Name: Ghanaian Groundnut Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: West African
Ingredients: 1 cup roasted peanuts (or natural peanut butter); 1 lb chicken pieces; 2 large tomatoes, blended; 1 onion, chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 scotch bonnet pepper; 1 inch fresh ginger; Salt and pepper to taste; 4 cups water or chicken stock; Fufu or rice for serving

A rich, peanut-based soup that is West Africa's answer to comfort food. Thick, nutty, and deeply savory.

The Cultural Story

Groundnut soup appears across West Africa but Ghana has perfected it. Made with roasted peanuts ground into a paste, it creates a velvety base that clings to every piece of meat and every grain of fufu. It is a Sunday dish, a celebration dish, and a "welcome home" dish all in one.

Ingredients

1 cup roasted peanuts (or natural peanut butter)
1 lb chicken pieces
2 large tomatoes, blended
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 inch fresh ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups water or chicken stock
Fufu or rice for serving

Instructions

1Blend roasted peanuts with a little water until smooth paste forms. Set aside.
2Season chicken with salt, pepper, and ginger. Boil in stock until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
3In a separate pot, cook blended tomatoes with onion and tomato paste for 10 minutes.
4Add the peanut paste to the tomato base. Stir well and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
5Add the cooked chicken and its broth. Add scotch bonnet whole (do not burst unless you want extreme heat).
6Simmer for another 15 minutes until soup is thick and oily on top. Serve over fufu or rice.

Community Reviews (1)

Ama D. ★★★★☆

Used natural peanut butter as a shortcut and it worked perfectly. The soup thickened beautifully. Served with banku instead of fufu — equally delicious.

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