Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 100 g kale or collard greens, stemmed and roughly chopped
Pantry & Liquids
- 15 ml peanut oil
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned, with juices
- 900 ml vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 120 g unsweetened creamy peanut butter, 100 percent peanuts
Spices & Seasoning
- 3 g ground cumin
- 2 g ground coriander
- 1 g cayenne pepper
- kosher salt
Garnish
- 30 g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat the peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring continuously, until highly fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the cubed sweet potatoes, crushed tomatoes with their juices, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil at 100°C or 212°F.
Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer at around 95°C or 203°F. Cover the pot and cook until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Carefully scoop out about 200ml of the hot cooking liquid into a heatproof bowl. Add the peanut butter to the bowl and whisk until completely smooth and emulsified. Pour the tempered peanut butter mixture back into the pot and stir well to combine.
If using greens, stir in the chopped kale or collards. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until the greens are wilted and tender. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with kosher salt as needed.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish generously with chopped roasted peanuts and fresh cilantro before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the best texture and flavor, use natural peanut butter containing only peanuts and salt. Commercial brands with added oils and sugar can make the soup overly sweet and affect the emulsion.
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice stirred in right before serving cuts through the richness of the peanuts and brightens the entire flavor profile.
- If you want to add more depth, consider roasting the sweet potato cubes at 200°C for 25 minutes before adding them to the soup instead of boiling them raw.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors deepen and improve overnight, making this an excellent make-ahead dish.
Freezer: 3 months — Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The sweet potato may soften further upon reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent the peanut butter from catching on the bottom.
