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Loading...Sauce Arachide is a beloved staple of Ivorian home cooking, a rich and creamy peanut sauce built on a tomato base and simmered with eggplant, okra, and aromatic spices. It is traditionally ladled over attiéké, white rice, or boiled plantain and brings warmth, nutty depth, and gentle heat to every spoonful. This version stays true to Abidjan street-side flavors while remaining easy to prepare in any kitchen.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time50 mins
Servings5
YieldAbout 5 cups, serves 5
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 385 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 5 gSaturated Fat
- 22 gCarbs
- 7 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 14 gProtein
- 560 mgSodium
- 720 mgPotassium
- 75 mgCalcium
- 2.6 mgIron
- 28 mgVitamin C
- 850 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the aromatic base
- 2 tbsp palm oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and chopped (adjust to taste)
For the sauce
- 4 ripe tomatoes, blended until smooth (or 1 x 400 g can crushed tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 small Chinese or Italian eggplant, diced into 1 cm cubes
- 1 cup fresh okra, sliced into 1 cm rounds
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 cup smooth natural peanut butter (no added sugar)
- 1 Maggi or Knorr bouillon cube, crumbled
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Directions
- Heat the palm oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring so it does not brown.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet peppers and cook for 90 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add the blended tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture darkens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
- Add the diced eggplant, bay leaf, thyme, and crumbled bouillon cube. Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Whisk the peanut butter into the pot a few spoonfuls at a time until fully incorporated and the sauce turns a uniform creamy tan color.
- Stir in the sliced okra and continue to simmer uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the eggplant is tender and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Taste and adjust salt. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with a splash of stock; if too thin, simmer a few minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf and scotch bonnet pieces if desired.
- Serve hot in shallow bowls, garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges, alongside attiéké, steamed white rice, or boiled yam and plantain.
Cook’s Notes
- Use natural peanut butter with only peanuts (and optionally salt) as the ingredient list; sweetened or hydrogenated jars will throw off the savory balance.
- Palm oil gives the traditional deep orange-red color and earthy flavor. Substitute red palm oil shortening if you cannot find liquid palm oil.
- Roasted peanuts blended with a little water into a smooth paste produce a more rustic, nuttier flavor than commercial peanut butter.
- The sauce thickens considerably as it cools. Always reheat with a splash of stock or water to bring it back to a pourable consistency.
- For a heartier meal, stir in 200 g of flaked smoked mackerel or shredded rotisserie chicken during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
