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A bowl of west african peanut-free stew.
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5 from 12 votes

Nut-Free Vegan West African Peanut Stew

If you don't have sunflower seed butter on hand, but want to keep it nut-free, try using tahini. You can make your own sunflower seed butter by blending toasted sunflower seeds in a food processor until creamy--about 10 minutes. Or you can find sunflower seed butter at the store. I buy the canned jackfruit at Trader Joes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: African
Servings: 4
Author: Jenné Claiborne

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil or other neutral cooking oil
  • 1 medium red or yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 2 inch ginger minced
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded & diced
  • 1/2 jalapeño seeded & diced
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp whole coriander seed
  • 1 medium sweet potato cubed (about 1 cup)
  • 1 yukon gold potato or red skin potato cubed (about 1 cup)
  • 1 14- oz can diced tomatoes or 3 ripe diced tomatoes
  • 4-6 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1 can unripe jackfruit chunks halved
  • 2 cups cooked kidney beans or 1 can
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable bouillon paste I use Better Than Bouillon brand. Skip if using veggie broth
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp harissa paste optional
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter or up to 1 cup if desired for a thicker stew
  • 1 tsp sea salt + more to taste
  • 1 bunch collard greens sliced into thin ribbons (removing the stem is optional since you're cutting them so thin)

For serving

Instructions

  • Warm oil in a large pot on medium-high heat.
  • Add the onions, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, and jalapeño, plus a pinch of salt and saute until onions are translucent.
  • Add the cumin and coriander, and stir. Cook for another 30 seconds or so.
  • Add the sweet potato, yukon potato, tomatoes, the water or broth, bouillon, jackfruit, and beans.
  • Bring to a simmer and add the bouillon paste.
  • Cook with the lid ajar for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender but not mushy.
  • Add the smoked paprika and harissa if using, and stir well.
  • Stir in the sunflower seed butter. Add up to 1 cup if you'd like it very thick.
  • Then add the salt.
  • Lastly, add the collard greens and cook another 5 minutes until they are bright green and tender.
  • Season to taste with more salt if necessary.
  • Serve with fresh black pepper, cilantro, and lime over rice.

Video

Notes

Tips for making West African Peanut Stew

  1. Sauté your aromatics––onions, garlic, pepper–– until the onions are translucent and everything is tender and slightly caramelized. This assures maximum flavor for the base. Add a little salt to the vegetables as they cook. 
  2. Measure your spices and combine them all in a bowl before you start cooking. They should all be toasted for 30 seconds after the aromatics are tender. Measure first to avoid burning. 
  3. Use a fork to lightly shred your jackfruit pieces. Shredded jackfruit has a really nice texture. Though, if you prefer chunks, that is delicious too. 
  4. The sunflower butter will separate when it’s first added to the pot. Let the stew simmer, and give it a good stir. It will become creamy and consistent. 
  5. Add the collard greens last to avoid overcooking. The greens should be bright and beautiful when serving the dish, though still tender. 

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1813mg | Potassium: 1155mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 9784IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 7mg