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.
WOW! Just made this for myself and a friend, didn’t have any chopped peanuts, substituted greens for spinach, and added some chipotle tobasco and chilli flakes for good measure! It was amazing! Making this again very soon! :)
Awesome! Glad you two enjoyed the woup!
I’m making this soup tonight. I am using Kale instead of collards and am using water instead of broth since I realized that I didn’t have any right now and honestly didn’t feel like going to the store to get just that. Excited to see how this turns out. It sounds great.
Thanks, Jen! Hope the soup turned out great!
Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s become a family favorite. I usually double the batch and freeze it in separate tupperwares to take out as needed. It only seems to get better :)
I always add chopped sweet potatoes (skin on) when bringing the broth to boil, I think the extra creaminess paired with the firm texture of the skin is amazing. I’ve used kale and rainbow chard sometimes instead of the collards, and it always comes out great. Also, for those who (like me) don’t like capsaicin, try Worcestershire sauce instead of sriracha. A few shakes takes the soup to a whole new level.
Thank you, Ari! So glad to hear it. Your variations sound terrific! Never would have thought to leave the sweet potato skin on.
I made this for lunch, as I’m obsessed with peanut butter. It is SO good!
Yay! Glad to hear it!
Made this tonight as it is a cold, wet and windy evening in Australia. Absolutely delicious! I was able to make my own peanut butter so know all the ingredients except for whatever is in the hot sauce (!) Will definitely make this again and will be trying more recipes from your website. Many thanks.
Thank you for saying so, Monika! I hope you enjoy my other recipes just as much!
I’ve been holding on to this recipe for quite a while waiting for a chilly evening. Sorry to say I found it bland and unappealing as written. I was able to lift it with some lemon juice but I will not be making it this way again.
Sorry to hear that, JB. I’m not sure what I’d suggest next time. It’s a hit with almost everyone who tries it!
Spotted this last night and was so keen to make it I nipped out between long work shifts to get ingredients and whip some up.. and it was worth it! Best soup I’ve made – Delicious, flavoursome and healthy :) Would be great in winter too, and as eating I could imagine adding pineapple. Thanks for pinning, I’d like to make more for others to try. Have to add also that I like all your pins/boards and your dog is so cute! x
Thank you, Michelle!
I made this last night and loved it! I added a bag of frozen roasted cauliflower at the end, then used a hand blender to break it up a bit. We passed the Sriracha at the table and called it “peanut butter soup” and even my 3 year old ate it. I am adding this to my rotation of great plant-based recipes, thanks for sharing it!
Thanks, Katie! Glad to hear it!
Very delicious, easy to make, deffo eating this again
thanks Katie
Thanks, Dave!
I have made this 4 times in the last 6wks, I love it my family loves it, including our 4yr old! My husband and I have been together going on 20+yes and he resigned himself to the fact that I was never going to cook. Surprise! I’m cooking and it’s good!
Woohoo! That’s so awesome. Thanks, Genevieve!
Hi Kate! I just found your site through searching ‘yummy vegan meals’ & BAM,
Was that ever right on! Made your African Peanut Soup today, simple and absolutely De-licious! I will enjoy perusing your site some more and making more deliciousness along the way. Thank you.
Hi Brenda! Thanks for saying hello! So glad you enjoyed this soup. :)
made this and loved it. Even my dad, the guy who HAS to eat meat loved it. I will say-the collard greens are a must. They are thicker and give the soup an incredible texture than anything else out there. Took a 10pm trip to the store so I can make this tomorrow for breakfast. Yes, I said breakfast :)
Wow, so good. In addition to collards I put broccoli, Yukon potatoes, and carrots. I like a hearty stew! It turned out great! I think I’m going to cook up some lentils or black beans to toss in the left overs For some more protein. I don’t use peanut butter so subbed for unsalted chunky almond butter instead. Delish! I had this stew before with peanut butter and it had the very Thai style flavor, very peanut buttery , the Almond butter isn’t as potent so less of the sweet Thai peanut flavor, I enjoy both. If you like more on the sweet side use peanut, less sweet use Almond! Love that you can pretty much throw any veggies in here and it will taste great as long as you got the base down.
Thanks Katrina!
I made a small pot of this for my lunch this week and my mother ate it instead and loved it. She calls me the next day from her home and demanded another full pot. I had to go shopping, make the soup and drive it into town for her. She is the most picky person in the world so if she likes it then it must be good!
That is so great! Glad you both enjoyed the soup, Joanna.
This recipe is in my e-recipe book on Que! It is so tasty. I chop the veggies small and use lacinato (dinosaur) kale. The last batch I made I almost forgot the sriracha sauce… it tasted “off” and thankfully I remembered to add the sauce, it really makes a difference in the flavor. Yum!
Thanks, CarolAnn!
A new comfort food in our house! The real test was serving this to my husband who was unsure about the ingredients. We both LOVED this warm and unique soup. Thank you!
Thank you, Stacy! So glad you both loved it.
Thank you for the delicious and healthy recipe! I made it, and it was great!
Awesome! Thanks, Zach!
This was so freaking good. Thank you! I sauteed the garlic, ginger, and onion first, and added chicken style seitan. Going in my regular soup rotation for sure :)
Yay, thanks Ezra!
I made this… and I expected it to be like a watery satay… but holy moly was I surprised by the taste. It is delicious, quite possibly the tastiest thing I have eaten in months! I added potatoes and sweet potato to the soup, and served with cauliflower rice as someone above suggested.
So so good. I’m raving about it to everyone! It was the perfect remedy to a cold, blustery day!
Thanks :)
Hooray, thanks Alison! Glad it surpassed your expectations. :)
I love African peanut stew! I usually add potatoes to make the stew more filling, and I use cabbage instead of the kale. Your photos are super gorgeous – I haven’t yet figured out how to stage photos yet.
Thanks, Elaine! Now I want to try your version. Thank you for the compliment. Food photography can be tricky, but I’ve gotten better over the years by trial and error! I have some tips over here, but maybe you know them all already!
Delicious!! Seriously, so good and perfect comfort food :) I served it over quinoa and can’t get enough of it!
Thank you, Abby!
I just made this for lunch today.
I was absolutely delicious!!!
All my family loved it including my fussy kiddies!!
Thank you so much Kate!!! :D x x x
Thank you, Clare! Happy to hear it!
I forgot to take a photo… I could do one if an empty bowl this week!!
I’ll do one next week when I make it!!! :D x x x
Just tried this soup and it is amazing! Thank you for a simple and delicious recipie that a new cook like me could handle!! :)
Hooray! Thank you, Amanda.
I’ve been making this recipe for a while now and wanted to let you know what a staple it’s become in our household. My husband can remember (without prompting) about three recipes that I make and this is his favorite. Every time it gets below 50 degrees he asks if I’ll make this and throw in extra greens. I so enjoy your blog and recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Jen (a fellow dog lover and Kansas Citian)
Jennifer, thank you for saying hello! So glad you two are enjoying this soup. :)
This is one of my favorite recipes! I make it every other month, sometimes once a month during winter. It’s so good. I double the amount of greens (kale and collard) and the whole can of tomato paste because I like the stronger tomato flavor with the peanut butter. I recently tried it with almond butter. Maybe it was the brand I used that had not salt or sugar, but I didn’t get the nutty taste that I do with peanut butter. It just tasted like a good vegetable soup, whereas the peanut butter gives it something special.
Thanks, Faith! Happy to hear it. Your version sounds great. Thank you for sharing the almond butter note.
I made this last night and it was so, so amazing. I used all organic ingredients and it only cost me $14! Thank you.
Kate, as a vegetarian born and raised in Denmark, where the main diet staple is dead pigs, I had a hard time finding anything to eat as a youngster.
Then I came across Molly Katzen’s ” The Moosewood cookbook” while living in California in 81, and it totally changed my life.
Judging from those of your recipes, that I’ve tried out, you are about to do the same. Thanks a LOT!
That peanut butter soup is just so weirdly delicious. Love it!
Thank you, Stig! I’m glad you found my site. :)
My friend made the soup for me yesterday, absolutely delicious and it is going in my rotation! I’m wondering if it would freeze OK with the collards in it?
Your friend sounds like a great one! Yes, I think this soup would freeze nicely.
I just made this my dinner and it is delicious :) I used swiss chard rather than collards and it is fantastic. I also added about 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes as I like a bit more kick.
Thank you for the recipe
Awesome! Thank you, Josie!
I made this soup last night and served it on a bed of quinoa, and my partner said it’s his favourite thing I’ve ever made for him! Awesome recipe! I was thinking that next time I made it I might add some fresh diced tomatoes and some pan-fried chickpeas for an added layer of texture… It’s a great recipe to play around with, I think! Thanks for this!
Okay. I made this last night. Sorry, no pictures, the kitchen was a mess (hubby was tiling my new pantry). We’re not vegan. I had chicken broth, and veg broth,and since I didn’t have enough of either one, I used a combo. I think next time, I may dice up the kale stems and cook them with the onions, garlic, etc. instead of tossing those.
I don’t have Siracha, so for heat and complexity, I added about 1 1/2 Tbs of Teeny Tiny Spice Company’s organic Ras el Hanout (North African spice blend), and a 1/2 tsp of Stone Spice Company’s “Fiery Bonnet” seasoning. Ffor extra creaminess, I added about a 1/2 cup of coconut milk.
I served it ladled over brown jasmine rice, and my husband, who can be a very picky eater, LOVED IT!!
I’ve bookmarked your page for future use!!
Hi Pam! So glad to hear you enjoyed the soup. Great idea on the kale stems!
…For folks who have peanut allergies, the closest flavor to peanut butter would probably be roasted cashew butter. Get one that doesn’t have added sugar/salt.
One of my all-time favorite recipes! It turns out wonderfully every single time. I’ve used fresh/frozen spinach, kale, and/or chard with success.
Hooray! Thank you, Stacey.
I’ve made this recipe twice now and have loved it both ways! First was straight from the recipe with no substitutions. Then the second time I added turmeric powder at the end, and rice + sautéed mushrooms and it was even better! Organic collard greens are a must, the store brand ones I used the first time were wilty and almost disappeared in the soup. Thanks for this recipe! <#
I made this tonight and my other half said it’s the best meal she’s had in some time. We don’t have sriracha sauce or collard greens in our little local supermarket so I used hot Indian curry paste (2 tbsp) and English spinach instead – only put the spinach in a few minutes from the end. Also, I included the sweet potato.
I only discovered your site today, 100% rating so far, can’t wait to try more. Thanks so much for sharing these great recipes!
thank you. was looking for vegetarian version of this yummy soup.. now pickup some Kenkay and we are set!
Hope you love it, Michelle!
I made this and your spring rolls this weekend. I used kale and it was a HUGE hit. Not a drop left. Delicious.
Yay! :)
I can’t believe how delicious this was – totally adding this to the regular rotation. I made brown rice on the side as suggested and cooked up some sweet potatoes using the instructions from your Southwestern Kale Power Bowl Salad because they were so tasty. Thanks!!
Thank you, Courtney! Sweet potatoes on top sounds like a great idea!
I am relatively healthy eater, but I’m not particularly adventurous in the kitchen. I could not pass this up though, and I went to the store as soon as I came across this recipe. It came out amazing! I am eating it as I type I can’t wait for a second helping. Thanks!
Thank you, Lianna! Happy to hear that!
Made with almond butter last night. Delicious. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks, Heather.
Currently making this for the THIRD time (which is so rare for me)! One of my all time favorite soups. Thanks for a wonderful recipe :)
Yay, thanks Chelsea!
I have made this countless times and it’s definitely the best soup I have ever made. My husband and I really really love it. I’ve shared it with quite a few people.
Thank you, Heather! And thank you for sharing it with your friends!
This recipe is so amazingly delicious that I just had to post my first comment ever on a blog! Wow! Thanks a million!
I’m currently testing out different food theories to see what has the best result on my well-being and apparently onions have a negative pranic effect meaning from what I interpret it that it consumes more energy than it gives, same apparently goes for chilli peppers, so I substituted the onion for red kale, skipped the Sriracha and added some extra ginger and black pepper. To balance out the taste spectrum in ayurvedic theory I added some turmeric (astringent taste), a few drops of lemon juice and also some drops of agave nectar.
I don’t want to take the focus off the phenomenal base here, my intention is to communicate that I just ate the best meal I’ve had in years and express my deep gratitude for the truly indispensable role that you played in it Kate. Thank you so much. Oh, and greet that guy :D
Wonderful recipe. I used fire roasted tomatoes instead of tomato paste, and added two cans of garbanzos, diced sweet potato, and kale (instead of collards). Took it to work and everyone gobbled it up!
This soup has become a staple at my apartment. It’s my favorite soup recipe yet – nutty, salty, savory, and filling. I’m really happy I found it!
I haven’t changed anything about the recipe and always pair it with rice.
This was delicious! Made it for dinner tonight and it was a hit all around. Husband and kids loved it!
I made this for dinner last night and can’t wait to eat it again for lunch today. It was easy to make and delicious. I blended mine with an immersion blender and added greens as a garnish at the very end. Delicious!
I wish I could give this more than 5 stars! So good!!!!
Deeeelish!!