Quick and Easy Peanut Soup

Recipes for peanut soup can be found all over the world from Africa to Spain and Virginia in the United States - this is my variation on the warming dish. Get the recipe below.

Globally inspired soup recipes

I first came across a recipe for Peanut Soup in the cook book "How to be a better cook" by Lorraine Pascale, which I once reviewed and gave away to one lucky reader. Lorraine’s recipe for peanut soup shots to be served cold or warm as appetisers or canapés at a dinner party really inspired me. The flavours sounded delicious but the thought of serving small quantities in silly shot glasses just didn’t appeal to me.

I took to developing my own peanut soup which could be served piping hot at the start of a meal, or indeed be served as a main course all by itself. The recipe for Peanut Soup that you see here is the result!

Having done some research about the origins of Peanut Soup and how to make my dish truly authentic, I came across a stumbling block. It would seem quite different variations are served across Africa (with Ghana having a very specific recipe, eaten with fufu, a dough made from boiled and ground plantain or cassava), East Asia (or more specifically Taiwan) as well as in the state of Virginia in the United States (among others).

Peanut Soup recipe at Supper in the Suburbs

Peanuts - a key ingredient

When you look at the history of the humble peanut this kind of makes sense... As far as we know, the peanut originated in South America. Grown in Peru, Brazil then Mexico, Spanish explorers discovered the legume and not only took it back home but spread it across Asia and Africa. Africans were the first people to take the peanut to North America and eventually Virginia became the first state to grow the peanut in the US.

(You can get more fun facts about peanuts from the National Peanut Board.)

On this side of the pond, peanuts are probably more often than not eaten in the form of peanut butter. I don’t know where they’ve got their stats from but the journalists at the Guardian reckon that peanut butter is third in the list of best-selling spreads (just behind honey and jam). I've never been a huge fan of the stuff myself but we always have a jar lurking in a cupboard somewhere which is pretty lucky considering this recipe uses a four (very generously heaped) tablespoons of the stuff.

Peanut butter may not be the most authentic of ingredients and whilst this recipe does blitz the mix up in the blender, I’m too lazy to wait the extra 5 or so minutes it would take to blitz up peanuts in their raw state first. If you do want to go the extra mile then you can find my home-made peanut butter recipe here. For those of you who are a little lazy like me – just stick to whatever you’ve got in the cupboard, it doesn’t have to be fancy.

Spicy Peanut Soup from Supper in the Suburbs

Step-by-step Instructions

Fry the red onion, chillies and ginger in a pan until the onion become translucent.
Stir in the peanut butter, lime juice and chopped tomatoes stirring until the wet ingredients combine to make a thick sauce.
Slowly and the vegetable stock, again stirring until combined.
Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, or, until the sauce has begun to thicken.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a blender.
Blitz the mix until it form a smooth soupy consistency.
Transfer back into a pan and heat until just at simmering point.
Cook for 5 minutes or until you've reached your desired consistency.
Serve with a handful of salted peanuts, a drizzle of coconut milk and a few springs of coriander should you choose.

Equipment

You will need a blender to make this recipe as it requires you to blitz the ingredients until smooth. I use a Vitamix blender which is a high-speed blender.

Always be cautious when putting hot liquids into a blender. It's much safer to cool the ingredients slightly before blitzing as my recipe requires below.

Top tips

Pick a high quality peanut butter. Cheaper varieties will have a lot of sugar in them and can be overly sweet as a result. We want something much more natural and nutty for our soup.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a different type of oil?

Yes, you can substitute peanut oil with other nut oils like almond or walnut oil. If you prefer, you could also use a neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil instead.

Can I make this soup without chillies?

Yes, you can omit the chillies if you prefer a milder dish. If you still want some heat, consider adding a pinch of chilli powder or paprika to taste.

What type of peanuts should I use?

Salted or unsalted roasted peanuts both work. If using salted peanuts, adjust the seasoning accordingly.

The recipe