West African · main

Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew reads nutty 5.0, sourness 4.9 and citrus 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a West African main, about 40 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Nutty 5.0 · Sourness 4.9 · Citrus 4.7 · Richness 4.6 · Allium 4.4 · Sweetness 4.1 · Umami 3.9 · Salinity 3.7 · Earthy 2.9 · Heat 2.6 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Fruity 1.9 · Floral 1.2 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (16)

• vegetable oil — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• tomato paste — 15 g
• cumin — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• red-skinned sweet potatoes — 907 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• vegetable broth — 946 g
• natural peanut butter — 163 g
• salt — 5 g
• baby spinach — 142 g
• spanish style peanuts — 59 g
• lime juice — 30 g
• cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 40 min (38 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 71.6 kcal, 2.3 g protein, 3.6 g fat, 7.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, and cayenne; cook, stirring, until the paste darkens a shade and smells toasty, 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the sweet potatoes, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, partially cover, and cook until the sweet potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, 18-20 minutes.
5. While the stew simmers, in a small bowl whisk the peanut butter with a ladle of the hot broth from the pot until smooth and pourable.
6. Stir the loosened peanut butter and the salt into the pot. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally to keep the bottom from catching, until the stew thickens to a hearty, creamy consistency, 8-10 minutes.
7. Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.
8. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and add more salt or cayenne if needed.
9. Ladle into bowls and top each with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Moroccan Vegetable Casserole — Moroccan
• Skillet Chickpea and Spinach Curry — Indian
• Chickpea Coconut Curry with Kale — Indian
• Coconut Lentil Dal with Rice — Indian
• Coconut Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry — Indian

Keep reading: what nutty, sourness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.