West African Peanut Soup: The Richest Seed Oil Free Bowl You Will Ever Make

If you have never made   West African Peanut Soup, you are about to discover one of the most satisfying, deeply nourishing dishes on the planet. Known as Groundnut Soup across Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, this rich, velvety stew has sustained West African families for centuries — built on whole, real ingredients and cooked with traditional fats that seed-oil-dependent modern recipes cannot match. At   The Kitchen Foodie this is exactly the kind of ancestral cooking we champion.

Peanut soup is also one of the most naturally   MAHA-aligned dishes in global cuisine. Natural peanut butter — nothing but ground peanuts and salt — provides healthy monounsaturated fats, plant-based protein, and extraordinary flavor. Tomatoes, onions, ginger, and garlic round out a nutritional profile that the   Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health   would recognize as genuinely health-supporting.

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

  • 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs or beef stew chunks
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil or grass-fed tallow — never vegetable oil
  • 1 cup natural peanut butter (no additives — just peanuts and salt)
  • 4 large tomatoes, blended
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 scotch bonnet peppers (adjust to taste)
  • 4 cups chicken or beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh spinach or collard greens (optional — add in final 5 minutes)

How to Make Authentic MAHA Groundnut Soup

Step 1 — Brown Your Protein: Season meat generously with salt and paprika. Heat coconut oil or tallow in a large heavy pot over high heat. Brown meat in batches until deeply golden — 4–5 minutes per side. This step is critical for flavor development. Set aside.

Step 2 — Build the Base: In the same pot, cook diced onions in remaining fat for 6 minutes until golden. Add garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet. Cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and blended tomatoes. Cook this mixture down for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until it darkens and the fat begins to separate from the tomato — this is the visual cue that your base is ready.

Step 3 — Add Peanut Butter and Stock: Whisk peanut butter into the tomato base until fully incorporated. Slowly add stock, stirring constantly to create a smooth, rich consistency. Return browned meat to the pot. According to   USDA Food Data Central, natural peanut butter contains significant levels of niacin, folate, and magnesium alongside its healthy fat content.

Step 4 — Simmer Low and Slow: Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the soup thickens to a velvety consistency and the meat is completely tender. Add greens in the final 5 minutes if using.

Serving Suggestions

Serve over white rice, cauliflower rice, or with boiled yam or plantain — all traditional West African accompaniments. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving brightens the whole bowl beautifully. For more budget-friendly global meals see our   budget recipe guide    and our    full African recipes collection.


West African Peanut Soup: The Richest Seed Oil Free Bowl You Will Ever Make

54 More African Dishes Await

West African Peanut Soup is just one of the extraordinary dishes documented in our   Savor Africa cookbook — your complete guide to authentic African cooking from all 54 countries of the continent. Every recipe is built on whole ingredients and traditional fats, making it the perfect MAHA kitchen companion. Explore it alongside our complete range of global cookbooks on the   Savannah Ryan Amazon author page.

The Bottom Line

West African Peanut Soup is rich, warming, deeply nourishing, and completely free of the industrial seed oils that have no place in authentic African cooking. It is the kind of dish that proves real food does not need shortcuts — it just needs time, good ingredients, and the right fat. Make a big batch. It tastes even better the next day.

Browse our   African recipes section    and our   MAHA no seed oil collection    for more global cooking inspiration.

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