Name: Senegalese Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 shallot or 1/2 small onion (chopped); 1 small red bell pepper (seeded then finely chopped); 1 - 2 jalapeños (seeded and minced); salt and pepper; 2 cloves garlic (pressed or minced); 1 medium-sized sweet potato (peeled and diced small); 4 cups gluten free chicken or vegetable broth; 15 oz can chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 14 oz can coconut milk (lite or full fat); 1 cup crushed tomatoes; 1 teaspoon curry powder; 3 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter; juice of 1/2 lime; For serving: cooked white rice, chopped cilantro

Senegalese Soup

Senegalese Soup is a healthy, meatless soup recipe that's chock-full of sweet potatoes, chickpeas, warming curry, and coconut milk.

“This soup is AMAZING! It’s my favorite! Interesting mix of ingredients (hello Peanut Butter), but seriously put on your soup to make this winter list!!!”

– Jill

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If it’s cooling down where you live, I’ve got a must-try soup recipe for you to make then hunker down with.

Senegalese Soup is chock-full of healthy ingredients like sweet potatoes and chickpeas, flavored with warming curry, coconut milk, PLUS a secret ingredient, and served over cooked white rice. Translation: it is irresistible!

I can’t take any credit for this delicious dish though because it was sent to me from IGE reader Trish.

overhead photo of a bowl of senegalese soup with fresh cilantro on top

Flavor Packed Vegetarian Soup

Senegalese Soup, Trish shared, is not only simple and comes together in 30 minutes, but meatless, naturally gluten-free, and easy to make vegetarian/vegan.

As I mentioned, the soup features sweet potato and chickpeas, is flavored with curry powder and coconut milk, and the secret ingredient? Peanut butter! The combination of peanut butter, curry powder, and coconut milk is giving serious panang curry vibes. DELISH!

Now, I thought Senegalese Soup might hail from the country Senegal in west Africa, where peanut stew is a popular dish, but after doing some research it turns out nobody really knows why this dish has the name it does, as it was most likely concocted here in the US. Regardless, I’m calling it soul-satisfying, healthy comfort food that you’ve got to try sooner rather than later.

Pair with Gluten Free Flatbread to sop up every delicious last drop!

spoon scooping up senegalese soup from a bowl

Try Spicy Shrimp Soup

How to Make This Recipe

Start by heating extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped red bell pepper, shallot or onion, and minced jalapenos then season with salt and pepper and saute until the vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic then saute for another 30 seconds.

Two jalapenos give just the right amount of kick for me, but if you’re very sensitive to spice, stick with one.

Once the vegetables are tender add diced sweet potatoes, chicken broth, canned coconut milk, canned chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed, crushed tomatoes, curry powder, salt, and pepper, then turn the heat up to bring the soup to a boil.

FYI: if you want to make this dish vegetarian/vegan, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

diced sweet potatoes being added to a pot of soup

Once the soup is boiling, scoop some of the liquid into a small dish then stir in 3 Tablespoons peanut butter until smooth, and then stream back into the soup. The peanut butter pairs so well with the coconut milk, sweet potatoes, and curry powder!

peanut butter being added to a pot of soup

Last step is to turn the heat down to medium then simmer the soup until the sweet potatoes have softened, another 8-10 minutes.

pot of simmering senegalese soup on the stove

Just before serving, squeeze in fresh lime juice then scoop into bowls with plenty of cooked white rice and chopped fresh cilantro.

The weather may be cold, but this soup will warm your heart and soul. Thanks again, Trish, for this awesome recipe – I hope you all enjoy as much as I did!

More Veggie-Packed Soups

Senegalese Soup

4.9 from 9 votes

by Kristin Porter

Prep: 10

Cook: 15

Total: 25

Servings: 8

GF DF V EF

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Senegalese Soup is a healthy, meatless soup recipe that's chock-full of sweet potatoes, chickpeas, warming curry, and coconut milk.

Equipment

Dutch oven

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded then finely chopped
1 – 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled and diced small
4 cups gluten free chicken or vegetable broth
15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 oz can coconut milk, lite or full fat
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
juice of 1/2 lime
For serving: cooked white rice, chopped cilantro

Directions

Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot or onion, red bell pepper, and jalapenos, season with salt and pepper, then saute until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds or until very fragrant.
Add sweet potatoes, chicken broth, chickpeas, coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, curry powder, salt, and pepper, then turn heat up to high to bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, scoop some of the liquid into a small dish with the peanut butter then stir until smooth. Stream back into the soup then stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium then simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes.
Remove soup from heat then stir in lime juice. Taste then add more salt, pepper, and/or lime juice if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 708mg, Potassium: 373mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 4589IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.

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