Cooking · Zimbabwean recipes
Muriwo une Dovi
Collard greens braised in a velvety peanut-butter sauce — the side dish every Zimbabwean kitchen knows by heart.
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Serves
4
Approx. kcal
~189
Muriwo une dovi — literally 'greens with peanut butter' — turns ordinary collards into something rich, creamy and deeply satisfying. The natural pairing of greens and groundnut is a thread that runs through southern and central African cooking, but in Zimbabwe it is the default partner for sadza. The peanut butter melts into the residual cooking water and coats every leaf.
Ingredients
- 500g collard greens or covo (or kale as a substitute), thick stems removed
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 3 tbsp natural peanut butter (sugar-free)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt to taste
- 200ml water
Method
- Wash the greens thoroughly, stack the leaves and roll into a tight cigar. Slice across into thin ribbons (chiffonade).
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Sweat the diced onion for 4 minutes until translucent.
- Add the diced tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook 5 minutes until they break down into a sauce.
- Add the sliced greens and stir to coat. Pour in 100ml of the water, cover, and cook 8 minutes until the greens are tender but still bright.
- In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter with the remaining 100ml warm water to make a smooth pourable paste.
- Pour the peanut paste over the greens. Stir gently to combine — the residual cooking water and the peanut paste will form a glossy sauce that coats every leaf. Cook 3 more minutes.
- Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot alongside sadza or as a vegetable side to grilled meat.
About this dish
Covo, tsunga and rape are the traditional Zimbabwean greens for this dish; covo in particular is sold in tied bundles at every market. Outside Zimbabwe, collard greens or even kale work well. The dish was named one of the most characteristically Zimbabwean preparations by SADC's regional cuisine survey.
Sources & further reading
- Calorie estimate: per-ingredient kcal table (USDA-derived), divided by serves. Approximate — varies with portion size and exact ingredients used.
- Cultural context and method are editorial, based on widely-documented Zimbabwean home cooking. Last reviewed 2026-08-20.
Have a family variation that we missed? Email [email protected] — we credit contributors.
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