A Hearty Slow Cooker African Peanut Stew We Guarantee You’ll Love

This vegetarian African stew is full of different textures and flavors that make it hearty and unique. If you’re not familiar with African fare, the seasonings may be reminiscent of a Thai or Indian curry thanks to the peanut butter and coconut milk combination, but the tomatoes, ginger, cinnamon, cumin and sweet potato make this dish its own special cuisine.

Related story Here Are The Best Store-Bought Kimchis to Add to Your Shopping List

More: Eat your feelings with these slow cooker comfort foods

The slow cooker is really key here, as it helps all the flavors blend together in a rich, velvety finish. It’s a little spicy, so make sure you’ve made plenty of rice to mitigate the heat and add some extra carbs to the dish.

More: Slow Cooker Sunday: 5-Ingredient (or less!) recipes that make dinner easy

Related story Here Are The Best Store-Bought Kimchis to Add to Your Shopping List

Slow cooker African peanut stew recipe

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 garlic cloves
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 inch or so chunk of fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 heaping tablespoons peanut butter (creamy or chunky, I used creamy)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (light brown is just fine, too)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can lite coconut milk
• 2 good-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, or 2 small ones, chopped
• 1 (15 – 19 ounces) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor add garlic cloves, cilantro, ginger, tomatoes, peanut butter, cumin, cinnamon, ground red pepper and curry powder. Blend until everything is nicely pureed. It will look very thick and pasty.
2. In the slow cooker, add the garbanzo beans, chopped onions, red bell peppers, and sweet potatoes. Add the peanut sauce mixture, brown sugar and the coconut milk and gently stir to incorporate all of the ingredients.
3. Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for six to eight hours Serve with rice and top with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions.