Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
Peanut Stew is a well-known vegan dish from Sierra Leone that packs a flavourful punch!
Peanut stew is widely consumed across West Africa. Before the arrival of peanuts in the 16th century, this stew was referred to as "Groundnut Stew" this was due to the locally grown groundnut that was used. Now peanuts are added to make this insanely tasty dish.
Peanuts and groundnuts are not the same, though their names are used interchangeably; groundnuts actually taste more like chickpeas. As a legume, groundnuts and peanuts belong to the same botanical family Fabaceae, commonly known as the pea family. Fabaceae includes about 670 types and nearly 20,000 species of trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs. Legumes are a type of plant such as the bean plant with seeds that grow in long cases called pods. Groundnuts are indigenous to African legumes.
The stew itself is thick, creamy, and rich. It's packed with spice and favour so enticing that you'll surely be cooking this as a regular staple meal. There are many versions of groundnut stew across Africa that vary with the vegetables and spices used. This recipe has been inspired by the traditional; however, my version uses protein-rich chickpeas and sweet potatoes loaded with beta carotene.
Sweet Potato Peanut Stew Recipe
- 1 large sweet potato or 3 small, peeled, cubed
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tin tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree or hot sauce
- 1 tin chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 inch of fresh root ginger, peeled, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 scotch bonnet (omit for non-spicy)
- 1 tin of light coconut milk
- Three heaping tbsps of peanut butter
- 1/2 a lemon's juice
- Add chopped onion, bell pepper, chili pepper (if using), garlic, and ginger to a large pot with a dash of water on medium heat. Keep an eye on this, adding a little more water if needed.
- When the onion is translucent, add your curry powder and spices, stir in for 30 seconds.
- Follow with tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, tomato puree/chili sauce, vegetable stock, (star anise & cinnamon stick, if using) and peanut butter. Stir well.
- Simmer on low for 20-25 min.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add cooked chickpeas for the remaining 5 minutes.
- Check the sweet potato is tender throughout before turning off the heat and leaving to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Add some lemon juice and stir.
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