West African Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Peanut Soup (Maafe)
Velvety West African peanut stew simmered with tomatoes, sweet potato, and tender meat until deeply nutty and warming — a crowd-pleaser across Senegal, Mali, and beyond.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Brown the Meat: In a large heavy pot, lightly brown the meat pieces on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside.
- 2
Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, sauté the chopped onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant (about 3 mins). Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- 3
Prepare the Peanut Base: Whisk the peanut butter with 1 cup of warm broth until completely smooth and lump-free. Pour this mixture into the pot along with the remaining broth and the scotch bonnet pepper (leave whole for less heat).
- 4
Simmer with Meat: Return the browned meat to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- 5
Add Vegetables: Add the chopped carrots and sweet potatoes. Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender, the meat is cooked through, and oil slightly rises to the top of the rich, thick sauce.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
64/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving965
Calories
68 g
Protein
38 g
Carbs
65 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Maafe is a West African groundnut stew found across Senegal, Mali, and the wider Sahel region, built on peanut butter or ground peanuts stirred into a tomato-based broth with chicken or meat and often sweet potato. Getting the peanut base to blend smoothly into the broth rather than separating or turning grainy is the main technical challenge the dish presents.
Listahan note
This version thins the peanut butter with warm broth before it goes into the pot, since stirring it in cold and undiluted is what causes the sauce to clump or split under heat.
Technique cues
- Whisking peanut butter with a ladle of warm broth before adding it to the pot keeps it from seizing into clumps once it hits the rest of the liquid.
- Keeping the pot at a low, steady bubble rather than a hard boil is what keeps the peanut base from splitting into an oily layer on top.
- Browning the meat before building the tomato and peanut base develops a deeper savory foundation than adding raw meat directly to the sauce.
- Adding sweet potato in large chunks partway through cooking keeps it from disintegrating by the time the stew finishes simmering.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Prep any side dishes while Peanut Soup (Maafe) finishes with the thumb-sized ginger piece — the hands-off cook time is the window to use. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
- Make-ahead
- Peanut Soup (Maafe) reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the thumb-sized ginger piece. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
- Leftover move
- Leftover Peanut Soup (Maafe) reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which tends to toughen the chicken or beef pieces on a fast reheat. This one leans on the thumb-sized ginger piece. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Deglaze the pan used for Peanut Soup (Maafe) with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the thumb-sized ginger piece. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter
Richness and texture
Purpose: cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter rounds the texture and helps the dish feel complete.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use unsweetened dairy-free alternatives only where they still provide enough fat and body.
500g chicken or beef pieces
Main protein or body
Purpose: g chicken or beef pieces gives Peanut Soup (Maafe) its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Pat dry, cut evenly, and season before cooking so browning or sauce coverage is consistent.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
2 tbsp tomato paste
Acid and brightness
Purpose: tbsp tomato paste balances richness and keeps the finished dish lively.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
1 large onion
Aromatic base
Purpose: large onion creates the savory foundation before stronger ingredients are added.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
2 cloves garlic
Aromatic base
Purpose: cloves garlic creates the savory foundation before stronger ingredients are added.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
Technique notes
- Stir the pot occasionally as the peanut base thickens, since it can catch and scorch on the bottom more easily than a thinner broth.
- Serve over rice, which is built to absorb the thick, nutty sauce.
- A pinch of chili added to taste is common, adjusted at the end rather than cooked in from the start.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free direction
- Swap the unsweetened smooth peanut butter for a neutral dairy-free butter or oil and a full-fat plant milk (oat or coconut work best for body) — the texture shifts slightly but the dish holds together. This one leans on the thumb-sized ginger piece.
- Nut-aware direction
- Leave out the unsweetened smooth peanut butter or replace it with toasted seeds (sunflower or pumpkin) for a similar crunch without the tree-nut or peanut risk. This one leans on the thumb-sized ginger piece.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use a low-sodium or no-salt-added version of the chicken broth, then season to taste with fresh herbs, citrus, or vinegar at the end instead of more salt. This one leans on the thumb-sized ginger piece.
- Weeknight shortcut
- For a faster version, prep the longest-cooking component a day ahead so the night-of cook is mostly assembly and finishing. This one leans on the thumb-sized ginger piece.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Cucumber salad
- Roasted vegetables
- Pickled vegetables
- Iced tea
- Sparkling water with citrus
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of water, broth, milk, or sauce as appropriate.
- Freeze up to 2 months when the texture is braised, baked, or stew-like.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Make this household-aware
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