Description
This peanut stew is a wholesome dairy free and gluten free meal that’s packed with nourishment and warming flavors. It’s delicious over rice and feeds a crowd. Freezer friendly and made with healthy, real food ingredients!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sauce (for crock pot, Instant Pot, and stove top methods)
- 1 cup tomato sauce or plain diced canned tomatoes
- 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (no stir work best)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (adjust as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (see note)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Remaining Ingredients for stew
- 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon cooking oil as needed – Use 1 Tablespoon if you are not browning meat.
- 1 lb diced stew meat (chicken, beef, or pork), optional
- 2 cups broth (2 1/2 cups if adding meat)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (3 small cloves)
- 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 10 ounces (2 small) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into cubes
- 2/3 cup peeled and sliced carrot, optional
- 2 cups spinach leaves or 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Add all the sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse to combine. Alternatively, you can place them in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Stove Top Instructions
- Notes before you begin. If you are using meat, brown it in the pan first, before adding the other ingredients.
- Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add the meat and brown for 5 minutes, turn meat once to evenly cook. When meat is almost cooked through, remove from pan and place on a large plate or bowl. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add 1/2 tbsp to 1 tbsp oil and onions. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.
- Add the tomato sauce, peanut butter, spices, spinach, and broth. Stir to combine. Simmer and cover for 1 hour or until sweet potatoes are tender and meat is cooked through.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté and add cooking oil. When oil is hot, add onion and garlic, and sauté until onions are brown, about 2 minutes. NOTE: If adding meat, first brown the meat in the oil, then add onion and garlic, and continue to sauté until onions are brown, about 2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients (minus toppings) and sauce, then stir to combine. Pressure cook on high power for 20 minutes, then allow a natural release of the pressure.
- After pressure is released, remove the lid and transfer contents to bowls for serving.
Crock Pot – Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Place diced sweet potatoes, carrots, and broth into the crock pot. Set on low while you make the rest of the stew.
- OPTIONAL STEP (if adding meat). Place meat of choice in frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil. Brown for 5 minutes, then add onion and garlic. Continue to saute until onions are brown, about 2 minutes. Place browned meat and onion to the crock pot with the veggies and broth. Mix to combine.
- Make the sauce by placing all sauce ingredients listed into a blender or food processor. Alternatively, use a whisk to mix by hand. Blend until creamy and smooth.
- Add sauce to the crock pot, along with spinach and remaining seasonings, then stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 to 5 hrs or high for 3 hours. Note: If you cook on high, check for doneness after 2 hours
- When the stew is ready, ladle it over individual bowls of hot rice. Garnish with cilantro, chopped roasted peanuts, and optional spicy peppers of choice.
Notes
- If you don’t have ground coriander, you may use 3/4 tsp ground cumin.
- You can make this with beef, chicken, pork, or turkey. Or, to make it vegetarian/vegan without meat, simply add in chickpeas.
Nutritional Information
- Nutrition shown below is for 1 serving, without meat or rice
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: main
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: African
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 264
- Sugar: 9.3 g
- Sodium: 396.9 mg
- Fat: 14.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.3 g
- Fiber: 5.4 g
- Protein: 12.1 g
- Cholesterol: 8.4 mg
Keywords: African peanut stew, crockpot stew, spicy stew, West African peanut stew