nutritional information

Per Serving:

  • Calories: 257
  • Protein: 11 g
  • Total Fat: 13 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 581 mg
  • Fiber: 9 g
  • Sugar: 9 g
Vegan Gluten-Free

African Chickpea and Spinach Soup

Serves 4

30 minutes or fewer

Peanuts were brought to America from Africa, where they are often ground to a paste to thicken and flavor soups and stews. For a spicier soup, use up to ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, or pass a bottle of hot sauce at the table.
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
  • ¼ cup smooth natural peanut butter
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 2 oz. spinach, chopped (about 2 cups)

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until soft and golden. Add garlic, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until garlic is lightly browned.

2. Blend peanut butter and ½ cup broth in food processor to make smooth paste. Blend remaining broth into mixture.

3. Add paprika, coriander and cayenne to onion mixture, and sauté 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in peanut butter mixture, chickpeas and tomatoes. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in spinach just before serving.

March 2007 p.86

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comments

Delicious! I opted for the double cayenne option, added a quarter cup of coconut milk to the recipe and a couple heaped tablespoons of cooked quinoa into each bowl to make it even more hearty. (Add the quinoa directly to your bowl to maintain texture)

Yegor - 2012-11-16 04:38:13

Peanuts came from South America and brought to Africa by Europeans.

Sean - 2012-08-24 00:47:41

Absolutely delicious. It's a quick meal by the second time you've made it and my girlfriend and I absolutely love it. Makes great use of those gigantic bags of spinach and big bunches of cilantro (coriander) from the grocery store.

Lance - 2011-02-16 08:15:02

This is a favourite staple soup in our house and usually double or triple the batches. Even the more finicky non-veggie eaters who raise their eyebrows by the food combinations are converts by the bottom of their bowl.

Kara - 2010-07-27 15:34:51

I've made this so many times now, it's ridiculous. The alterations I consistently make are to double the batch (even then, it's always gone within a couple days); use frozen, thawed spinach (I can rarely stand to cook fresh spinach--it seems like a waste to use it in this recipe); and I usually top off a bowl with a sprinkling of chopped, high-quality peanuts.

Laura - 2010-03-01 15:09:20

This soothing, warming, nutty and spicy soup is truly the best I've ever eaten. And what's more, it's fit to be cooked & served in less than 30 minutes.

Marietta - 2009-03-18 23:26:14

Wonderful soup. I also used frozen, thawed and squeezed spinach. The peanut butter makes it rich and creamy. This is a favorite for sure.

Heather - 2011-01-29 11:27:50

This is a delicious recipe. For a little extra protein, and since I'm not vegan, I sometimes add a chopped hard-boiled egg as garnish.

Nathan - 2012-01-18 18:26:49