This odd combination of ingredients yields one of the most delicious and comforting soups I’ve ever had. Unique and spicy, this is one of my favorite soups for sure. What make this soup even better is how much it can be customized and still turn out delicious most likely. The creaminess of the peanut butter helps mellow the heat of the habanero allowing the fruity flavor of a habanero to shine through.

The base of the soup is:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• ¾ cup unsalted peanut butter (chunky or smooth) I used smooth
• ½ cup tomato paste (You can use 1 can crushed tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes instead but that will produce a thinner soup instead of a thicker one like this)
• Hot sauce, I used Habanero Pepper Sauce. Kick it up even more by adding a fresh sliced habanero on top!
• ¼ cup roughly chopped peanuts, for garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Cooked brown rice, for serving (optional)

Feel free to customize it to your liking by adding or subtracting any of the ingredients. Some things to add would be:

-Collard greens or Kale

-Chicken

-Red bell peppers

-Sweet potato

-Cilantro

-Truffle salt or oil, for garnish

-Sour cream dollop on top

Directions:

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Cook onions until lightly browned and tender, stirring in garlic and ginger when almost done to prevent burning. Stir in broth.  In a separate heat-safe mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and tomato paste, then transfer 1 to 2 cups of the hot broth to the bowl. Whisk the mixture together until smooth, then pour the peanut mixture back into the soup and mix well. Season the soup with hot sauce to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. (If adding collard greens, add them now and continue simmering for about 10 minutes.) Season with additional salt or hot sauce if desired. Serve over cooked brown rice if you’d like, and top with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts. Enjoy!