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Home » In the Kitchen

The Mother Africa Sauce: West African Peanut Sauce Recipe & Free Printable

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child spooning The Mother Africa Sauce onto bison meatballs on a Made In baking slab using a wooden spoon

"In cooking school, we were taught the five French 'mother sauces' as defined by the twentieth-century master of French cooking, Auguste Escoffier: béchamel, velouté, sauce espagnole (a simple brown sauce), sauce tomate, and hollandaise. The foundational sauce to the Afro-Asian flavor profile is what we call the Mother Africa sauce: West African peanut sauce."

- Chef JJ Johnson

This West African Peanut Sauce recipe is an easy peanut sauce you can enjoy with your favorite mains & sides. My kids love to make this peanut butter sauce as much as they love to eat it. Discover your whole family's new favorite sauce: the Mother Africa sauce.

Grab a free printable recipe for kids at the bottom or use the table of contents below to skip to it.

If you like this easy peanut sauce, be sure to check out West African hot sauce, jollof rice, Afro-Asian-American gumbo, New Year's Day rice and peas, Persian shrimp with rice, Costa Rican beans and rice, and oxtail, also from Chef JJ, as well as meatballs made with béchamel, this Puerto Rican sofrito, and vegetable gumbo.

Learn more about cooking with kids.

Contents hide
1 Between Harlem and Heaven Cookbook
1.1 Family & Kids' Cooking Resources
2 Food from Around the World: Free Cooking Lessons
2.1 Free Cooking Course for Families
3 What is a Mother Sauce?
4 Wondering What to Eat With West African Peanut Sauce?
5 How Long Does Peanut Sauce Last in the Fridge?
6 West African Peanut Sauce Recipe
6.1 Ingredients
6.2 Equipment
6.3 1. Chop the Carrots, Onion, and Garlic
6.4 2. Prep the Tomato, Celery, and Chile
6.5 3. Turn the Stove to Medium Heat
6.6 4. Heat the Oil in the Pan
6.7 5. Add the Cumin
6.8 6. Add the Carrots, Onion, and Garlic
6.9 7. Add the Tomato, Celery, and Chile
6.10 8. Drop Your Bay Leaf into the Pan
6.11 9. Add Cilantro, Salt, and Lemon Juice
6.12 10. Add the Tomato Paste
6.13 11. Add the Peanut Butter
6.14 12. Add the Vegetable Stock
6.15 13. Turn Up the Heat to Medium-High
6.16 14. Remove the Bay Leaf and Puree
6.17 15. Serve With Your Favorite Mains and Sides
7 Montessori Transfer Work: Spooning
8 Free West African Peanut Sauce Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up
8.1 Montessori Continent Boxes
9 The Mother Africa Sauce: West African Peanut Sauce
9.1 Equipment
9.2 Ingredients US CustomaryMetric 1x2x3x
9.3 Instructions
9.4 Notes
9.5 Nutrition

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Amazon links are not affiliate links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure.

Cover of Between Harlem and Heaven cookbook by JJ Johnson, Alexander Smalls, and Veronica Chambers

Between Harlem and Heaven Cookbook

This Mother Africa sauce recipe comes from Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day by JJ Johnson, Alexander Smalls, and Veronica Chambers.

This cookbook has so much to offer a new or experienced home cook. The recipes are approachable and can easily be combined as you learn more about the food and the Afro-Asian-American flavor profile.

As someone who cooks with kids, I also appreciate the historical and cultural lessons that come with it. When combined with hands-on cooking lessons, they support meaningful experiences for learners.

Cover of The Simple Art of Rice by JJ Johnson with Danica Novgorodoff

In his latest cookbook, The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table, Chef JJ explores the role of rice throughout history and across cultures.

Find more from JJ Johnson in Black Food, at FIELDTRIP, on Cleo TV, and on Chef JJ's YouTube.

Learn more about Alexander Smalls and Veronica Chambers.

Family & Kids' Cooking Resources

Beautiful and diverse cooking resources for you!

Shop Now
Covers of Between Harlem and Heaven and Black Food cookbooks

You can also stop by our shop to see more Family & Kids' Cooking Resources.

Learn more about allergies and your family.

mallorcas, aloo chaat, bbq prawns, rabbit stew, cinnamon roll pound cake, picarones

Food from Around the World: Free Cooking Lessons

Learn from some of the most talented chefs around the world!

    Built with ConvertKit

    Free Cooking Course for Families

    Discover recipes for every continent! Sign up to receive free cooking lessons for the whole family. Learn from some of the most talented chefs around the world and participate in the quality practical life experiences Montessori education is known for.

    Find out more about the cooking course.

    mom standing in front of her kitchen

    What is a Mother Sauce?

    If you're thinking mother sauce refers to the lovingly curated lessons coming out of my kitchen and dripping into your inbox when you sign up for our free Food From Around the World: Cooking Lessons for Kids series, you may be onto something.

    However, a mother sauce also refers to a foundational building block sauce from which many other sauces are derived. This Mother Africa sauce lays the foundation for the Afro-Asian flavor profile explored in Between Harlem and Heaven cookbook.

    Learn more about the five French mother sauces.

    The cookbook Between Harlem and Heaven on a counter beside other cookbooks, food books, a pair of headphones, and a butcher block

    Wondering What to Eat With West African Peanut Sauce?

    As Chef JJ states in Between Harlem and Heaven:

    This is a sauce that tastes good on everything. You can pour it over a bowl of rice. You can dice up a sweet potato and mix it in as a stew. It tastes delicious with the meat of the chicken thigh crumbled into the mix.

    - JJ Johnson

    This mother sauce recipe pairs perfectly with sambusas and oxtail. You can also soak up any leftovers with kolach, easter bread, or biscuits. The possibilities are endless with this easy peanut sauce.

    jarred Mother Africa sauce and a copper saucier on a farmhouse kitchen counter

    How Long Does Peanut Sauce Last in the Fridge?

    You can keep this sauce in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 5 days. Add it to your favorite mains and sides to discover exciting new flavor combinations.

    West African Peanut Sauce Recipe

    ingredients and labels for making The Mother Africa Sauce from Between Harlem and Heaven cookbook

    Ingredients

    • onion
    • carrots
    • tomato
    • celery
    • garlic
    • bay leaf
    • cilantro - for the best results, use fresh cilantro
    • bird's-eye chile - you can substitute bell pepper if you prefer a mild alternative
    • lemon juice
    • tomato paste
    • peanut butter - we like to cook and bake with this powdered peanut butter as a healthier option, but any unsweetened creamy peanut butter will work
    • vegetable stock
    • cumin - cumin seeds work best for this recipe but you can also use ground cumin
    • salt - we like this pink Himalayan salt
    • oil - the recipe calls for olive oil but you can also use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, etc.

    Equipment

    • prep bowls
    • child-friendly knife
    • cutting board
    • 5.2 quart saucier
    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cup
    • blender
    child slicing carrots with a child-friendly knife and cutting board

    1. Chop the Carrots, Onion, and Garlic

    Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and cutting board to chop the carrots, onion, and garlic. Place them in a prep bowl when finished.

    child slicing tomatoes with a child-friendly knife and cutting board

    2. Prep the Tomato, Celery, and Chile

    Chop the tomato, celery, and chile. If you're using fresh cilantro, you can chop that now as well. Transfer the ingredients to a clean prep bowl.

    This West African peanut sauce recipe calls for blending at the end, so however you slice and dice your ingredients will work just fine.

    2 kids at the stove. 1 child is turning on a burner

    3. Turn the Stove to Medium Heat

    Head to the stove and turn it to medium heat.

    child at the stove in a learning tower. She is pouring olive oil into a Made In copper saucier

    4. Heat the Oil in the Pan

    Add the oil to the saucier or pan and allow it to heat up.

    2 kids at the stove in a learning tower. 1 child is adding cumin to a Made In copper saucier using a measuring spoon

    5. Add the Cumin

    Add the cumin. If you're using cumin seeds, allow them to fry for a minute while stirring.

    2 kids at the stove in a learning tower. 1 child is adding chopped onion to a Made In Copper Saucier

    6. Add the Carrots, Onion, and Garlic

    Add the carrots, onion, and garlic from the prep bowl to your pan and give it a stir.

    2 kids at the stove in a learning tower. 1 child is pouring ingredients from a prep bowl into a Made In Copper Saucier. Another child is stirring with a wooden spoon.

    7. Add the Tomato, Celery, and Chile

    Add the prepped tomato, celery, and chile to the pan and stir.

    a child adding bay leaf to a Made In Copper Saucier

    8. Drop Your Bay Leaf into the Pan

    You will remove the bay leaf at the end. Our kids enjoy keeping track of the bay leaf in the pan while we make our way through this peanut sauce recipe.

    a child at the stove is adding seasoning to a copper saucier of ingredients

    9. Add Cilantro, Salt, and Lemon Juice

    Use measuring spoons as needed to add the salt, lemon juice, and cilantro. Stir the ingredients to coat them in the oil. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until they soften.

    2 kids at the stove in a learning tower. 1 child is adding tomato paste to a Made In Copper Saucier

    10. Add the Tomato Paste

    Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes.

    closeup of a Made In Copper Saucier with ingredients for making West African Peanut Sauce or The Mother Africa Sauce

    The contents of your pan should look similar to this.

    child scooping peanut butter out of a measuring cup and into a saucier

    11. Add the Peanut Butter

    If you're using creamy peanut butter, you can add it now. If you're using powdered as we do, you'll want to add the appropriate amount of water and mix it up before adding it to the pan.

    You can add some of the stock to the pan if that helps you work the peanut butter into the vegetables.

    Cook for about 5 minutes, until the oil separates from the peanut butter.

    closeup of a child adding vegetable broth to a saucier while mom stirs the mixture

    12. Add the Vegetable Stock

    Add your vegetable stock or broth to the pan. Use your wooden spoon to remove the bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan as you mix everything together.

    closeup of a Made In Copper Saucier on the stove. The Mother Africa Sauce inside is simmering.

    13. Turn Up the Heat to Medium-High

    Turn up the heat to medium-high and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally as it cooks.

    A Made In Copper Saucier on a kitchen stove. The Mother Africa Sauce inside is simmering. A child is next to the stove eating peanut butter out of a measuring cup.

    If you're anything like us, you're using this time as an opportunity to lick any remaining peanut butter from your equipment.

    Our kids love this peanut butter sauce and nothing goes to waste.

    closeup of West African Peanut Sauce in a saucier and on a wooden spoon

    14. Remove the Bay Leaf and Puree

    Remove the bay leaf from the pan. Turn off the stove. Use an immersion blender or a standard blender to puree this easy peanut sauce. Add additional salt as desired.

    One of the reasons we like using this copper saucier for this West African peanut sauce recipe, is because the copper pan allows the sauce to cool more quickly than cast iron. Using the saucier, we can blend the sauce and serve it faster.

    This copper saucier also weighs less and holds more (5.2 quarts) than our last cast iron saucier.

    child spooning The Mother Africa Sauce onto bison meatballs on a Made In baking slab using a wooden spoon

    15. Serve With Your Favorite Mains and Sides

    Serve this Mother Africa sauce with your favorite mains and sides.

    On this day, we chose to top these delicious bison meatballs with the Mother Africa sauce and it is an incredible combination.

    child at an antique stove spooning The Mother Africa Sauce frm a copper saucier onto bison meatballs.
    closeup of child spooning West African peanut sauce onto bison meatballs on a Made In Baking Slab

    Montessori Transfer Work: Spooning

    This is the perfect opportunity to practice transferring skills. Katalina uses a wooden spoon to transfer the Mother Africa sauce from the copper saucier to the bison meatballs on the baking slab.

    This type of spooning activity aids in the development of patience, concentration, coordination, and fine-motor skills.

    child picking up bison meatballs topped with The Mother Africa Sauce

    Do you like finger food? If so, this is the combo for you.

    ingredients list and recipe instruction cards snippet for making The Mother Africa Sauce from Between Harlem and Heaven cookbook

    Free West African Peanut Sauce Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up

    Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.

    The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for Africa.

    Montessori Continent Boxes

    Explore every continent with these solid maple hardwood boxes.

    Shop Now ➜
    Montessori continent boxes with Schleich animals on top of the Africa and Asia boxes
    child spooning The Mother Africa Sauce onto bison meatballs on a Made In baking slab using a wooden spoon

    The Mother Africa Sauce: West African Peanut Sauce

    Kristin
    This West African Peanut Sauce recipe from Between Harlem and Heaven cookbook is an easy peanut sauce you can enjoy with your favorite mains & sides. Discover your family's new favorite sauce: the Mother Africa sauce.
    5 from 2 votes
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Sauce
    Cuisine West African
    Servings 10 people
    Calories 76 kcal

    Equipment

    • Prep Bowls
    • Child-Friendly Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Copper Saucier
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cup
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Blender
    • Between Harlem and Heaven

    Ingredients 
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ½ white onion diced
    • ½ cup carrots chopped or 1 medium carrot
    • 6 cherry tomatoes or 1 plum tomato
    • ¼ cup celery diced or 1 rib
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tablespoon cilantro or ¼ cup fresh
    • 1 bird's-eye chile seeded and minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 cup unsweetened, creamy peanut butter or powdered
    • 4 cups vegetable stock or broth

    Instructions 

    • Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and cutting board to chop the carrots, onion, and garlic. Place them in a prep bowl when finished.
    • Chop the tomato, celery, and chile. If you're using fresh cilantro, you can chop that now as well. Transfer the ingredients to a clean prep bowl.
    • Head to the stove and turn it to medium heat.
    • Add the oil to the saucier or pan and allow it to heat up.
    • Add the cumin. If you're using cumin seeds, allow them to fry for a minute while stirring.
    • Add the carrots, onion, and garlic from the prep bowl to your pan and give it a stir.
    • Add the prepped tomato, celery, and chile to the pan and stir.
    • Drop your bay leaf into the pan.
    • Use measuring spoons as needed to add the salt, lemon juice, and cilantro. Stir the ingredients to coat them in the oil. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until they soften.
    • Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes.
    • Add the peanut butter: If you're using creamy peanut butter, you can add it now. If you're using powdered as we do, you'll want to add the appropriate amount of water and mix it up before adding it to the pan. You can add some of the stock to the pan if that helps you work the peanut butter into the vegetables. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the oil separates from the peanut butter.
    • Add your vegetable stock or broth to the pan. Use your wooden spoon to remove the bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan as you mix everything together.
    • Turn up the heat to medium-high and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
    • Remove the bay leaf from the pan. Turn off the stove. Use an immersion blender or a standard blender to puree this easy peanut sauce. Add additional salt as desired.
    • Serve this Mother Africa sauce with your favorite mains and sides.

    Notes

    • Sauce will keep for 5 days in the fridge
    • You can substitute bell pepper for the bird's-eye chile if you prefer a mild alternative
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
    • See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
    • Full Lesson Info and Pictures at:  https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/peanut-sauce-recipe

    Nutrition

    Calories: 76kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 5gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0.01mgSodium: 720mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1460IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg

    Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Kristin from Happy Homeschool Adventures

    Hi, I'm Kristin!

    I'm a Montessori homeschooler of 4 living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I'm a nature lover and environmental minimalist sharing my experience in guiding kids from the back of the boat.

    More About Me ➜

    Our Land Acknowledgement

    We reside on the ancestral lands of the Kalapuya and Luckiamute Tribes as well as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.  The land was ceded in the Ratified Indian Treaty #282 on January 22, 1855.  The languages of the Indigenous peoples of this area are Kalapuya and Chinuk Wawa.


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