# Is "peanut soup" any good? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202 "2007-01-31T01:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/1 "2007-01-31T01:03:33Z")
In [_Mister Johnson,_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102458/) a film set in colonial British Africa, at one point the British administrator, Harry Rudbeck, and his newly arrived bride, Celia, are sitting down to dinner. CELIA: [looking down at a bowl of transparent liquid with what appear to be half a dozen shelled peanuts sitting on the bottom] What’s this? HARRY: Peanut soup. CELIA: But it’s just peanuts in hot water! HARRY: Hm? Yes, I suppose it is. Is such a dish really eaten anywhere in Africa? Is it any good? Does the broth pick up any flavor from the peanuts? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/2 "2007-01-31T01:11:30Z")
It sounds suspiciously like the beginning of the [rock soup fable](http://www.geocities.com/rockwoodneighbors/stone1.html) but I can’t be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/3 "2007-01-31T01:37:38Z")
I’ve come across the recipe before. Here is an example: [Colonial Williamsburg | The World's Largest Living History Museum](http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/food/fdpnutsp.cfm) Here is one called West African Peanut Soup: [http://allrecipes.com/recipe/west-african-peanut-soup/detail.aspx](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/west-african-peanut-soup/detail.aspx) And another African peanut soup recipe: [http://www.congocookbook.com/c0037.html](http://www.congocookbook.com/c0037.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/4 "2007-01-31T01:40:44Z")
Heh. From the last link: > [@](#): > > Various peanut soups are common throughout Africa. Some are very simple, others more elaborate. They are often eaten as a main course along with Rice, or one of the Fufu-like staples: Baton de Manioc, Fufu, or Ugali. > > * * * > > Simplest Peanut Soup > > The simplest Peanut Soup recipe calls for two parts chicken stock, two parts shelled peanuts, and one part milk or cream. Start by roasting the peanuts in a baking pan in a hot oven, or on the stove in a large skillet, turning often. Remove the skins from the peanuts and mash them with a mortar and pestle, mince them with a knife, crush them with a rolling pin, or use a food-processor. [http://www.congocookbook.com/c0037.html](http://www.congocookbook.com/c0037.html) Never tried it, btw. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/5 "2007-01-31T04:14:43Z")
So it’s **not** just (whole) peanuts in hot water? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/6 "2007-01-31T04:29:28Z")
Peanuts are just ar type of legume, so if you’ve had bean or lentil soup before, what’s the big deal? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/7 "2007-01-31T04:31:52Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Peanuts are just ar type of legume, so if you’ve had bean or lentil soup before, what’s the big deal? [/QUOTE] Just that “peanut soup” as portrayed in the movie didn’t look like anything anyone would bother cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/8 "2007-01-31T04:36:18Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Just that “peanut soup” as portrayed in the movie didn’t look like anything anyone would bother cooking. [/QUOTE] I’d eat it - shelled peanuts + water + salt? Sure thing. If you like boiled peanuts, no reason why you wouldn’t like this. But IME most peanut soups are closer to GFactor’s link. I actually made my own one time from some internet recipe and it was really good. Just added a bit too much jalapeno and it got a little too hot. (and I loooove hot stuff, so this was freaking killer). ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/9 "2007-01-31T04:41:21Z")
To me, that sounds like a joke poking fun of British “cooking.” I’ve made peanut soups but they’ve been closer to the recipes posted. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/10 "2007-01-31T05:07:34Z")
That’s so funny. My coworker is from Ghana, and often talks about peanut soup. Everyone else ribs him about it, claiming it doesn’t exist. He keeps telling us he’s going to bring some in, but so far, no peanut soup for us. As he he explains it, you saute onions, tomatoes, peppers, and whatever else you have around in a pan with some oil. Then add some broth. Then add peanut butter, seasonings, etc. Basically the same thing as in **GFactor** ’s links. I’d better get on my coworker to bring in the peanut soup already. He’s a great cook. Yum, potential peanut soup! ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/11 "2007-01-31T05:14:18Z")
Peanut soup is awesome. There are a couple of African restaurants in the DC area that carry it, one is in Silver Spring. I’ve had it over rice as a sauce and just alone in a bowl. Man is it good. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/12 "2007-01-31T05:17:36Z")
One of my Moosewood cookbooks has a recipe for an African peanut soup - haven’t gotten around to making a pot of it yet but it looked yummy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/13 "2007-01-31T08:42:08Z")
I have made peanut soup - the recipe I found used peanut butter as a shortcut to all that roasting and pounding. It was nice, but too salty. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/14 "2007-01-31T12:49:31Z")
I’ve had the [Cream of Peanut Soup](http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/food/fdpnutsp.cfm) at the King’s Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg - quite tasty! It sounds a lot thicker than the African version, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/15 "2007-01-31T12:54:24Z")
Yeah, Virginia has a tradition of peanut soup. You can get some at one of the taverns (The Green Leaf, I think) in old town Leesburg. Also, Mount Vernon has an excellent peanut soup that I think is from a recipe from George Washington’s kitchen way the hell back when. Generally, it’s a creamy soup with a strong peanut base. Rarely a full peanut, in my experience, but rather brothed up with small peanut chunks. It’s a winner! ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/16 "2007-01-31T14:07:03Z")
I have to admit, I was kind of hoping that peanut soup was just as the OP described it, and that everyone would jump in and rave about how delicious it was. “At last!” I thought. “Something delicious even I can make!” Oh, the crushing disappointment of reality… ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/17 "2007-01-31T15:17:20Z")
We call it “peanut sauce” (or “sauce harachide”) and it’s quite common. Usually it involves peanut paste, onions, the ubiquitous buillion cube, probably some palm oil, and fish. Nobody does all the roasting and grinding themselves- peanut paste can be bought in plastic bags at just about every street corner. When it’s good, it’s very, very good. When it’s made with the horrible dried black smoked fish, it’s pretty gross. It’s served over rice, plantains, or cassava with very spicy hot sauce on the side. It’s not much different from a thai peanut sauce with different spices. They also make a thicker onion-y savory peanut butter that is really good. Finally, peanut paste is added to all the green leafy vegetable sauces (which are eaten just about daily) to add nutrition and make it creamy. These turn out tasting basically like creamed spinach- yummy! ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/18 "2007-01-31T15:32:15Z")
**Even sven,** you have just convinced me I must learn more about the cuisine of Cameroon. Thanks for broadening my horizons! ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/19 "2007-01-31T16:07:43Z")
[QUOTE=madmonk28] Peanut soup is awesome. There are a couple of African restaurants in the DC area that carry it, one is in Silver Spring. [/QUOTE] As I have just moved down to the Silver Spring area, I would love to hear where this place is located. Anything with peanuts is bound to be good. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-peanut-soup-any-good/390202/20 "2007-01-31T16:11:54Z")
[QUOTE=audiobottle] …the crushing disappointment of reality… [/QUOTE] Album name! I never used the overused and cliched “Band name!”, but thought I might try to start a new trend here.