🇹🇿 Tanzanian / Swahili · Swahili & Coastal Cuisine
🥜 Swahili Peanut Soup
Supu ya Karanga ya Kiswahili
Tanzanian Swahili Peanut Soup — a thick, creamy peanut and tomato soup with Zanzibar spices, fresh coriander, and a coconut milk finish. Rich, nourishing, and deeply satisfying — the coastal marriage of inland peanut tradition and coastal coconut.
Peanut soup with coconut milk is the coastal Tanzanian hybrid — the inland groundnut tradition meets the coastal coconut pantry. The result is richer than either alone — the peanut and coconut fats combine to produce a soup of extraordinary body.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot, Blender
- ½ cup raw peanuts — roasted and ground (or 4 tbsp peanut butter)
- 200ml coconut milk
- 2 onions — diced
- 3 tomatoes — diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 cups water
- ¼ cup coriander
Method
- Heat oil. Cook onions until golden.
- Add garlic, ginger, spices, tomatoes. Cook 8 minutes.
- Add water. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Whisk peanut paste with ½ cup warm water. Add to soup.
- Simmer 12 minutes until thick and well flavoured.
- Add coconut milk. Simmer gently 5 minutes.
- Blend partially for a creamier texture if desired.
- Garnish with coriander.
Chef Tips
- Whisk peanut paste with warm water first.
- Never boil after coconut milk is added.
- Partial blending produces the best texture.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding dry peanut paste — lumps.
- Boiling coconut milk.
The Science
See TZA049 for peanut sauce cooking science.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- High plant protein from peanuts.
- Coconut milk MCTs.
- Rich in niacin and vitamin E.
Cultural Note
Peanut soup with coconut milk is the taste of the meeting between inland and coast — the two great Tanzanian flavour traditions combining into one remarkable bowl.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 4 days. Freeze 3 months.
Reheating: Gently with a splash of water.
Serve with: Ugali (TZA001), Chapati (TZA004), As a standalone