• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Low Carb Africa logo

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Free Keto Meal Plan
  • Helpful Resources
  • Shop Digital Products
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » African Keto Recipes » Mafe (Maafe) - Senegalese Peanut Stew

    Jul 6, 2020

    Mafe (Maafe) - Senegalese Peanut Stew

    Published on Jul 6, 2020. Updated on Mar 8, 2022. By Tayo. This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure. 61 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image for Mafe peanut butter stew

    Mafe (or Maafe) is a popular African peanut stew made in a spicy, creamy peanut and tomato sauce. This is one mouthwatering and appetizing dish you would not be able to get enough of!

    Many different variations of peanut butter stew are eaten in various West African countries. In the Gambia, peanut stew is made with squash or sweet potatoes and is known as Domoda. In Nigeria, it is called Groundnut Stew and is usually eaten with fufu or rice.

    For a low-carb option, I serve my Mafe with cauliflower rice. This peanut stew is gluten-free, keto-friendly, and dairy-free. 

    It has so many complex and bold flavors that will leave you wanting more. And I make mine in just one pot so there is less clean-up!

    Newsletter
    Sign up for a free 7-day keto meal plan

    You'll also receive emails with new recipes delivered straight to you.

    Ingredients used to make African peanut stew

    ingredients used in making Mafe, African peanut stew

    There are different variations when making Mafe, and it is so easy to make the dish your own.

    Here are the ingredients I use for a quick and simple version of this peanut stew.

    • Beef: You can use beef, lamb, chicken, or any meat of choice. You can even leave it out entirely for a vegetarian or vegan option.
    • Peanut butter: A peanut stew won't be complete without this. You can use store-bought peanut butter or you can roast and blend the raw peanuts for a more authentic taste.
    • Vegetables: Onions, red bell pepper, and tomato paste. I use tomato paste rather than tomatoes because it has a sharper taste and gives more richness to the peanut butter stew. You can add as many vegetables as you want, but I like to keep it simple.
    • Spices: bouillon, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.
    • Water and stock/broth: If you don't have stock on hand, just use water but add more spices.
    • Olive oil: to sauté the meat and vegetables.
    closeup shot of Mafe (Maffe)

    How to make this recipe

    Wash the beef and cut them into smaller pieces. Pour some olive oil into a pan on medium heat.

    When it gets hot, add the beef, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and a pinch of salt, and sauté till the meat is browned. This can take anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes.

    Depending on the size of your pot, you may have to do this in batches.

    Chop the onions and bell pepper and add them to the meat. Stir and let it sauté for a few minutes.

    how to make peanut butter stew

    Add the tomato paste and stir till it dissolves and is mixed in. Turn the heat down a bit lower and cook for about 5 minutes.

    Add water, stock, bouillon, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. If you use stock, remember to add the salt last, so you don't add too much.

    Bring everything to a boil and cook for 5 more minutes on high heat. Add the peanut butter and stir till it is dissolved.

    how to make African peanut butter stew

    Let it cook till it thickens, roughly 2-5 minutes. If you used chicken, lamb, or another choice of meat, you might have to let it cook longer until the meat is cooked through.

    Serve with cauliflower rice and enjoy!

    This recipe serves 6 and contains 6 net carbs per serving. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Mafe (Maafe) served with cauliflower rice

    Tips when making African Peanut Stew

    • If you use beef for your peanut stew, cut it into smaller pieces before sautéing, to cut down on your cooking time.
    • You can adjust the cayenne pepper to your desired preference. To increase the heat, add a whole habanero pepper after adding the stock.
    • After adding the peanut butter, you can add a little water if the stew is too thick.
    • If you prefer chicken, try this African chicken peanut stew. So delicious!

    Enjoy these delicious low carb African dishes!

    Nigerian Beef Stew

    Efo Riro (Nigerian Spinach Stew)

    African Fish Stew

    Sukuma Wiki (Kenyan Collard Greens)

    Fumbwa (Congolese Spinach Stew)

    African peanut butter stew
    Mafe, senegalese peanut stew served with rice

    Mafe/Maafe (Senegalese Peanut Stew)

    Mafe (or Maafe) is an authentic African peanut stew made in a spicy, creamy peanut and tomato sauce. This is one mouthwatering and appetizing dish you would not be able to get enough of!
    4.95 from 39 votes
    Print Pin Share on Facebook Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: African
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 443kcal
    Author: Tayo Oredola
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs stew beef
    • ½ cup peanut butter
    • 1 red bell pepper
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 onion
    • 1 tablespoon bouillon powder
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt to taste
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 cups stock/broth

    Instructions

    • Wash beef and cut into smaller pieces.
    • Pour olive oil into a pan on medium heat.
    • Add beef, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and a pinch of salt, and saute for 8-10 minutes.
    • Chop the onions and bell pepper.
    • Add onions and red bell pepper and saute for 3 minutes.
    • Add tomato paste and stir.
    • Cook for about 5 minutes.
    • Add water, stock, and bouillon, cayenne pepper and salt to taste.
    • Bring to a boil and cook for 5 more minutes.
    • Add peanut butter and stir till it is dissolved.
    • Let it cook till it thickens, roughly 2-5 minutes.
    • Serve with cauliflower rice and enjoy!

    Notes

    This recipe serves 6 and contains 6 net carbs per serving.
    • If you use beef for your peanut stew, cut it into smaller pieces before sautéing, to cut down on your cooking time.
    • You can adjust the cayenne pepper to your desired preference. To increase the heat, add a whole habanero pepper after adding the stock.
    • After adding the peanut butter, you can add a little water if the stew is too thick.
    • If you prefer chicken, try this African chicken peanut stew. So delicious!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 827IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg
    Subscribe To My Youtube Channel and watch me make a new recipe every week!
    Get weekly recipes straight to your inbox starting with a free 7-day keto meal plan
    Tried this Recipe? Let me know!tag @lowcarbafrica on Instagram and please leave a comment below

    More African Keto Recipes

    • Shirataki Noodle Stir Fry
    • Harissa Chicken (Spicy North African Chicken)
    • Salmon Stew
    • How To Boil Chicken Breasts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tin says

      May 14, 2021 at 10:33 pm

      5 stars
      Made this dish tonight and am eating as we speak lol. It is very good and reminds me of Kare-Kare (sans the tomato paste), a Filipino beef peanut stew that is a culinary staple in the Philippines. Had to boil the meat for 50 mins as I used roast beef but all the work and wait was worth it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        May 19, 2021 at 10:32 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this, Tin. This is one of the favorite recipes in my house too!

        Reply
    2. Nichole Hegde says

      March 30, 2021 at 1:49 pm

      Should I use peanut butter with sugar or without? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        March 30, 2021 at 6:11 pm

        I prefer the one without sugar to cut carbs, but you can use any.

        Reply
    3. Lea says

      March 28, 2021 at 7:48 pm

      5 stars
      Just made it. Easy to follow and delicious

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        March 29, 2021 at 10:41 pm

        Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed it, Lea!

        Reply
    4. Kristen says

      March 06, 2021 at 10:55 pm

      5 stars
      I was really intimidated to make this, but the direction were super easy. I’m so glad I took the chance to try something new because it was out of this world! My 2.5yr old daughter helped and then devoured it! I made no changes, it’s perfect as is!
      Thanks for the recipe. I know I’ll be trying more from you.

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        March 07, 2021 at 7:17 pm

        Thank you for your kind words, Kristen. I am so glad you and your daughter enjoyed my recipe!

        Reply
    5. Carolyn says

      January 29, 2021 at 2:52 pm

      Can this recipe be made in a instant pot? If so what setting would be best?

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        January 31, 2021 at 12:15 am

        Hi Carolyn, I haven't tried it yet in an instant pot, but you can try browning the meat using the saute function and then set the pressure to manual mode for about 10 minutes. Let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    6. Yolanda says

      January 27, 2021 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      Made it with chicken. I have added some cumin as well as broccoli. Peanutbutter goes well with broccoli. The whole family enjoyed the meal, will definitely make it again. Thanks Yolanda

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        January 28, 2021 at 1:26 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed my peanut stew, Yolanda. I'm going to try it with broccoli too!

        Reply
    7. Leslie H says

      January 13, 2021 at 9:54 pm

      Hi Tayo can I use chicken, pork or goat meat on this recipe?

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        January 14, 2021 at 3:11 am

        Yes, you sure can!

        Reply
    8. Julia says

      October 14, 2020 at 4:55 pm

      This recipe was delicious! I made it tonight, but also added mushrooms, zucchini, cumin, paprika, and cilantro. It was a very comforting and satisfying meal! 🙂

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        October 20, 2020 at 3:03 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Julia! And I love all the extra ingredients you added. Yum!

        Reply
    9. Erin says

      August 24, 2020 at 10:51 pm

      I made this tonite and it turned out excellent. I'm off meat so mine was all veggie, onion, red, yellow and orange bell peppers sliced and carrots. I can see adding zucchini and/or squash next time. But very quick and easy and tasty. I will definitely opt to add the habanero next time. But over rice topped with chopped cilantro, yu-mmy!

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        August 27, 2020 at 4:16 pm

        I'm so thrilled you enjoyed it, Erin. Zucchini and squash will make a wonderful addition!

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tayo!

    low carb africa

    Welcome to Low Carb Africa, the home of Keto & Low Carb African-inspired recipes. I specialize in creating mouthwatering recipes with rich, bold, and spicy flavors. Get ready to lose weight, look amazing and be in your best health ever!

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Keto Seafood Recipes

    • Oven Baked Salmon
    • Pan Fried Cod Fish
    • Pan-Seared Tilapia
    • Baked Whole Catfish

    Easy Bacon Broccoli Salad

    Reader Favorites

    • Keto Shrimp Coconut Curry
    • Air Fryer Frozen Okra
    • Keto Pancakes Recipe
    • Air Fryer Chicken Gizzards

    Popular African Recipes

    • Nigerian Chicken Stew
    • Ogbono Soup (Draw Soup)
    • Asun Recipe (Peppered Goat Meat)
    • Efo Riro - Nigerian Spinach Stew
    • Okro Soup (African Okra Soup)
    • Egusi Soup - Nigerian Melon Seed Stew

    Footer

    FEATURED ON:
    low carb africa featured banner

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Browse

    • Recipe Index
    • Shop Digital Products
    • Amazon Store

    Resources

    • Free 7-day keto meal plan
    • African Spices & Seasonings
    • How To Be Successful on Keto
    • What is Fufu?

    Information

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    COPYRIGHT © 2022. Low Carb Africa, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Low Carb Africa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.