Soup Recipes for Peanut Lovers

Image Credit: The National Peanut Board

If there is something I love more than soup it is peanuts and peanut butter. A creamy and high-protein food packed with vitamin E and vitamin B, peanut butter is the perfect healthy snack that I love to eat with carrots and apples or as a simple sandwich with jelly. I also recently learned from The National Peanut Board that peanuts are a great ingredient to add to salads, stews and soups and being that it is National Peanut Month this is a perfect time to share some of their delicious and healthy soup recipes. I included three recipes that peanut and soup lovers will enjoy - including a Spicy Peanut Soup with Avocado Salsa, Hearty Quinoa and Peanut Soup, and a Two Continent Peanut Vegetable Soup. The National Peanut Board's website also includes delicious recipes for a Cauliflower Soup with Peanut Arugula Pesto, Posole Green Chile Peanut Stew, a Spicy Senegalese Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup and a Creamy Ginger Carrot Soup. With all of these options, you'll never look at that jar of PB the same again.

Soup Recipes for Peanut Lovers

Spicy Peanut Soup with Avocado Salsa - Recipe and Image from The National Peanut Board

Spicy Peanut Soup with Avocado Salsa - Recipe by The National Peanut Board
Ingredients:
Peanut Soup:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 red onion, minced
1 leek, cleaned and minced
1/2 cup minced celery
2 cups peeled, cubed sweet potato
2 cups freshly chopped tomato
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper in adobo
2 cups peanut butter, smooth
2 quarts chicken stock
Bouquet garni of thyme, parsley and bay
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste.

To garnish:
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped

Avocado Salsa:
1/2 red onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and cubed to 1/2 inch dice
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:
In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter foams, add red onion, leek and celery. Sweat down for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, tomato, curry and chipotle. Cook for five minutes.

Stir peanut butter into the pot. Add chicken stock and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Simmer and cook for twenty minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Add cream. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Puree soup while still warm in batches in a blender, taking extreme care not to overfill the blender. Once pureed, pass the soup through a fine mesh strainer and season. Heat it up when you are ready to serve and garnish each bowl with a tablespoon of avocado salsa and some roasted peanuts.

Mix all ingredients and season the mixture. Snugly cover with plastic wrap for later use.
 
6 servings 

Recipe created by Hugh Acheson

Hearty Quinoa and Peanut Soup - Recipe and Image from The National Peanut Board

Hearty Quinoa and Peanut Soup - Recipe by The National Peanut Board
Ingredients:  
1 c quinoa
2 tbsp achiote-infused oil
1c white onion, finely chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
2 oz. creamy cheese (or feta), crumbled
2 tsp salt
2 medium Russet potatoes, small dice
1 ¼ c water
3 c milk
2 oz. unsalted peanuts, finely ground
4 tsp lime juice
1 serrano pepper, finely minced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Preparation:
Place quinoa in a medium-sized saucepan and cook dry, while stirring, over medium heat until the quinoa has a nutty aroma and begins to pop slightly. When the quinoa has toasted, add 6 cups of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain in a colander and reserve.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and sauté briefly.

Add half of the crumbled cheese and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the salt, potatoes, 1 ¼ cups water and 3 cups milk; simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the quinoa and the ground peanuts. Add remaining cheese and stir to mix for 2 to 5 minutes. Thin with more milk if the soup is too thick. Adjust seasoning with lime juice to taste and garnish with Serrano pepper and cilantro.

Two Continent Peanut Vegetable Soup - Recipe and Image from The National Peanut Board

Two Continent Peanut Vegetable Soup - Recipe by The National Peanut Board
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp canola oil
½ cup onion, finely diced
½ cup celery, finely diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 qts vegetable broth, canned
4 cups fresh kale (collards or spinach), chopped
2 cups sweet potatoes, unpeeled, diced
1 cup corn, fresh, frozen or canned
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Hot sauce to taste
10 Tbsp salted peanuts
Option: add 6 oz grilled, diced Portuguese Liguria or other well seasoned sausage

Preparation:
In large stockpot, with cover, heat oil. Cook onion, celery and garlic, over medium-low heat, for 10-15 minutes, or until soft. Stir in peanut butter until thoroughly combined with vegetables.

Add broth and bring to boil. Add kale, bring to boil again, reduce heat, cover and cook 10-15 minutes. Add potatoes, salt and pepper; cover and cook additional 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Add corn; turn off heat. Add hot sauce to taste. Let sit 5 minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, adding 1 Tbsp peanut to each serving.


Have you ever made soups with peanuts?
Seriously Soupy Serena