Ghanaian Groundnut Soup

About This Recipe

Groundnut soup is one of Ghana's most celebrated dishes, eaten from the coast to the northern savannah. A base of blended tomatoes, onions and Scotch bonnet is simmered with roasted peanut paste until it thickens into a gorgeous terracotta stew. Chicken, goat or fish can all feature; here chicken pieces are slowly cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender, absorbing every nuance of the peanut-spiced broth. It is traditionally served with fufu — pounded cassava and plantain — or plain boiled rice. The dish is festive, generous and deeply comforting.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgchicken pieces(bone-in, skin-on)
• 250 gsmooth natural peanut butter(no added sugar)
• 4ripe tomatoes(roughly chopped)
• 1large onion(half quartered, half sliced)
• 2Scotch bonnet peppers(adjust to heat preference)
• 4 clovesgarlic(crushed)
• 1 tablespoonfresh ginger(grated)
• 2 tablespoonstomato paste
• 1 litrechicken stock
• 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
• 1 teaspoonground coriander
• 1 teaspoonsmoked paprika
• salt and black pepper(to taste)
• 3spring onions(sliced, to garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the chicken

   Rub the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, coriander and paprika. Leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes (or overnight in the fridge for deeper flavour).

2. 2

   Brown the chicken

   Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces in batches until golden on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

3. 3

   Blend the base

   Blend the tomatoes, quartered onion and Scotch bonnets to a smooth purée. In the same pot, fry the sliced onion until softened, 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the tomato purée and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until reduced and the oil begins to separate.

4. 4

   Add peanut paste and stock

   Whisk the peanut butter with 200 ml of warm stock until smooth, then stir this mixture into the pot. Pour in the remaining stock and stir well. Return the browned chicken to the pot.

5. 5

   Simmer

   Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 35–40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent the peanut base from catching, until the chicken is cooked through and the soup has thickened to a creamy, rich consistency.

6. 6

   Serve

   Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and scatter spring onions over the top. Serve with fufu, boiled rice or crusty bread.

Variations

• •

  Replace chicken with goat meat for a more traditional version — increase simmering time to 90 minutes.

• •

  Add a handful of fresh or frozen okra in the last 10 minutes for extra body.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The soup thickens further when cold; add a splash of water or stock when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions