Mafé — Senegalese Peanut Stew
Rich, deeply savoury West African peanut stew with beef or lamb, sweet potato and aubergine — one of the great stews of the world.
6 recipes using beef — Thieboudienne, yassa, mafé — bold, aromatic dishes from Senegal's rich culinary tradition.
These 6 senegalese beef recipes are ready in about 97 minutes on average, with 180–580 kcal per serving, and 33% are rated easy enough for a weeknight. Every recipe includes exact ingredient quantities, step-by-step instructions and full nutrition per serving.
Senegalese cuisine — Thieboudienne, yassa, mafé — bold, aromatic dishes from Senegal's rich culinary tradition — brings its own distinctive techniques and seasonings to every ingredient it touches. When Senegalese cooks work with beef, they reach for its own regional aromatics, fats and signature spice blends, and the techniques that come up most across these recipes are simmering, frying, boiling and braising.
A rich, deeply savoury red meat that rewards both fast, hot searing and long, slow braising depending on the cut. In this collection it's most often cooked with tomato paste, onions, garlic, natural peanut butter, smooth peanut butter and sweet potatoes. The dishes here span senegalese classics ready in as little as 60 minutes to slower, more involved cooking that rewards a relaxed afternoon.
Reader favourite: Mafé — Senegalese Peanut Stew is the highest-rated dish in this collection at 4.9★ from 2,143 ratings.
Rich, deeply savoury West African peanut stew with beef or lamb, sweet potato and aubergine — one of the great stews of the world.
A rich and comforting West African peanut stew with tender lamb or beef, root vegetables, and a deeply savory sauce that's beloved across Senegal and the Sahel.
Senegal's Mandinka peanut and tomato stew — a rich, slightly sweet groundnut stew thickened with tomato paste and peanut butter, made with beef or vegetables.
Rich, deeply savory Senegalese peanut butter stew with beef and vegetables — West Africa's most comforting dish.
Crispy Senegalese half-moon pastry filled with spiced ground beef and onions — the ultimate Dakar street snack.
Senegalese groundnut stew with beef, tomatoes and sweet potato — a rich and deeply satisfying peanut curry.
Tender cuts (sirloin, ribeye) suit quick cooking; tougher, collagen-rich cuts (chuck, brisket, shin) are built for stews and braises. Look for bright-red colour and fine marbling.
Season generously and let steaks come to room temperature before searing. Rest cooked beef 5–10 minutes so the juices redistribute; slice against the grain to keep it tender.
Steaks: 52°C / 125°F for rare up to 71°C / 160°F for well done. Ground beef should always reach 71°C / 160°F.
An excellent source of complete protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12; leaner cuts keep saturated fat in check.
Most of these 6 Senegalese beef recipes are ready in around 97 minutes from start to finish. The quickest, Senegalese Fataya (Fried Meat Pies), takes about 60 minutes, while the slower-cooked dishes run up to 110 minutes.
Across this collection they range from about 180 to 580 kcal per serving, averaging 493 kcal — Senegalese Fataya (Fried Meat Pies) is the lightest option at 180 kcal.
Mafé — Senegalese Peanut Stew is a great place to start — it's rated easy and comes together in about 110 minutes. 33% of the recipes here are beginner-friendly.
In these recipes, beef is most often paired with tomato paste, onions, garlic, natural peanut butter, smooth peanut butter and sweet potatoes. Senegalese kitchens also lean on its own regional aromatics, fats and signature spice blends.
Steaks: 52°C / 125°F for rare up to 71°C / 160°F for well done. Ground beef should always reach 71°C / 160°F.