Peanut Chickpea Stew
This peanut chickpea stew is a hearty and warming dinner thanks to a generous amount of peanut butter (trust me, it works!), chickpeas, and sweet potato. It's one-pot, naturally vegan, and ready in about 35 minutes.
If you've never put peanut butter in a stew, you're in for a treat. It sounds unusual but it's one of the most addictive flavors in West African cooking - the peanut butter melts into the spiced tomato sauce and gives it a creamy, nutty richness that's completely unlike anything else. The sweet potato adds natural sweetness, the kale brings earthiness and color, and the lime juice at the end lifts everything with a hit of brightness. It's comfort food with depth. I should note that this recipe is inspired by a West African peanut stew, but is definitely not authentic nor supposed to be!
If you love hearty one-pot stews, try my butter bean curry, kidney bean curry, or chickpea tikka masala.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
When I told my family I've got a peanut chickpea stew lined up on my recipe development list, their reaction was a little…underwhelming. But, trust me on this, the peanut butter works so well.
It skips the need for any kind of coconut milk or cream as it naturally thickens up the stew, and adds the most wonderful nutty flavor that works so well with the subtle spices of cumin, coriander powder, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.
I can 100% say after testing it that this recipe is the kind of recipe that makes people say "wait, there's peanut butter in this?" - followed by "can I have the recipe?"
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the key ingredients. The full quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chickpeas: I prefer to use one 540g jar of chickpeas including the jar stock, but you could also use one 400g tin of chickpeas drained and rinsed plus 400ml vegetable stock. Using jarred chickpeas with their stock adds extra body and flavor to the stew without any extra effort.
- Sweet potato: Cut into small cubes so that it softens as the stew simmers and adds a natural sweetness that balances the spice and the earthy peanut butter beautifully.
- Peanut butter: Use a smooth, natural peanut butter for the best result - the ones with just peanuts and salt. Crunchy works too if you want extra texture - but I just added some chopped peanuts on top of my stew for that little bit of crunch.
- Chopped tomatoes: A good quality tinned chopped tomato is a must (I love the Mutti brand). They form the sauce base along with the stock.
- Stock: 1 stock cube dissolved in 250ml hot water. Combined with the jar stock and tomatoes, this gives the stew enough liquid to simmer without drying out - if you're using tinned chickpeas, use about 500ml vegetable stock in total - add more water or stock if needed.
- Garlic and ginger paste: Jarred paste is perfectly fine (I never have fresh ginger to hand!), or use freshly minced garlic and grated ginger.
- Spices - cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne
- Kale: Stirred in at the end so it wilts gently. Spinach is a softer substitute if you prefer.
- Lime juice: This is the finishing touch that lifts the whole stew - the acidity cuts through the richness of the peanut butter and brightens everything.
- Red bell pepper and onion
How to Make Peanut Chickpea Stew
Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the diced onion, sliced red pepper, and cubed sweet potato. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 2: Bloom the Spices
Add the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir the spices into the vegetables and cook for a minute to bloom them.
Step 3: Simmer
Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas (with jar stock if using), and vegetable stock. Stir everything together, cover with a lid, and simmer on medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is fork-tender. Add more water or stock if the stew is reducing too much - you want it saucy.
Step 4: Add the Peanut Butter and Kale
Loosen the peanut butter with 2 tablespoons of hot water, then stir it into the stew until fully incorporated. Add the chopped kale and lime juice and stir until the kale has wilted.
Step 5: Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with the chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serve with rice, flatbread, or crusty bread.
Expert Tips
- Loosen the peanut butter first: Mixing the peanut butter with a couple of tablespoons of hot water before adding it to the stew helps it incorporate smoothly. Adding it straight from the jar can result in lumps in your stew - not the end of the world, but not the best result you want!
- Check the sweet potato: It should be fork-tender by 25-30 minutes. If it's still firm, cook for another 10 minutes. The size of your cubes matters - smaller cubes cook faster.
- Keep it saucy: The stew can reduce as it simmers. Check it periodically and add splashes of water or stock if it's getting too thick. You want a thick but spoonable consistency, not a dry paste.
- The lime juice at the end is non-negotiable: The acidity cuts through the richness of the peanut butter and wakes the whole stew up. Without it, the stew can taste one-dimensional.
- Use natural peanut butter: The ones with just peanuts and salt. Sweetened or heavily processed peanut butters can throw off the flavor balance.
- Make it extra creamy: For a really creamy, mild stew, add half a can of coconut milk.
What to Serve with Peanut Chickpea Stew
This stew is best served with:
- Fluffy white rice or brown rice (the classic)
- Warm flatbread or naan for scooping
- Crusty bread for a more Western pairing
- Over couscous or quinoa for a lighter option!
Storage and Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 4-5 days. Like most stews, the flavors develop and improve overnight. Brilliant for meal prep.
- Freezer: Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and reheat on the stove. One of the best freezer meals I make.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stove with a splash of water. The peanut butter thickens the stew further as it cools, so loosen it when reheating.
- Batch cooking: Double the recipe and freeze half. This is one of those recipes that genuinely freezes perfectly.
FAQs
Not like a peanut butter sandwich! The peanut butter melts into the spiced tomato sauce and gives it a rich, creamy, slightly nutty depth. It's more of a background savoriness than a strong "peanut" flavor. If you've never tried it, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
This is inspired by West African groundnut stew (also called maafe), which traditionally uses peanuts, tomatoes, and vegetables. My version is an interpretation, not an authentic recreation - I've adapted it with ingredients that are easy to find in UK supermarkets.
Yes! Add about 100ml of full-fat coconut milk with the tomatoes for a creamier, milder stew.
I would describe it as moderately warm from the cayenne. The peanut butter and sweet potato definitely help to mellow the heat. For milder, reduce the cayenne to a pinch. For spicier, add more cayenne or a sliced fresh chili.
Yes - spinach wilts faster and has a softer texture. Add it right at the end and stir until just wilted. Collard greens are the most traditional option if you can find them.
Yes! Everything in this recipe is naturally vegan. Check your stock cube for any non-vegan ingredients.
Can I use almond butter instead of peanut butter?
It'll work but the flavor will be different - milder and less distinctly "nutty." Peanut butter is traditional and gives the most authentic result.
Peanut Chickpea Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 sweet potato ~200g, cubed
- 1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.25 teaspoon cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 540 g jarred chickpeas + the jar stock (or 400g chickpeas drained and rinsed + 400ml vegetable stock
- 1 stock cube + 250ml hot water
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 4 tablespoon peanut butter + 2 tablespoon hot water to loosen
- 100 g kale chopped and stems removed
- ½ lime juiced
- 10 g peanuts chopped, to garnish
- 10 g cilantro chopped, to garnish
Method
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the diced onion, red pepper, and sweet potato. Saute for 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for another minute.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 white onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 sweet potato, 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- Add the spices/seasonings, and stir these into the vegetables.1 tsp ground cumin, 0.5 tsp ground coriander, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.25 tsp cinnamon, 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, and stock. Stir everything together and simmer on medium-low heat with the lid on for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sweet potato cubes should be tender - if not, cook for another 10 minutes and check. Add more water or stock as needed to keep the stew saucy.540 g jarred chickpeas + the jar stock (or 400g chickpeas, 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes, 1 stock cube + 250ml hot water
- Stir through the peanut butter, then add the kale and lime juice and stir through until the kale is wilted.4 tbsp peanut butter + 2 tablespoon hot water to loosen, 100 g kale, ½ lime
- Serve the stew with the chopped peanuts and cilantro.10 g peanuts, 10 g cilantro
Nutrition
Notes
- Peanut butter: Loosen with hot water before stirring in. Use natural, smooth.
- Sweet potato: Cube small for faster, more even cooking.
- Lime: Essential - squeeze in at the end to lift the richness.
- Storage: Fridge 4-5 days, freezer 3 months. Even better the next day.
