Mafé
intro
Creamy, rich slow-simmered peanut stew with tender beef and root vegetables, a beloved cross-cultural comfort food made for sharing.
Ingredients
Steps
Heat 30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed 5L Dutch oven over medium-high heat (190°C/375°F). Pat 700g beef chuck cubes completely dry with paper towels, season with 3g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt and 0.5g (1/4 tsp) black pepper. Sear beef in 2 separate batches to avoid crowding the pan, cooking 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown on all edges. Transfer seared beef to a clean plate and set aside.
Reduce stovetop heat to medium (160°C/320°F). In the same pot, using the remaining oil and browned fond, add 200g diced yellow onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add 12g minced garlic, 30g grated fresh ginger, 32g (2 tbsp) tomato paste, 2g (1 tsp) ground cumin, 2g (1 tsp) ground coriander, 2g (1 tsp) smoked paprika, and 0.5g (1/4 tsp) cayenne pepper. Stir constantly for 1 minute until the tomato paste darkens to a deep red and spices release a rich, fragrant aroma.
Add 350g chopped Roma tomatoes to the pot, stir to combine with the aromatic base, and cook for 4 minutes until tomatoes break down and release their juicy pulp. Return seared beef and any accumulated plate juices to the pot, pour in 750ml (3 cups) low-sodium beef broth, and add 1 whole bay leaf. Stir to combine, bring liquid to a gentle rolling boil, then reduce heat to low (110°C/230°F), cover the pot, and simmer for 35 minutes until beef is just tender when pierced with a fork.
Scoop 200g unsweetened smooth peanut butter into a medium heatproof mixing bowl. Ladle 250ml (1 cup) of hot stew broth into the bowl, whisking continuously until the peanut butter is completely smooth, thinned, and free of lumps. Pour the thinned peanut butter mixture back into the stew, stirring thoroughly to combine into a uniform, creamy light-brown sauce.
Add 350g chunked sweet potato, 180g sliced carrot rounds, and 300g chunked Yukon Gold potato to the stew, stirring to fully coat all vegetables in the peanut sauce. Keep heat on low, replace the pot lid, and simmer for an additional 25 minutes, stirring every 7-8 minutes to prevent the thick sauce from sticking to the pot bottom, until vegetables are fork-tender and beef is soft enough to pull apart with a spoon.
Remove and discard the bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining 6g (1 tsp) kosher salt and 0.5g (1/4 tsp) black pepper as needed. Ladle the hot stew over bowls of cooked long-grain white rice, and serve immediately.
Tips
2.Never add thick, undiluted peanut butter directly to simmering stew, as it will form stubborn, grainy lumps; always thin it first with hot broth for a perfectly silky, smooth sauce.
3.If the stew thickens more than you prefer during the final vegetable simmer, stir in 60-120ml (1/4–1/2 cup) of extra warm beef broth to reach your desired sauce consistency.
OMG this mafé is a total game changer for our weeknight family dinners! I was a little nervous about the medium difficulty rating but it came together so smoothly, the creamy peanut flavor with the tender beef is chef’s kiss. My kids ate two full bowls each and asked when we’re making it again. Served it over jasmine rice like the note said, 10/10.
Made this for my office potluck last week and people were literally scraping the pot clean! I used a bit of extra crunchy peanut butter because that’s what I had in the pantry, and it added such a nice little texture kick. Only note is it thickened up way faster than I expected when I added the peanut butter, so I stirred in a splash more beef broth to thin it out. Will absolutely be making this again!
Really solid recipe! The flavor is spot on, though I will say the 1 hour 25 minute cook time was a little tight for me — I ended up needing an extra 15 minutes to get the beef really fork tender. Next time I’ll cut the beef chunks a little smaller to cut down on cook time. Still, SO good, will be adding this to my regular meal prep rotation.
First time ever making mafé and I can’t believe how well this turned out! I grew up eating my Senegalese neighbor’s version as a kid and this tastes exactly like I remember. Rich, nutty, perfectly savory, not too sweet even with the peanut butter. Served it with homemade fufu and it was a whole vibe.
Flavor was great but I ran into a couple issues! I used natural no-stir peanut butter and the sauce ended up separating a little bit while it simmered. Also, I wish the recipe noted how spicy the cayenne makes it — I added the full amount and my toddler couldn’t eat it because it was too hot for them. Bummed because the parts I could taste were really good.
Game changer for meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday and it reheated like an absolute dream all week for lunches. The beef didn’t get tough, the sauce didn’t get weird and gummy, even after microwaving it at the office. 10/10, will be making a double batch next time.
I swapped the beef for chicken thighs because that’s what I had defrosted, and it was still incredible! The peanut sauce coats the chicken so well, I let it simmer a little less time since chicken cooks faster, and it came out perfect. Definitely don’t sleep on adding the chopped collard greens like the recipe suggests, they add such a nice bright bite.
My partner is obsessed with peanut butter so I decided to make this for our anniversary dinner at home, and he said it’s the best thing I’ve ever cooked. We paired it with fried plantains on the side and sweet Jesus, that combo is unbeatable. The creamy, savory stew with the sweet crispy plantains? I felt like I was eating at a fancy restaurant!
Really tasty, but I found it a little too peanut-butter heavy for my personal taste. Next time I’ll cut the peanut butter by about a quarter cup and add a little extra tomato paste to brighten it up. That said, my husband thought it was perfect as written, so it’s definitely just a personal preference thing!
Made this while camping last weekend in my Dutch oven over the fire and it was *chef’s kiss*. The whole campground smelled amazing, people from two sites over came over to ask what I was cooking. Hearty, warm, perfect for chilly nights around the fire. Will be a regular camping meal from now on.
I was worried this would be too complicated for a weeknight but it was so straightforward! The steps are easy to follow, nothing too fancy, and the end result tastes like you spent all day cooking. I added extra sweet potato chunks because I love them in stews, and they soaked up all that peanut sauce so well. SO good.
Great base recipe! I added a tablespoon of fish sauce for a little extra umami and a squeeze of lime at the end to brighten it up, and it took the flavor over the top. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish the recipe included more specific notes on what cut of beef works best — I used chuck roast which worked great, but I almost bought a leaner cut that would’ve been tough.
As someone who meal preps for 4 people every week, this recipe is an absolute staple now. It freezes really well too! I froze half of the last batch I made for a busy week later, and when I thawed and reheated it, you couldn’t even tell it had been frozen. No weird texture, no separated sauce, perfect every time.
Took this to my friend’s fall potluck and everyone was raving about it! I was worried the peanut flavor would be weird for people who haven’t had West African stew before, but even the pickiest eaters at the party went back for seconds. The creamy, savory flavor is just so universally likeable. 10/10, will be bringing this to every gathering from now on.
The flavor is really good, but I had a hard time getting the sauce to combine smoothly. I ended up with little clumps of peanut butter even after stirring for forever. I think next time I’ll whisk the peanut butter with a little bit of the warm broth before stirring it into the pot, that should help. Still tasty, just a little lumpy for my first go.
Really delicious! I added a bit of extra ginger and garlic because I love those flavors, and it was so aromatic. My only small complaint is that I wish there were more veggies in the base recipe — I added extra carrots and green beans and they worked perfectly, so I’ll just load it up with more veggies next time.
I’m a college student on a tight budget and this recipe was perfect for me! I used a cheaper cut of beef, store brand creamy peanut butter, canned tomatoes, and it still came out tasting like a million bucks. Made enough for 6 servings for under $15 total, which is way cheaper than getting takeout. Will be making this on repeat all semester.
My whole family is obsessed with this! Even my super picky 7 year old who refuses to eat most stews cleaned his bowl. The peanut flavor is familiar enough for kids who love peanut butter, but the savory spices make it interesting for adults too. Served it over couscous one night and rice the next, both were amazing.
I’ve tried three different mafé recipes online and this one is by far the best. The spice balance is perfect, the instructions are clear, the cook time is pretty accurate if you cut your beef to the right size. No weird random ingredients you can only find at a specialty store, everything is available at my regular grocery store. Finally found my go-to mafé recipe!