Home / Bolivian Kitchen / Sopa de Maní

Sopa de Maní

Bolivia’s soul-warming peanut soup — silky, golden, and gently spicy, loaded with beef, vegetables, and pasta for a bowl that hugs you on a cold Andean night.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 1 hrCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 Bolivian KitchenCategory
☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet

Sopa de maní is the soup of La Paz winters, a creamy peanut-based broth that blends Andean peanuts with Spanish stew tradition. It is a full meal in a bowl: tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and a tangle of pasta, all swirled with peanut butter’s nutty richness.

A Bowl of Golden Comfort

The broth is deceptively simple — ground roasted peanuts melted into a golden, slightly thickened base — yet the flavor is deep and nutty, with just enough ají heat to wake you up. Every spoonful carries soft potato, sweet carrot, and shreds of tender beef.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Brown the beef in the oil over medium-high heat, then add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the tomatoes, aji paste, and cumin and cook for 5 minutes until saucy.
  3. Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes until the beef is tender.
  4. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. Whisk the ground peanuts into a cup of warm broth, then stir the paste into the pot so it melts in smoothly.
  6. Add the peas and pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
  7. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot, with a squeeze of lime if you like.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Temper the peanut butter with warm broth before adding it so it never clumps. The soup thickens as it sits — thin with broth when reheating; it keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Rate this recipe

☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
Sign in to rate this recipe.

Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook1 hr
Servings6
CategoryBolivian Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →