African Peanut Soup (Maafe)
How to Make Maafe – This classic West African peanut soup recipe includes creamy peanut butter, tender chicken, and fresh veggies for a delicious and hearty soup or curry over rice.
Why We Love This West African Peanut Butter Soup Recipe
Really, what isn’t better with peanut butter?! This wonder legume adds an amazing earthy-ish taste and luscious texture to practically any dish, from sweet to savory. Including soups!
Maafe (AKA Tigadegena and Domoda) is a traditional African peanut soup popular in Ghana, Senegal, and Gambia. It is made with chicken and vegetables, in a creamy peanut butter and garlic base. West African Peanut Stew features bold flavors in a velvety rich broth – with just a bit of heat from crushed red pepper. Every bite is vibrant, satisfying, and keeps you coming back for another spoonful.
Start to finish this recipe only requires about 30 minutes to make. So it’s terrific for a quick but hearty dinner any night of the week! Serve the West African-inspired soup as-is for a low-carb option, or enjoy over rice, like an African curry. Either way, everyone will be coming back for another bowl of this decadent and delightful soup!
Ingredients You Need
This homemade Maafe recipe uses simple, whole ingredients for a good-for-you soup! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sweet onion – peeled and cut into wedges
- Tomatoes – cut into wedges
- Ginger – peeled
- Garlic– peeled
- Peanut butter – creamy
- Chicken broth – or bouillon with water
- Chicken breasts – cut into 1-inch pieces
- Bell pepper – seeded and chopped
- Carrot – sliced (or diced sweet potato)
- Spices – crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper (jalapeno or scotch bonnet pepper can also be used)
- Optional garnishes – chopped peanuts and cilantro
How to Make African Peanut Soup
First, set out a blender. Place the onion wedges, tomato wedges, piece of ginger, garlic cloves, and peanut butter in the blender. Cover and purée until smooth.
Set a large saucepan (or dutch oven) over medium heat. Pour the peanut butter purée into the pot.
Get the Complete (Printable) African Peanut Soup Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Then add the chopped pieces of chicken. Stir in the broth, chopped bell pepper, carrots, and crushed red pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Stir well and bring the peanut soup to a low boil.
Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir it regularly to make sure the chicken and veggies do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
Maafe Tips & Tricks
- Add more veggies! This peanut butter African soup can be made even more nutritious if you add some extra greens like kale!
- If you don’t have a blender, simply dice the tomatoes, onion, ginger, and garlic into small pieces!
- Don’t love rice? You can serve your African peanut stew with naan bread or any crusty bread of your choice!
- If you or anyone you know has a peanut allergy, you can replace the peanut butter sunflower seed butter! This will still lend a deep, nutty flavor to the African stew without any risk!
Serving Suggestions
Ladle into bowls and top the soup with crunchy crushed peanuts and chopped fresh cilantro.
Enjoy Maafe as-is for a low-carb and protein-rich soup that’s healthy, hearty, and most importantly IMO, delicious.
Serve with a scoop of white rice or jollof rice snuggled into the bowl to eat more like a classic curry dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Swap the chicken broth with veggie broth and omit the chicken for a veg-friendly recipe. You can leave out the protein entirely, or add a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas or cubes of extra firm tofu. If including tofu, I do recommend that you skillet fry, air fry, or bake the cubes firm before they are added to the soup. Then add only in the last 5 minutes or so of the cooking time.
Add a pinch more of crushed red pepper for an extra spicy kick. Or leave out the red pepper for a mild but nonetheless bright and flavorful soup.
Leftover Maafe tastes amazing! Let the soup cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It also freezes very well. Once cooled, transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container. Wrap in a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Looking For More Scrumptious Soups? Be Sure To Also Try These Easy Recipes:
- Low Carb Chicken Mushroom Soup
- Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- Easy Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
- Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
African Peanut Soup (Maafe)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 sweet onion peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 large tomatoes cut into wedges
- 1 piece ginger peeled (2-3 inches)
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 ½ cups sliced carrot
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Salt and pepper
- Optional garnishes: chopped peanuts cilantro, cooked rice
Instructions
- Set out a blender. Place the onion wedges, tomato wedges, piece of ginger, garlic cloves, and peanut butter in the blender. Cover and purée until smooth.
- Set a large soup pot over medium heat. Pour the peanut butter purée into the pot. Stir in the broth, chicken breast pieces, chopped bell pepper, carrots, and crushed red pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir well and bring to a low boil.
- Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir it regularly to make sure the chicken and veggies do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve as is, or with a side of rice.
hi christine.. love this recipe. made it a few times now. always perfect. so easy to make.LOVEIT LOVE IT
Is the rice carbs added in this recipe to make the 14 or omitted.
Hi Christina!
No, the rice is an optional add-in so it is not calculated in the nutritional facts. Sorry for the confusion.
Love this recipe…it is easy to make and delicious thank you for sharing ❤️ 😋
This is an awesome soup recipe, it turned out delicious, so creamy, and buttery. We loved it!
this recipe is super delicious! thank you so much for sharing!
I like the recipe.but without the peanut butter as I am a vegan I would have to blend recipe with peanut to get my desired flavour thanks
This African peanut soup is SO GOOD! I love the flavors and how hearty this soup is!