Festival of the Holidays is EPCOT’s shortest festival but it packs a wallop when it comes to the food offered there.

Festival of the Holidays is happening at Epcot!

From savory dishes to sugary snacks, a lot of the food focuses on hearty comfort foods.

One of the more interesting dishes was the Peanut Stew from the Refreshment Outpost. This plant-based stew is full of ingredients that will leave you satisfied, plus it’s also gluten- and wheat-allergy friendly!

SO GOOD

This stew combines sweet potatoes, mustard greens, and roasted peanuts for a symphony of savory flavors. It comes from West Africa and can also be called maafe. We enjoyed it so much that it actually made our annual Best of the Fest list! 

And thanks to Disney, we now have the recipe so we can make it at home!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Roasted Spiced Peanuts

1 cup shelled raw peanuts
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Peanut Stew

1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 medium white potato, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons salt, plus more, to taste
1//4 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 cups vegetable stock
3 cups tightly packed chopped mustard greens
1/4 cup ground chili paste
2 cups peanut butter, divided
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

Rice

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more, to taste
1 tablespoon canola oil

Topping

Roasted spiced peanuts
1/4 cup sliced green onions

Peanut Stew at Refreshment Outpost

Recipe

For spiced peanuts

1. Preheat your over to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spread out peanuts onto a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the oil starts to release from the peanuts.
3. Combine the smoked paprika, ground cayenne, and coarse salt in a small bowl.
4. Add in the warm peanuts until they are coated in the spices.
5. Cool the ingredients to room temperature. This mixture can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

For peanut stew

1. Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium heat for 5 minutes until hot.
2. Add in onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in diced sweet and white potatoes and saute another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
5. Pour in vegetable stock, then increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to medium then add mustard greens, ground chili paste, and 1 cup of peanut butter.
7. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.
8. Add in the remaining cup of peanut butter, diced tomatoes, and cilantro. Stir until the peanut butter is fully incorporated.
9. Keep warm until ready to serve.

For rice

1. Place rice in mesh strainer and rinse with cold water until water runs clear.
2. Combine rice, water, coarse salt, and canola oil in a medium saucepan.
3. Bring water to a boil, cover, and reduce to simmer.
4. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
5. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve

Spread the white rice evenly amongst dishes. Top with a generous heaping of the peanut stew. Garnish with the roasted spiced peanuts and sliced green onions. We hope you enjoy this tasty recipe and share it with your family and friends!

Read our BEST of the FEST for the 2022 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays here!