Vegetarian Peanut Soup
This West African peanut soup recipe is made with pantry staples and collard greens. It's a creamy, spicy vegan soup that's easy to make on busy weeknights.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 5, 2024
I know that peanut butter, tomatoes and collard greens may seem like an unlikely combination, but I hope you’ll trust me on this one.
This recipe was originally inspired by a friend’s vegan cookbook called Local Bounty. With the author’s headnote, “Of all the soups we serve in my restaurant, this one is by far the most popular,” and his endorsement, I trusted that this soup was a safe bet.
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out the revamped peanut soup with sweet potatoes and chickpeas in my cookbook!
We taste-tested the soup with a few different hot sauces (none of them African) and decided that we liked sriracha was the best. It provides just the right punch of heat.
The end result is a creamy, nourishing soup made of basic pantry ingredients, herbs and greens. It doesn’t require much prep and the hot sauce cuts down on the total number of ingredients, so it’s perfect for cold days and lazy weeknights.
I originally titled this soup “West African Peanut Soup.” While it’s inspired by West African peanut soups, it’s not authentic by any stretch. I’m told that authentic recipes do not contain collard greens, and I believe they often contain meat, among other details.
As a vegetarian, this recipe may be the closest I’ll ever taste to the authentic dish, and I love it for all of the aforementioned qualities. Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or follow any diet under the sun, I hope you love it, too!
Vegetarian Peanut Soup
This West African-inspired peanut soup recipe is a creamy and comforting, spicy vegan soup. Made with a simple combination of peanut butter, tomato paste and collard greens, this soup comes together quickly and would be a great weeknight meal. If you love spicy flavors like me, don’t hesitate to use liberal amounts of ginger and garlic. Recipe yields 6 bowls.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 medium jalapeño (optional, for heat), seeded, ribs removed, and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely grated or minced fresh ginger
- 4 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter*
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 medium bunch collard greens or kale (about 8 ounces), tough ribs removed and leaves chopped into bite-size pieces
- Hot sauce, preferably Sriracha
- For serving (optional): 1 batch of cooked brown rice
- For garnish (optional): ¼ cup roughly chopped roasted peanuts and a handful of chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, jalapeño (if using), and a dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and water, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a heatproof medium bowl, combine the peanut butter and tomato paste. Transfer 1 to 2 cups of hot broth from the pot to the bowl. Whisk the mixture until smooth, then pour the peanut mixture into the soup and mix well.
- Stir the collard greens into the soup and continue cooking until the soup is nice and thick, with sufficiently softened greens, 15 to 25 minutes longer. Season the soup with hot sauce to taste (I usually add over 1 tablespoon Sriracha, but I like spicy soups). Remove the pot from the heat and add more salt to taste, if necessary (I often add up to ½ teaspoon more).
- Serve the soup in bowls as desired—perhaps over cooked rice, with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts and cilantro on top. Serve with additional hot sauce on the side.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Local Bounty: Vegan Seasonal Recipes by Devra Gartenstein and my cookbook, Love Real Food.
Change it up: Add 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice, with the onion. You can also stir 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, into the soup with the collard greens.
*Peanut butter options: I use unsweetened natural peanut butter in this recipe (salted or unsalted both work). If you’re allergic to peanuts, substitute almond butter or sunflower butter and skip the peanut garnish.
Recipe edits: In 2025, I retested this recipe and matched it to my cookbook’s cooking method, which yields superior flavor and texture. The ingredients are the same, besides adding some olive oil to sauté the onion and an optional jalapeño, for heat.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I love african peanut soup!!! I’ve never paired it with rice before but that sounds amazing. I’ll try your version soon since it’s chilly, windy and rainy out (aka the perfect setting for this soup).
I have a peanut allergy, so I substituted the peanut butter with sunflower butter and it still came out good!!!!! I want to make it every week for dinner. Also, I made cauliflower rice instead of rice for a healthier alternative. Bomb!
Glad to hear it, Sheree! Thanks for letting me know. It’s probably about time for me to get on the cauliflower rice bandwagon!
I did too! I think Sunflower Butter is a little bit thicker than regular peanut butter so it reheated a little thicker than I wanted, but overall I think it tastes better with the sunbutter.
I was just thinking of using cauliflower rice :) yumm! cant wait !
this looks so delicious, kathryne! i have always been intrigued by african peanut soup, considering how obsessed i am with peanut butter. I truly must make this.
If you love peanut butter, I know you will love this soup! It’s vegan, too. Hope you try it soon.
This soup looks amazing, it looks and sounds like the perfect comfort food. Can’t wait to try this!
I don’t think these flavors are regrettable at all. This sounds so good to me. I love the photographs!
Mmm, I could really use a big ol’ bowl of this to cuddle up to while the snow falls outside!
I haven’t made this yet but I’ve made so many of your recipes and I just wanted to say thanks for changing my diet. Ah- everything you do is sublime!
Thank you, Alex! I’m blushing.
I will echo this response to say I started being a conscious eater a little over a year ago and after I tried your stuffed globe zucchini recipe, I was inspired to keep up this lifestyle and have definitely made at least 5 to 10 other dishes from your blog :)
Thank you, Rachel! That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, truly. :)
Weird combination? No way! This soup sounds like the perfect blend of tart and rich and savory to me. :)
not regrettable at all. This looks so yummy and the perfect meal for cold nights. I have been seeing a lot of peanuts in recipes lately. A trend?
This sounds great! I’ll totally trust you on this and bookmark it :)
Thanks, Nicole. Hope you get a chance to try it soon!
Yummy! I have a similar recipe that calls for garbanzos, sweet potatoes, and zucchini. Really beefs up (pardon the pun!) the protein and nutrients. This looks AWESOME. We will definitely be trying it soon.
Your version sounds good, too! I think I’ll throw a sweet potato in mine next time, maybe some chickpeas, too.
I made this soup as lunch for a women’s ax skills class, including the yam, zucchini, and garbanzos Barbara suggests. We were outside in the falling snow all day and this really warmed our bones at lunch time! Served over brown rice, it got lots of compliments and I’m sending all the students a link to this recipe. Thanks for this vegan, grain-free crowd pleaser!
That’s so great to hear! Thanks, Murphy!
I think I had this (or something really close to it) while I was in Senegal in 2010. It IS delicious, and they eat it all the time over there, although I don’t think I ever saw a vegetarian version…
Good to know that it is based on an authentic dish, at least! I totally Americanized it by making it vegetarian, huh?
Oh fabulous! I love this soup and it’s fun to see a vegetarian version to try!
Wait, you have a beau now? He’s a lucky man! This looks amazing. (I just almost ordered collard greens in my groceries. Now I have to add them.)
Yep, sure do! He’s great. Hope you can get those collards soon, I think you’ll love this soup.
Actually I think peanut butter and collards sound wonderful together! This is totally my kind of soup.
The first time I made “Ground Nut Stew” was in 6th grade! I made it for a social studies class project and served it in tiny cups to parents and student who attended our cultural fair. The version I used was fantastic if I say so myself and it included chicken. Your version sounds even better I cant wait to try it I am sending my daughter out as we speak to obtain some organic collards and fresh ground peanut butter from our local health food store!!!
How neat! I wish I had been introduced to this stew/soup in 6th grade… I’ve been missing out! Hope you and your daughter enjoy the recipe.
Sixth grade was the first and last time I had peanut stew (as part of our ‘world cuisines’ we made…chili con carne. So excited to try this vegan recipe!
can’t say i ever thought that peanut butter would ever make it in a soup, but this peanut butter-loving-girl is sold! looks delicious.
As a fellow peanut-butter-loving girl, I have no doubt you’d enjoy this soup! Hope you give it a try, Lindsey.
Do you think you could sub the collard greens for spinach? Huge bag in my fridge just waiting to be added to something delicious.
Yes, I do! I would add the spinach in the last few minutes of cooking, though.
i love you for this. I really do.
:)
This sounds fantastic! I just so happen to have all of the ingredients in my kitchen, except the collards. Funnily enough it has actually stopped snowing here for the first time in days, so I might just have to hop in the car and go pick up some greens! Have an awesome weekend lady! :)
Sounds like a keeper… The boy AND the soup! :-) My boy made me an African peanut stew, too, for Valentine’s Day. He is also one that would point to a llama. All good things. :-)
Oh my – I think I know what I am going to be making tomorrow! I have a bag of collards I was trying to decide what to do with this time, and all the other ingredients are standard in my pantry… ;-)
You had me at peanut nutter, tomatoes, and collard greens. I’m usually not big on peanuts, but this combination sounds a lot more interesting than regrettable. I’ll definitely be trying this soon :)
My stepdad always orders Peanut soup when it is offered. It always freaked me out…until I finally tried it. OMG. I have been wanting to make an almond butter version but I am not sure how it would turn out. I’ll have to give this recipe a shot with almond butter and let you know.
I was looking for a good recipe to make for a mostly-vegan friend, but he has a peanut allergy. Usually I will substitute stuff into recipes without hesitation, but since peanuts are the title item I was thinking that not using peanuts would ruin it. If your substitution works please let me know, this soup sounds amazing.
Wish I knew if almond butter tastes good in this soup. Your vegan friend might enjoy my curried cauliflower soup or butternut squash chili. Both are vegan.
I am all over this beauty! What a fabulous soup!!
Sounds lovely! What were the spices in the original recipe?
Thanks, Kat. The original recipe called for hot sauce, but I’ve seen other similar recipes that use dried spices like cayenne pepper, ground coriander, turmeric, cumin and/or cinnamon, so I think you could play around with those instead.
Made this for dinner tonight! I was just wondering what to do with all those collard greens when I spotted this recipe… delicious!!! Thanks!
So glad to hear it, Bethany! One week later, I’m wishing I had a bowl of this soup for dinner.
I’ve never cooked with collard greens (gasp!) but this soup sounds so doable. Gorgeous flavors. Happy friday!!
I was born in Africa, but moved to the US when I was young and thus, never really tried African food when I was there. Looks amazing. Bookmarking this. Gorgeous site you have here.
Too bad winter is almost over here, in Israel. Nevertheless, this looks so yummy and simple, I’ll cook it this week, in any weather. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll let you know how it was. :)
Your soup looks really nice! I am a sucker for anything spicy, especially south east asian and african dishes. Unfortunately where I live, Denmark, supermarkets don’t have the selection of products most of the world has, so no hot sauce here. Would have loved to try it out thought.
Tina
Oh my, I can’t imagine a life without hot sauce! Other similar recipes use ground cayenne pepper, ground coriander, turmeric, cumin and/or cinnamon if you want to play around with those.
I’ve seen recipes for West African peanut soup many times now, but have yet to get around to actually making it. I generally stay away from soup as it doesn’t seem to fill me up, but I am quite positive this soup would do a good job of that. Back to the top of my list it goes!
I tend to agree with you about soup Jodye- but this one is incredibly filling! You have to try it if you haven’t already! :)
I love these flavors – this looks perfect a really cold winter night!
Kate,
This is very similar to the African Peanut Stew I make: http://laurenhardy.com/tasty-tuesdays-african-peanut-stew/.
Looks delicious!
(:
Kate,
Thanks, once again, for another AMAZING recipe! It’s so yummy!!! In one single week I have made three of your soup recipes (the spicy black bean soup and the spicy lentil soup). They are all winners. :) I might even try another recipe over the course of the next few days. You’re the best. :)
Have a wonderful day!
That is fantastic to hear! Thank you for letting me know, Tammy!
Looks and sounds amazing, Kate!
I’m going to make this tonight! Depending on my ambition level later I may or may not add some shredded chicken since my boyfriend and myself are big meat eaters. The different combination made me really excited to try it right away! Thanks!
Faaaaaaaabuuuuuuulous. The end.
haha, cracking up at you calling this soup “homely”. it’s been my experience that the “homelier” the soup, the better tasting it is! can’t wait to try this!
My husband is making this for me right this minute, sOUper excited to eat it with a big pile of brown rice!
Hope you two enjoyed the soup!
I like the sound of this–both the handsome fellow and his cookbook’s soup! A man who can cook is a jackpot indeed, especially one who cooks with you. : )
You’ve got a keeper–recipe and fellow! I absolutely love African Peanut Soup, I’ll make it soon and see if I can’t be a keeper as well ;) hee!
Just made this – literally, I just inhaled a bowl! – and it. is. FABULOUS. Even using ground ginger rather than fresh (forgot to pick it up at the store). I spooned it over some quinoa instead of brown rice, too, since I had some on hand. YUM. So yum. Thank you!
Thanks, Maggie! Glad you loved the soup. I wish I had some for dinner tonight!
I just made this for Sunday night supper. SOOOO Delicious! I’m freaking out! Super quick and easy also! Thank you!
That’s great, Christi! I’m really glad you enjoyed the soup. I’m hoping to make it again before spring weather comes around. Thank you for letting me know!
The idea of a peanut stew has always intrigued me, but I’ve never actually made it. I may need to try this one!
I hope you’ll give it a try, Julie! It’s so good, I promise.
While not the most attractive, this soup looks incredibly comforting. And for a soup, it’s got a pretty short cooking time. I am making this tonight!
Thanks, Morgan! Hope you loved the soup.
I keep coming across recipes for African Peanut Soup these days, but none have been as enticing as this one! That’s it, I’m giving it a try – thanks for sharing! And your pictures are lovely. I especially love the photo of the collards.
This looks lovely! I’ve always been intriguing by peanut soup but never made it. Thanks for this — and glad to hear the handsome fellow knows his way around the kitchen ;)
Not a regrettable combination in the slightest! This looks fabulous! I’m going to have to make this for dinner! :D
this is the BEST combination! I am going to try this ASAP. I love anything sweet/savory soup, esp with peanut butter-heck ya
This was a total hit! I added a splash of white wine at the end. Super delish- thanks for posting!
Thanks, Kim! Glad you enjoyed the soup, and good idea with the wine. I usually just drink my wine but I’ve recently realized that it can be so great for cooking, too!
I just had this over quinoa at a friends’ baby shower! So. wonderful.
Thank you, Tia! It’s fun to imagine you all eating this soup at a baby shower. Glad you all enjoyed it.