Groundnut Soup (Miyan Taushe)
Miyan taushe is a Hausa groundnut and pumpkin soup — peanut-thickened, gently sweet from pumpkin, and often served with tuwo (stiff porridge from maize, rice, or semolina). It is everyday food in the north and a Ramadan staple.
- Time
- 1 hr
- Serves
- 6–8
- Patience
- Gentle
- Occasion
- Everyday & Ramadan
Where this dish comes from
Unlike southern groundnut stews that lean heavily on palm oil, miyan taushe uses groundnut paste with pumpkin (squash), greens, and minimal oil. Dried groundnut powder or natural peanut butter both work.
The soup should be smooth, moderately thick, and balanced between nutty and sweet — not oily.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (150 g) groundnut powder or 3/4 cup (200 g) natural unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 lb (450 g) pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 4 cups (960 ml) water or light stock
- 1 medium onion (about 6 oz / 170 g), chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil
- 2 tbsp (20 g) ground crayfish (optional in some versions)
- 1–2 scotch bonnet peppers, whole
- 2 cups (about 4 oz / 115 g) spinach or sorrel (yakuwa) leaves, chopped
- 1 seasoning cube, crushed
- 1 tsp salt, to taste
The method
Step 1: If using groundnut powder, whisk with 1 cup (240 ml) warm water until smooth. If using peanut butter, thin with 1 cup warm water. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat oil in a pot. Sauté onion until soft, about 4 minutes.
Step 3: Add pumpkin cubes and 3 cups (720 ml) water or stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15–20 minutes until pumpkin is very tender.
Step 4: Mash pumpkin roughly in the pot — some families blend for a smoother soup.
Step 5: Stir in groundnut mixture. Add scotch bonnet whole, seasoning cube, and salt. Simmer gently 15–20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. The soup will thicken and smell nutty.
Step 6: Add greens in the last 5 minutes. The finished soup should be orange-brown, smooth, and moderately thick — pourable over tuwo.
Step 7: Remove scotch bonnet before serving. Taste and adjust salt.
Family notes ✎
- Ramadan versions may be richer and served with dates afterward.
- Sorrel (yakuwa) is traditional in some Hausa households; spinach is a common diaspora swap.
- Some families add dried fish or beef — southern Nigerian influence or northern variation depending on who you ask.
Substitutions
- Preferred: Fresh groundnut powder from African markets.
- Preferred: Butternut squash or calabaza for pumpkin.
- Emergency: Natural peanut butter — no sugar, no salt.
- Emergency: Spinach instead of sorrel leaves.
On the calendarRamadan iftar, northern Nigerian weeknight meals, and the soup that pairs with tuwo.
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