Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Peanut Soup


Snow always puts me in the mood for soup so last night I made up a batch of a rib-sticking, tasty West African peanut soup.  I first tried a peanut soup last year at one of my favorite restaurants, Prairie Bay.   I liked it so much I had to try making it myself.  I found this recipe and I've only made very slight adjustments to it. 

I like making this soup because it's simple but yields a hearty soup that even my kids like.  The chopped peanuts add a great texture against the creaminess of the peanut butter.  The recipe makes a lot so I always have extra to freeze and it keeps wonderfully.  Plus, the smell of the onions, garlic, and peppers cooking makes my kitchen smell like happiness.


Ingredients

2 tbl olive oil
2 med onions, finely diced
2 large bell peppers, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes with juice (I always add more, either canned or fresh)
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 18 oz. jar of creamy peanut butter (note: you're looking for peanut flavor, not sugar so try to find the natural stuff, it's usually in the refrigerator case at the grocery store)
2/3 cup coarsely chopped peanuts, shells and skins removed


Directions

1.  Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic about 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes with their juice, broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.

2.  Add rice to soup and stir.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

3.  When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter, stir in chopped peanuts, return to simmer, and serve. 



Do you have a favorite soup recipe to share?

13 comments:

Cori Lynn Berg said...

Wow! I'm going to have to try this! That's a flavor I just can't put together in my mind! It looks delicious!

Kar said...

That does look yummy! I've never heard of peanut soup. Who knew?

Sonia / COZY MEMORIES said...

well, we hardly eat peanuts here except for snack, so it sounds exotic to me too ! Sounds a comforting soup, and I love the way your displayed it in that mug, in the snow ! mmmm !
a favorite soup ? well hubby makes a delicious butternut squash soup (well, it's more like a mash). He simply cook onions in some vegetal butter, then add the butternut cut into cubes, and cook. Add water to get the desired constitency. Check along the way to see if the butternut is cooked enough. (a pinch of salt of course)
xoxox

Monika said...

This soup looks delicious, I will definitely give it a try, thanks for sharing. I don't really have just one favorite recipe but you may like to try this curried zucchini soup.

http://zmojikuchyne.blogspot.com/2010/09/kari-cuketova-polevka.html

Cheers, Monika

joanie said...

Fantastic! We make a peanutty stir fry that the children eat so they may like this too. I'm a huge soup lover, here's one of my favourites for winter eating (excuse the horrid image)
http://ninimakes.typepad.com/nini_makes/2008/03/a-cozy-little-m.html

Vintage Tracy said...

That looks so awesome, and honestly if you hadn't suggested it not something I probably would ever try. Now I'll have to!
My current favorite soup is this one
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mushroom-Soup-231145

I made it with the hen of the woods mushrooms my dad gave me and it was DELISH!

Margie Oomen said...

i could sustain myself quite nicely on a diet of soup and curry with a little bit of sushi thrown in once in a while.
I have many favorites but at the moment it is roasted any kind of squash soup.

Lisa-Marie said...

Lisa, this looks delicious!
*files in 'want to make now' section of brain*

Brittany | the Home Ground said...

Be still my rumbling tummy! This recipe sounds so so good. And I know Eric would like it too! Definitely saving this recipe. You're such a great cook :)

Moogie said...

Brilliant! I have bookmarked this page to make it as soon as I am off my diet :o)
Thanks
x

Anonymous said...

This was a common meal for me 30 years ago when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone (West Africa). I'll have to try your recipe!

Violet said...

Thank you for this recipe! I am eating some now and it is so good! I think it would be really tasty with chicken as well.

Jim Doran said...

YUM.

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