African G-nut (aka Peanut) Stew

Bored of your regular cooking repertoire? Tired of cooking/eating the same thing all the time? Need ideas for a healthy, hearty vegetarian dinner that comes together in just minutes? Let's take a little journey to Africa shall we?

Here is a stew that is so hearty and filling and stick-to-your-stomach good (and good for you, too!). In Africa, peanuts (or “g-nuts,” short for groundnuts) are featured in many meals. Today I have paired the nut with a sweet potato, carrot, onion, green bell pepper, and garbanzo bean stew. You can add whatever vegetables and beans and other goodies that you like--eggplant, peas, tomato, spinach, cauliflower, chilies, pineapple, tofu (or chicken or lamb).

I made some cornbread and sliced up cucumbers to go along with the stew, but it would also be lovely served over rice.


What I love about this stew is that it can be made for one or a few people or multiplied and made for a large crowd. This definitely makes my comfort food list...warm, mushy, hearty stew, and makes great leftovers, too.

Another dish that I like to make is this "G-nut Special Sauce and Sweet Potatoes" from Vegetarian Times Magazine. I have made this dish over and over and just love it!

African G-nut (aka Peanut) Stew
based on the recipe from blogger Field to Feast

serves 4

2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups veggie broth
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans
1/2 cup peanut butter
cilantro or parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the ground cumin and ground coriander and cook for 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt, vegetable broth, green pepper and garbanzo beans. Bring the stew to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the sweet potato and carrot are soft. Mix in the peanut butter and cook for a final 5 minutes. If you want a thinner or thicker stew, you can add more peanut butter or, alternatively, more broth.

3. Serve the stew hot, with the toasted peanuts and cilantro or parsley as a garnish.