeled and kept whole

  • 3 large tomatoes

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

  • 8 small eggplant

  • 1 pound okra

  • 1 pepper scotch bonnet pepper

  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 6 heaping tablespoons peanut butter

  • 2 quarts chicken stock

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Peanut Butter Soup Recipe ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Place the chicken in a large, heavy stockpot. Place whole, peeled onions, pepper, grated ginger, and tomatoes into the pot. Add chicken stock and place over high heat.

    peeled onions, pepper, grated ginger, and tomatoes in the pot with chicken

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions and tomatoes are tender. Remove onions and tomatoes from the pot and transfer to a blender.

    Blend the soft vegetables in a blender

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Blend the soft vegetables in a blender, then pour back into the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.

    pour the blended vegetables into the pot

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Cut the stem ends off the eggplants and make a cross-shaped incision in the tops (not too deep as the eggplant should remain whole). Add them to the soup.

    eggplant added to the soup

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the peanut butter until it is very runny. Begin to add water a little at a time to the pot, stirring to prevent lumps or scorching, and simmer for 15 minutes.

    peanut butter in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Add peanut sauce to the pot and stir to combine. Peanut oil will begin to separate from the sauce and float on the surface. 

    peanut butter added to the soup in the pot

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Cut the ends off the okra and add them to the soup. Simmer another 10 minutes then add salt to taste, and serve.

    Peanut Butter Soup in a pot

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tip

This dish can be served by itself in a bowl or with a side of cooked white or brown rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
782 Calories
29g Fat
85g Carbs
51g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 782
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Sodium 643mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 85g 31%
Dietary Fiber 21g 76%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 51g
Vitamin C 36mg 180%
Calcium 154mg 12%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 1896mg 40%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)