African Peanut Soup
There is a local cafe in my town that serves the most outrageous African Peanut Soup. It is so good. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve had this soup anywhere else. My mom and I have had a thousand dates there, dunking our baguette into the spicy soup, chatting about life. My version is similar, but I don’t add any meat. You can make this totally vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. If you’ve never tried this before it probably sounds like a strange combination- especially for a soup. But it’s really flipping good! Smooth, a little bit spicy and tangy, and bursting with delightful flavors. I hope you’ll give this one a try! Serve it up with some crusty bread and enjoy.
AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP: Yields 4 bowls. Prep time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2” nub of fresh ginger, grated If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand use a tablespoon of dried ginger instead
- 1 T butter
- 1 T flour
- 1 t salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 t red pepper flake
- 1 cup peanut butter I use a natural peanut butter with nothing but peanuts and salt as the ingredients. If your peanut butter has a lot of additives in it, substitute for a cup and a half of regular peanuts
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 4 c chicken broth
DIRECTIONS:
1.) Add 1 tablespoon of oil to base of a pot. Add in one diced white onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 inches of fresh grated ginger.
Add a heavy pinch of salt and sauté until fragrant.
2.) Once onions are translucent, add in one tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of flour and stir until flour is fully combined.
3.) Add in red pepper flake along with additional salt and pepper.
4.) Stir in 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 can of tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer, then stir in one cup of peanut butter.
5.) Use an immersion blender to blend soup smooth. Here’s the one I love!
6.) Once soup is smooth, taste! Add additional salt and pepper if you need. Remember- salt makes your meal pop! You need the right amount that makes your meal really wake up, but isn’t too salty. Garnish with peanuts if you like!
