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.
Love how easy this is to make! Smells really good too but mine looks a lot runnier than the picture and I followed recipe. Any advice?
Looks delicious but this is absolutely not West African Peanut Stew or Groundnut Stewart or Maafe.
Best regards
A West African.
love your cooking,am usually eating meat,but finding myself going to your side more often.made this dish,needed a little more taste,added a little bit of cardemum.yum.
This was such a delicious and satisfying meal. I loved the flavors! Thanks for another amazing recipe. Seriously, your blog is my go-to and I make at least one of your recipes a week.
Amazing how a few simple ingredients can taste so good! Thanks Kate!
I just made this soup and am enjoying it right now!!! It is so delicious :) A unique, rich flavor I’ve never had that I’m really loving. Thank you!
I’m making this for the second time today. It’s delicious…I’ve added a diced sweet potato and am using kale rather than collards because I have them in the refrig already. Love your website and look forward to trying many more recipes.
I just made this and used cauliflower rice instead. It is so wonderful.
I just made this soup yesterday and I love it!! So comforting after a big snow day here in Quebec city! Can’t wait for your cookbook!
WOW! This recipe is so unique, super easy, and delicious. It’s made it into our regular rotation of weeknight winter meals. Thanks, Kate!
YES! I’m always so jazzed to hear a recipe has made it into the regular routine. So happy you loved it!
Just made this recipe. Great flavors and it was nice to make something different from my usual italian/asian recipes. Also fairly easy to make. Will make again, thank you :)
Hey, Chelsea! It’s nice to step out of your comfort zone from time to time :) Even nicer when it comes out delicious. Thanks!
Soooooooooo DELICIOUS! I made this with kale and served with brown rice. I love the thickness and flavour of this dish! Simple recipe with most ingredients already being in my pantry :-)
Awesome! I’m glad this was both delicious *and* convenient :) Best of both worlds.
Made this last night, my husband who believes dinner should come with meat or fish raved about this. Kept telling me to make sure to keep this recipe and commented more than once about the complexity of flavors. I served it over farro. Yummy!
Woohoo! Love hearing that someone’s been converted, if only for one meal :) glad you enjoyed!
Hi Kate,
This soup looks delicious! I had a question though, do you think ginger is necessary? Does it have a strong taste of it in the soup? I strongly dislike ginger, but this soup caught my eye. I have cooked over a dozen other recipes of yours and have all been a success, so I would say I trust you. Please let me know though if it is a must for this soup! Thanks!
Hi Audrey, I’m sorry, I missed your comment earlier. If you hate ginger, you can leave it out—the soup just won’t taste quite as spicy or complex.
This is hands-down, one of the best soups I’ve ever had! Thanks for the recipe. SOOOOO good.
Thanks, Petrina! :)
This is delicious! I’ve made it twice now. The first time I used chunky peanut butter, curly kale, and I did a medium chop on the onions.It was delicious but I thought the texture could be improved.
The second time around I used creamy peanut butter, collard greens, and I chopped the onion at a smaller dice. I also added a chopped sweet potato along with the onion, ginger, garlic and salt. I preferred my second batch and loved the sweet potato addition. I might use a couple sweet potatoes next time. I’ll also try smoother lacinato kale next time for the greens, but I’m a huge fan of kale. Both times I used 1.5 tablespoons of Siracha for the hot sauce.
Thanks for the recipe! I’ve enjoyed experimenting with this.
You’re welcome, Dani! Glad you were able to suit it to your preferences.
Thank you so much for this recipe. OMG! Amazing and so versatile…open to so many variations…..and a fun way to get Kale into my body!
I am battling PCOS this year with a gluten free, whole food, low GI vegan diet and I will certainly be trolling your website for more of these gems.
I’m glad the soup is a winner for you, Vasti! All the best on your journey back toward health. Glad to have you here.
just a small question, how many people does this serve?
Hi Sina, it makes 4 big bowls.
Deliciousness!!! Turned out amazing!
Great to hear, Nicole!
This soup was amazing!!! Thank you!!!
I feel bad for not commenting sooner-I absolutely LOVE this soup. My boyfriend and my roommates do as well. They always ask for it-and my roommates aren’t vegetarian. I like to double the recipe and freeze a batch for busy days. I really like to try new recipes so I’m making different dishes all the time, but this one has a permanent place in the rotation.
This made me smile, Erin! I’m glad this soup has become a staple in your home. Thanks for the comment!
I just made this and added Garbanzo beans. It was so good, I shared it with my coworkers :) Thanks!
Yum! Did you puree them, too? Sounds like it was packed with protein.
Delicious! I added red and green peppers too. The tomato peanut combo is perfect.
So glad to hear this, Rachel!
WOW!!! This was “lick the bowl” delicious….so satisfying, tasty, unique! My daughter and I devoured it and I had it again for lunch (is it possible, better the 2nd day?). I added a small scoop of brown rice to each bowl and it’s truly divine. Kate, you knocked it out of the park again!
Yes, a lot of commenters found this extra-good the second day! It really lets the flavors steep. I’m so happy you liked it, Amy!
I’ve made this soup three times now and I am sooo in love with it! I was initially curious about what peanut soup would even taste like and now I literally can’t stop suggesting this recipe to people. I personally add sweet potatoes to give the soup more bulk and I add a TON of kale because it adds that little somethin’ somethin’. Love the recipe!
Your version sounds hearty and delicious, Ashley!
HI! The flavor on this is delicious, but my soup is not thickening up. I doubled the recipe to bring some to a friend and it seems really watery. Any ideas of how to thicken it up? Thanks!
Hi, Emily. Sorry to hear this isn’t thickening too well for you! Here are some different techniques to try.
Just made this for dinner – it’s so amazingly good I almost feel shocked I whipped it up with my own two hands. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re a magician! I’m glad it exceeded expectations. :)
So yummy! I’m hoping my kids are into it because peanut butter…
I hope so, too!
Made this soup tonight as a quick dinner.
I didn’t use the Siracha sauce as I wasn’t in the mood for something hot but I did add about half a cup of coconut milk to make it a little creamier.
I was surprised how well the kale went with it.
Will definitely be added to my soup collection!
Thank you for the recipie.
You’re welcome, Stephanie! I’m glad this exceeded expectations.
I have to say, this recipe has become a staple for my husband and I during a hectic work week. Sometimes I prep it the night before in the crock pot (my saving grace during the winter) so I can just plug it in before I leave in the morning. It never fails to turn out great. If you have meat eaters in the house, add two large chicken breasts in the crock pot first and cover with the peanut sauce before it’s merged with the stock to let it marinate. Sometimes I throw the collard greens in right when I get home and it’s ready to eat 30 mins later or if I’m being lazy I put them in with everything else from the beginning. They are surprisingly sturdy greens and don’t get soggy like others might.
I’m so glad this works so well for the two of you, Heather! I’m glad it works so well in the crock pot, too.
Made this for my weekly dinner get-together and it was such a hit; my friends haven’t stopped talking about it. Making it again tomorrow night! Thanks for a winning recipe. :)
So glad this got everyone talking, Jess! Thanks for the comment.
Will see about making in a Crock-Pot?
I hope you don’t mind I adapted this recipe into a chickpea and sweet potato curry and posted it on my blog. It was super delicious, thanks for the idea! http://www.rhiansrecipes.com/2017/04/13/chickpea-sweet-potato-peanut-curry-vegan-gf/
Looks absolutely delicious, Rhian! I’ll have to try this adaptation. Thank you so much for linking back to me, I appreciate that.
Thank you, so glad you like it! And no problem at all
Fabulous! I followed the recipe exactly except for exchanging spinach for the kale (couldn’t find it). I great meal!
Wonderful! Thanks, Yvette.
This is a great recipe. Thank you! I used crushed tomatoes but I reduced them to half their volume in sautee pan and smashed them until they were almost a paste. It would have to go ina food processor to become a true paste.
Great tip, Stephanie, thank you!
I served this over quinoa for extra protein. Excellent and my husband loved it too!
Yum! Sounds like a great, well-rounded meal. Thanks, Jen!
Once again, you nailed it! I could not stop eating this! Love your site and delicious recipes.
Thanks, Carley! That’s so sweet of you.
I just made this from the cookbook. It’s outstanding! So filling and satisfying!
Awesome! Thanks, Kristen!
I tried the recipe as given and loved it! Thank you! Do you think this could be made with Swiss chard instead of collars greens? I have an over abundance in my garden this year!
I think Swiss chard would taste delicious with this, Julia, especially fresh from the garden!
This blows other peanut soup/stew recipes out of the water. The garlic, ginger and onions retain so much more flavor by being simmered in broth instead of sautéed in oil. I’ve never liked collards as much. AWESOME!
Great! I’m glad this exceeded expectations.
This was incredible!! Will be making again very soon
Great! Thank you, Sam.
So excellent! Used ground red pepper because I didn’t have sriracha and it turned out divine!
Perfect! Thank you, Anna!
I have made this and LOVE it! However I am not the most experienced cook, so what I wanted to know is; I adore using my slow cooker. What would be the best way to use this as a slow cooker recipe (and could I do that successfully?) The slow cooker saves me during the week when I’m working and don’t get home til later!
Thanks!!
Kim
Hi,
This looks delicious, but I have to see if it fits into my macros. Do you have nutritional information for it?
Hi, Amanda! I’m working on adding in nutrition facts, but it’s a long process and needs to be done manually for every recipe. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
Delicious! I also made it with sweet potato and kale and it tasted fantastic! Thank you!!!
That sounds amazing, Kristin!
Love this!!! All aspects have been easy to skew so when I haven’t had enough of one ingredient or another it’s still delicious. So glad I found this recipe! Making it again tonight :)
Yes, this one is flexible, so you can easily make it with what you have on hand. I’m so happy you love it, Stephanie!
Made this last night and it was perfect. The mix of heat and peanut was great.
Awesome! Thanks, Bruce. Happy you enjoyed it.
West African soup… Can I give this 10 stats?!! Only difference is I add a diced sweet potato to the soup, let cool once everything is done and then throw it in the blender. Such a nice consistency! This is now y favourite soup!! I have shared this with EVERYONE !! Thank you!
This is too kind, Sylvie! I’m so glad it was such a hit.
This was so incredibly delicious!! I made it with kale because I couldn’t find collard greens at Trader Joe’s but it made for a great make-ahead work lunch!
I added some potato, mushrooms, broccoli and tinned lentils in with the recipe and served it on rice and it was one of the most meal I have eaten in a while!
This is now one of my new favourite recipes, quick and easy to make, healthy and SOOO tasty!