Chef-tested recipe
Sopa de maní is a Bolivian peanut soup in which ground raw peanuts are slowly simmered into a savoury broth with meat and vegetables. The peanuts must cook thoroughly so the soup loses their raw taste and becomes creamy
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Cuisine
- Bolivian
- Cooking Method
- Slow simmering and peanut thickening
- Best Served With
- Parsley, crisp potato sticks and bread
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Heavy soup pot, blender, frying pan, scale and food thermometer. paid link
- Cook More Bolivian Food paid link
- Browse Bolivian recipes or make Salteñas. paid link
- Always Cook with Heart. Always! paid link
Ingredients
- 200 g raw shelled skinless peanuts, unsalted paid link
- 600 g boneless beef chuck, in small cubes
- 200 g onion, diced
- 180 g carrots, diced
- 180 g green peas, fresh or frozen
- 280 g potatoes, cubed, plus 220 g potato for crisp garnish
- 120 g red bell pepper, diced
- 20 g garlic, minced
- 50 g small dried pasta, optional paid link
- 1,900 ml water or unsalted beef stock, divided
- 45 ml neutral oil, including garnish paid link
- 6 g salt, to taste paid link
- 2 g black pepper
- 2 g ground cumin
- 20 g parsley, chopped
Method
Prepare the peanut base. Blend raw peanuts with 450 ml measured water until a finely textured slurry forms. Do not taste the uncooked peanut mixture.
Brown the beef. Heat 25 ml oil in a heavy pot. Brown beef in batches, then add onion, carrot, bell pepper and garlic; cook for 6–8 minutes.
Build the soup. Stir in cumin, remaining stock and the peanut slurry, scraping the pot bottom. Bring to a steady simmer while stirring.
Cook thoroughly. Simmer partially covered for 45–55 minutes, stirring often, until the beef is tender and the peanut mixture has lost its raw taste. Add water if it becomes too thick.
Add vegetables and pasta. Add cubed potatoes, peas and optional pasta. Simmer another 15–20 minutes until cooked and the soup is rich and creamy. Season to taste.
Prepare the garnish. Cut remaining potato into fine strips, rinse and dry thoroughly, then shallow-fry in the remaining oil until crisp. Serve the soup hot with potato sticks and parsley.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Grinding raw peanuts into the broth and cooking them thoroughly is essential to this particular soup.
- Peanuts thicken the broth considerably as they cook, so adjust liquid gradually.
- Some Bolivian versions include chicken instead of beef and different vegetable combinations.
Substitutions
- Use chicken thigh instead of beef, reducing simmering time while cooking poultry to at least 75°C.
- Use extra potatoes if omitting pasta.
- Stock can be replaced by water with carefully adjusted seasoning.
Storage and Food Safety
Refrigerate promptly within 2 hours at 4°C or below and use within 2 days. Reheat until uniformly hot to at least 75°C, stirring because peanut-rich soups can form hot spots.
Serving Ideas
- Parsley, crisp potato sticks and bread
Allergen Notes
Peanuts are a major allergen. Wheat (gluten) if pasta or wheat bread is used; check all packaged ingredients.
