West African Peanut Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

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When you’re looking for a creamy, nutritious, and deliciously exotic West African soup, our Peanut Soup with sweet potatoes and spinach will impress your guests and satisfy your hunger for hours.  A super delicious way to get part of your daily vegetable intake.

Tips on How to Make a Delicious Peanut Soup

This hearty peanut soup begins with a base of sautéed onions, garlic ginger and tomatoes, and a sprinkling of dried red chili peppers. The inspiration for this soup comes from the perfect combination of flavors that are the foundation of West African’s celebrated cuisine. The soup becomes a silky stew with the addition of a generous swirl of peanut butter and a delicious blend of sweet potatoes and spinach.

Swap things around and customize it to your liking

The success of our peanut soup relies on fresh ingredients, high-quality olive or coconut oil, and naturally-processed peanut butter.  Either smooth or crunchy peanut butter can be used.  If you are not a fan of spinach switch it out for collard greens, kale, Swiss chard or even okra.  Do you want a lighter soup?  Swap the sweet potatoes for butternut squash or even spaghetti squash. You can also choose to top this peanut soup with cilantro, scallions, chives or honey roasted peanut for an extra touch of sweetness and crunch.  Enjoy! 

Some interesting facts about peanuts

Peanuts originated in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru where they gained popularity before being brought to Spain by the conquistadors.  In fact, the peanut is featured in much of Latin America’s pre-Colombian art.  From Spain, the peanut was exported to Europe, Africa, and eventually the U.S. by Portuguese, French and British colonial traders.  European explorers also brought chili peppers and tomatoes to West Africa where the iconic Peanut Soup was born.

Brain and Beauty Superfood

Known for its high levels of niacin, unsaturated fatty acids, and Vitamin E, the peanut may be the most affordable beauty product on the market today.  Niacin and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids from peanuts are critical for the regeneration of skin cells.  Vitamin E keeps free radicals from blemishes and wrinkles.

The peanut also contains resveratrol, the high-powered antioxidant that improves mood and cognitive function and strengthens neural pathways, making it a great source of protein for those with a history of Alzheimer’s or dementia in their family.

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Peanut Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

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★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Vicky & Ruth
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 16 cups 1x
• Category: soup
• Method: stove top
• Cuisine: West African

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Description

When you’re looking for a creamy, nutritious, and deliciously exotic soup, our Peanut Soup with sweet potatoes and spinach will impress your guests and satisfy your hunger for hours.  A super delicious way to get part of your daily vegetable intake.

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, diced small ( we used a sweet onion)
• 1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 –28 ounce can tomato puree
• 1–2 tsp sea salt ( to taste)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper ( or to taste)
• 2 medium large sweet potatoes, diced ( about 4 cups)
• 1 lb frozen chopped spinach
• 1  cup all natural peanut butter (you can use smooth or crunchy)
• Optional toppings: chopped scallions, chopped cilantro, diced cucumbers

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Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the minced garlic and onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent
2. Add 6 to 8 cups of water (see note 1), ginger, tomato puree, salt,  crushed red pepper, sweet potatoes and spinach. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender ( See note 2)
3. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add the peanut butter, mix well, bring to a boil again, and turn off heat.

Notes

1. Add 6 to 8 cups of water, depending on how thick you like the soup. Start with 6 cups and you can always add more if you want to thin it out
2. Time may vary depending on the size of the dice of the sweet potatoes

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 165
• Sugar: 6.2
• Sodium: 217
• Fat: 9.5
• Saturated Fat: 1.8
• Unsaturated Fat: 7
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 17.3
• Fiber: 4
• Protein: 6
• Cholesterol: 0