# West African-inspired peanut stew with sweet potato and quinoa

Source: https://hungryvegan.co/recipes/west-african-inspired-peanut-stew-with-sweet-potato-and-quinoa

> This peanut stew simmers sweet potato and chickpeas in a gingery tomato broth, then gets whisked peanut butter for a silky, rich sauce, with peas and spinach stirred in and everything spooned over quinoa.

- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 30 min
- Serves: 4
- Protein: about 23 g per serving (computed from USDA FoodData Central values)
- Diet: vegan
- Key swap: Creamy peanut butter does the job that heavy cream or slow-cooked meat usually would, turning a simple tomato broth rich, thick and satisfying.
- Make ahead: The stew keeps 4 days in the fridge and tastes even better on day two. Store quinoa separately. The stew thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of broth or water when reheating.

## Ingredients

### Quinoa
- 1 cup (170 g) quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- Pinch of salt

### Stew
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne, to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large sweet potato (about 1 lb / 450 g), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (240 g drained)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup (128 g) natural creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup (140 g) frozen green peas
- 5 oz (140 g) baby spinach
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Salt, to taste

### To serve
- 1/3 cup (48 g) roasted peanuts, chopped
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges and hot sauce

## Steps
1. **Start the quinoa.** Add quinoa, water and salt to a small pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff.
2. **Build the base.** Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until fragrant and brick red.
3. **Simmer the sweet potato.** Add sweet potato, chickpeas, diced tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the sweet potato is fork tender.
4. **Add the peanut butter.** Scoop a ladle of hot broth into a bowl with the peanut butter and whisk until smooth. Stir it back into the pot and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until the stew turns thick and glossy.
5. **Finish with greens.** Stir in the peas and spinach and cook 2 to 3 minutes, just until the spinach wilts. Add lime juice and salt to taste.
6. **Serve.** Spoon quinoa into bowls and ladle the stew over top. Finish with chopped peanuts, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and hot sauce if you like heat.

## Tips
- Use natural peanut butter with just peanuts and salt. Sweetened kinds make the stew taste like dessert.
- Mash a few sweet potato cubes against the side of the pot for an even thicker stew.
- Swap the spinach for chopped kale or collards. Add them with the sweet potato for the last 5 minutes so they soften.

## Questions
### Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes. The sauce will be a little less silky but you get extra texture. Whisk it with the hot broth the same way so it melts in evenly.

### Can I serve it with rice instead of quinoa?
Absolutely. White or brown rice works great, and so does couscous or crusty bread for dunking.


Blooming the spices and tomato paste in oil before any liquid goes in wakes up their flavor and gives the broth a deep, toasty backbone. Simmering the sweet potato and chickpeas right in that broth lets them soak up flavor while some of the potato's starch thickens the pot.

Whisking the peanut butter with hot broth first keeps it from clumping, so it melts into a smooth, rich sauce. A short simmer after it goes in lets the fats emulsify, and a last hit of lime cuts the richness so every bite tastes bright.