> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Senegalese Mafé — Peanut Stew in Groundnut Oil - URL: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/mafe-peanut-stew-groundnut/ - Published: 2026-12-27T10:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T04:22:27.000Z - Description: Mafé is Senegal's rich peanut stew — slow-cooked lamb or beef with sweet potato, carrot, and cabbage in a groundnut oil and peanut paste base. The West African answer to a warming winter braise. - Author: Savannah Ryan - Tags: African Recipes, MAHA Recipes Mafé is one of Senegal's great dishes — a slow-cooked stew of meat and root vegetables in a thick peanut paste sauce, built on a base of groundnut oil, tomatoes, and onion. Where Nigerian groundnut soup is fiery and intense, mafé is milder and sweeter, with root vegetables and cabbage creating a balance that makes it as much a vegetable stew as a meat dish. It is traditionally served with white rice. ## The Peanut Paste Mafé uses a generous amount of peanut paste — smooth, unsalted, freshly ground if possible. The paste enriches the broth, thickens it as it cooks, and provides the characteristic creamy, slightly sweet depth that defines the dish. Commercial smooth peanut butter without added sugar is the accessible substitute. Use 150g for a pot of four — less produces a thin, unsatisfying sauce. ## Serves 4 · Prep 20 min · Cook 1.5 hours Serves 4 Prep 20 min Cook 1.5 hours ### Ingredients - 600g bone-in lamb shoulder or beef chuck, cut into chunks - 150g smooth unsalted peanut paste or peanut butter - 3 tbsp groundnut oil - 2 onions, 1 diced, 1 blended with 2 tomatoes - 2 tbsp tomato paste - 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed - 2 carrots, roughly chopped - 200g white cabbage, wedged - 500ml meat stock or water - Salt, black pepper ### Method 1. Heat groundnut oil in a heavy pot. Brown meat on all sides. Remove. 2. Cook diced onion in same oil 5 minutes. Add tomato paste. Cook 3 minutes. 3. Add blended tomato and onion. Simmer 8 minutes. 4. Stir in peanut paste. Add stock gradually to prevent lumps. 5. Return meat. Bring to simmer. Cook 45 minutes. 6. Add sweet potato, carrots, and cabbage. 7. Cook 30 more minutes until vegetables are tender and sauce thick. 8. Season and serve with white rice. Frequently Asked Questions What protein is traditional in mafé? Lamb and beef are most common. Chicken works — reduce cooking time to 45 minutes total. Fish mafé exists but is less common. How thick should mafé be? Thicker than a soup, thinner than groundnut soup. It should coat the back of a spoon but pour freely. Can I make it vegan? Yes — use only root vegetables, add chickpeas for protein, and use vegetable stock. Shop This Recipe Lodge 6-Quart Dutch Oven Heavy enamelled cast iron for stews and braises. [Get on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7LVB554?tag=thefoodieki0f-20&ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) Savannah Ryan · Amazon Savor Africa 20 authentic West African recipes — mafé, thiéboudienne, yassa, tagine and more. [Get on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2YCJGQ8?ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) Related Recipes - [Groundnut Soup in Palm Oil](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/groundnut-soup-palm-oil/) - [Senegalese Thiéboudienne](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/senegalese-thieboudienne/) - [Yassa Chicken](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/yassa-chicken/) - [Braised Pork in Lard](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/lard-braised-pulled-pork/) Shop on The Foodie Kitchen - [Seed oil free pantry guide — every fat, every brand](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-pantry-staples-amazon/) - [All 25 seed oil free cookbooks by Savannah Ryan](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/cookbooks/) - [Best Dutch oven for seed oil free cooking](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/best-dutch-oven-fall-cooking/) --- Follow Savannah: [@theefoodiekitchen](https://www.instagram.com/theefoodiekitchen/?ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) · [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572217094296) · [All Links](https://linktr.ee/theefoodiekitchen?ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) ## Storage and Reheating Mafé improves overnight. Store refrigerated for up to 5 days — the peanut sauce thickens considerably when cold. Reheat over low-medium heat with a splash of water or stock, stirring occasionally, until the sauce returns to its original flowing consistency. Freezes well for up to 3 months. ## Recipe Variations - **Chicken mafé** — substitute lamb or beef with bone-in chicken pieces — reduce cooking time to 45 minutes and add the peanut paste after 20 minutes to prevent it scorching - **Vegetable mafé** — replace meat entirely with sweet potato, yam, and cassava — add all vegetables at the 20-minute mark and simmer for 25 minutes - **Adjust the fat** — this recipe works equally well in ghee, lard, or grass-fed butter if peanut oil or palm oil is unavailable. Each fat produces a slightly different flavour profile; peanut oil or palm oil gives the most historically accurate result. ## What to Serve With Mafé Mafé is served over plain white rice in Senegal and Mali — the stew's thick, rich sauce needs the neutral backdrop of unseasoned rice to balance. A small dish of thiébou yapp (rice cooked in the leftover sauce) is the traditional accompaniment in Senegalese households. Fried sweet plantains (aloco) alongside is the West African table addition. What is mafé? Mafé (also spelled maafé) is the national peanut stew of Senegal and Mali. Slow-cooked beef or lamb in a sauce of ground peanuts, tomato, and aromatics. One of West Africa's defining dishes — analogous in cultural importance to Indian dal or Mexican mole. Is peanut oil seed oil free? Technically peanut oil is a legume oil rather than a seed oil, though it is polyunsaturated and shares some of the oxidation concerns of seed oils at high heat. For the most ancestrally authentic version of mafé, use palm oil (palm fruit oil, not palm kernel oil) — the traditional fat of West African cooking. What cut of meat works best in mafé? Bone-in lamb shoulder or beef short ribs. The collagen in the bone and connective tissue dissolves during the long simmer and thickens the peanut sauce naturally. Boneless cuts produce a thinner sauce.