West African peanut stew—known as Mafé, Tigadèguè, or simply “that peanut sauce” your guests won’t stop talking about—is a true classic across West Africa. Officially crowned a national dish in Mali, it’s the kind of recipe that quietly moves into your childhood and never leaves.
Growing up in a Malian mixed household, this stew was basically a family member. It showed up often, it smelled incredible, and yes, it may have been used as light culinary brainwashing to make me behave. Later, I realized Mafé isn’t just a “family recipe”—it’s a shared favorite in kitchens from Bamako to Dakar to Abidjan, and it has never once failed me at a dinner party. Friends ask for seconds, then the recipe, then a takeaway box.
With Twish Cart, you can get all the staples, fresh lamb, and quality peanut butter from trusted suppliers in one pooled order… and then turn them into this legendary comfort dish.
Recipe – Authentic West African Peanut Stew (Mafé / Tigadèguè – Lamb Version)
Serves: 4–6
Total time: ~90 minutes
Ingredients
(1 cup = 240 ml)
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) lamb with bone
- 200 g (0.5 lb) lamb flanks (optional, for extra richness)
- ¼ cup peanut or vegetable oil (more if your pan is wide)
- 500–600 g natural peanut butter
- 1 large onion
- 2 large ripe tomatoes
- 3 heaping tbsp tomato paste
- 1.2 L water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1–2 habanero / Scotch bonnet peppers
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 small piece smoked fish (optional)
- 3 carrots
- ½ medium cabbage (optional)
- Greens of choice (optional)
- Salt, to taste
How to make an authentic, flavourful African peanut stew
1. Choose real ingredients
For the kind of flavour that makes people close their eyes at the first bite:
- Use good-quality lamb (or your protein of choice: chicken, beef, or fish).
- Pick a natural peanut butter with no sugar, no palm oil, and no mystery ingredients. The label should basically say “peanuts,” and that’s it.
2. Smoked fish = secret flavour bomb
Want extra depth? Add a small piece of smoked fish to the stew.
It melts into the sauce and adds a subtle smoky note that makes the whole pot taste like you’ve been slow-cooking for hours. Optional, but highly recommended.
3. Respect the pepper
Scotch bonnet or habanero are staples in West African cooking. They perfume the dish and bring heat:
- For light spice: use one whole pepper, keep it intact, and remove it at the end.
- For more heat: let it cook longer or add a second pepper.
- If the pepper breaks and releases all its fire… well, you’ve officially made “for adults only” stew.
4. Cut and brown your meat properly
- Cut lamb into roughly 2-inch cubes. Bigger is fine, just keep the pieces fairly even.
When browning the meat and onions, your goal is sizzle, not stew.
- If water starts pooling in the pan: increase the heat and let it evaporate.
- Let the meat lightly fry and colour—this creates brown bits you’ll “deglaze” later, which gives you a deeper, richer sauce.
- No need to panic if you’re new to this: as long as nothing is burnt, you’re winning.
5. Adding peanut butter without chaos
Peanut butter doesn’t like to behave in hot liquid—but there are tricks:
- Easiest way: mix 1 cup peanut butter with ½ cup water in a bowl until smooth, then pour into the stew.
- Stir gently and scrape the bottom of the pot occasionally—peanut likes to stick.
- Once the oil starts rising to the top and the stew thickens, your peanut has done its job.
6. Greens and veggies are very welcome
Peanut stew is fantastic with extra vegetables:
- Common additions: carrots, cabbage, leafy greens, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes.
- For a lighter sauce: go easy on the sweet potatoes, they make the stew naturally sweeter.
- You can pre-cook your greens and add them before the peanut mixture—they’ll blend right in.
Method
- Heat the oil
In a medium or large pot, heat the oil. Test with a small piece of onion—if it sizzles, you’re ready. - Season and prep the lamb
Chop the onion into cubes. Cut the lamb into chunks and lightly salt the meat and onions.
Brown the lamb and onions
Add lamb and onions to the hot oil (carefully). Brown on all sides, stirring occasionally.
- Lower the heat if things darken too fast.
- Avoid “boiling” the meat—if there’s liquid, let it evaporate and bring back the sizzle.
- Build the tomato base
Reduce the heat. Chop the fresh tomatoes and add them to the pot with the tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is well incorporated. Add water and aromatics
Pour in the water, add a teaspoon of salt, the whole pepper(s), smashed garlic, and bay leaves.
The liquid should mostly cover the meat.
- Simmer for about 1 hour, partially covered.
- The lamb should be more tender before moving on.
- Add vegetables and smoked fish
Add peeled and halved carrots, cabbage, any pre-cooked greens, and the piece of smoked fish (if using). Adjust salt.
Simmer for about 20 minutes. Incorporate the peanut butter
In a bowl, mix the peanut butter with about ½ cup water until smooth. Pour into the stew.
Stir gently so the peanut blends into the sauce.
- Let it simmer 15–20 minutes until you see oil rise to the surface.
- Scrape the bottom occasionally to prevent sticking, but don’t over-stir or you’ll break the meat and veggies.
- If you want a thicker stew, you can add a little more peanut butter or let it reduce further.
- Taste and finish
Adjust salt. Remove the whole pepper if you don’t want it hotter.
Serve with steamed rice, fonio, couscous, or fufu.
Leftovers keep up to 3 days in the fridge and 1–2 months in the freezer—if they survive that long.
FAQ: Making West African Peanut Stew Work for Your Kitchen
Can I load this stew with vegetables?
Absolutely. Just don’t overcrowd the pot. Add fewer starchy elements if you want a lighter sauce, or reduce the peanut butter slightly if you’re adding lots of potatoes.
What peanut butter should I use?
Use natural peanut butter with no additives. You’ll probably see oil on top—just stir to combine before measuring.
What’s the best meat for African peanut stew?
You want tender, flavourful cuts:
- Lamb shoulder with bone
- Chicken pieces
- Beef with a bit of fat
- Smoked fish as a bonus layer of flavour
For lamb, shoulder and flanks are great—they bring both richness and texture. Fat is flavour, but you can adjust based on your health preferences.
Can I swap fresh tomatoes and tomato paste for tomato purée?
Yes. You can use about 1½ cups of tomato purée or 2 cups marinara sauce instead of fresh tomatoes + paste.
How do I make a vegan or vegetarian version?
Skip the meat and smoked fish entirely and let the veggies shine:
- Add greens, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage.
- Because there’s no meat to tenderize, simply simmer the tomato base for ~20 minutes, then add your vegetables.
- Cook another 20 minutes, then add the peanut mixture. Try to keep the veggies intact—especially the sweeter ones.