Groundnut Soup Recipe (Nigerian Peanut Soup)

🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I make this groundnut soup on repeat, especially when the weather turns cool and I want something warm and filling. It’s a peanut lover’s dream. The peanuts turn into this thick, creamy base that coats every spoonful, and the chicken thighs add so much flavor because of their higher fat content.

This soup is also incredibly forgiving. I’ve made it with just water instead of stock and it still tasted amazing. Got picky eaters? Leave out the habanero and let everyone add their own heat at the table.

It freezes beautifully too. I make a double batch on Sundays and freeze half for those nights when cooking feels like too much. Just thaw it, warm it up, and dinner is done.

A lot of people ask me if this is the same as peanut soup or peanut stew. It is. Groundnut is just the West African word for peanut, so don’t let the name throw you off.

🥘 Equipment I Use

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You will need a high powered blender to blend the peanuts.

🧾 Ingredients I Use

• Chicken thighs: Because of their higher fat content, chicken thighs add a bit more flavor to the recipe than other cuts of chicken.
• Vegetables: I use red bell pepper, spinach, Roma tomatoes, habanero pepper, and onions. 
• Spices: This recipe calls for bouillon powder, ground crayfish, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. 
• Groundnuts/Peanuts: Peanuts are more commonly referred to as groundnuts in Nigeria and other West African countries. 
• Peanut oil: If you don’t have peanut oil on hand, you can also use olive or avocado oil.

🔪 How To Make Nigerian Groundnut Soup

1. First, blend the peanuts with a high-powered blender. Then, wash and pat dry the chicken, before rubbing it with salt and black pepper to season.
2. Pour some peanut oil into a pan and add the chicken thighs when heated. Brown the chicken on both sides for about 5 minutes each. Take the chicken and set it aside.
3. Blend the tomatoes and peppers together while the chicken is being browned.
4. Add chopped onions to the same pan and sauté for a few minutes. Remember to scrape the browned bits from the pan. Pour in the blended tomatoes and peppers and simmer for five minutes. Add in all the spices and simmer for another five minutes.
5. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then, pour the blended groundnuts into the pot and stir till it begins to thicken. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the browned chicken.
6. Add 1-2 more cup of water, if needed, and taste for spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
7. Add the spinach to the pot and simmer on low heat till the spinach is soft.

♨️ How To Store and Reheat

Make sure you allow the groundnut soup to cool before storing it in an airtight container. Groundnut soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

For longer storage, pour groundnut soup into a freezer-safe container and freeze. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Make sure it’s well-sealed to avoid freezer burn.

Reheat the soup in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. Add a bit of water or broth if the soup has thickened too much in the refrigerator or freezer.

You can also reheat the soup in the microwave. Place the soup in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid, and reheat in short intervals (1-2 minutes), stirring in between.

💡 My Expert Tips

• If the soup becomes too thick, add more water or broth to adjust its thickness. It should have a creamy yet pourable consistency.
• Ensure the groundnut paste is smooth to avoid lumps in the soup. Blend thoroughly for the best results.
• Add extra cayenne peppers or habanero pepper to increase the heat level.
• You don’t have to use chicken in this dish. If you have any cooked meats on hand (beef, lamb, pork, or seafood), you can use them instead.

🍽️ What to Serve With Groundnut Soup

This Nigerian groundnut soup is usually enjoyed with fufu dishes like eba, amala, or pounded yam. It also goes great with rice.

On a low-carb diet, I enjoy my groundnut soup with low-carb rice or keto fufu.

👩‍🍳 Questions You Might Have

📖 Recipe

Groundnut Soup

This creamy groundnut soup gets its deep, nutty flavor from blended peanuts, ripe tomatoes, and a few bold West African spices. I add chicken thighs for extra richness, and the whole pot comes together in under an hour. It’s hearty, satisfying, and tastes even better the next day.

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Course: Soups & Stews

Cuisine: African, Nigerian

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 513kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Blend the peanuts with a high-powered blender, if using raw peanuts.

  1.5 cups ground peanuts

• Wash and pat dry the chicken. Then, rub salt and black pepper on the chicken.

  6 chicken thighs, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper

• Pour some peanut oil into a pan and add the chicken thighs when heated.

  2 tablespoon peanut oil

• Brown the chicken on both sides for about 5 minutes each. Take the chicken and set it aside.

• Blend the tomatoes and peppers together while the chicken is being browned.

  1 red bell pepper, 1 habanero pepper, 2 roma tomatoes

• Add chopped onions to the same pan and sauté for a few minutes. Remember to scrape the browned bits from the pan.

  ½ onion

• Pour in the blended tomatoes and peppers and simmer for five minutes. Add in all the spices and simmer for another five minutes.

  1 teaspoon bouillon powder, 1 tablespoon ground crayfish, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt

• Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.

• Pour the groundnuts into the pot and stir till it begins to thicken.

• Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the browned chicken.

• Add 1-2 more cup of water, if needed, and taste for spices.

• Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

• Add the spinach to the pot and simmer on low heat till the spinach is soft.

  4 cups spinach

Notes

• • If the soup becomes too thick, you can adjust its thickness by adding more water or broth. It should have a creamy yet pourable consistency.

• • Ensure the groundnut paste is smooth to avoid lumps in the soup. Blend thoroughly for the best results.

• • Add extra cayenne peppers or habanero pepper to increase the heat level.

• • You don’t have to use chicken in this dish. If you have any cooked meats on hand (beef, lamb, pork, or seafood), you can use them instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 581mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2774IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Tayo Oredola is the founder of Low Carb Africa, where she shares healthy, low carb dishes with global flavors. She is passionate about teaching people how to cook drool-worthy dishes while losing weight and living their best lives. Tayo’s recipes have been featured on MSN, Women’s Health, Parade, Yahoo News, Pure Wow, Essence, and other online publications.