Egusi soup is unarguably the most popular Nigerian soup. In my few years as a food blogger and Nigerian food lover, I have learned that different recipes exist across different Nigerian ethnic groups.
The Yorubas make efo elegusi while the Igbos make ofe egusi, all with similar ingredients but with slightly different approaches.
This is how to make egusi soup with lumps… the kind you only get to eat when you visit a 5-star restaurant or hotel ๐
Like I stated on the introductory page; Nigerian egusi soup is the most popular around here.
What you find below is a delicious plate of egusi soup and fufu, a popular Nigeria combination.
Ingredients For Egusi Soup
Serving: 12
preparation time: 80 minutes
1KG or 2.2lb beef
4 cups of egusi (melon)
1lb or 500g Roasted fish.
Half a cup of ground crayfish
a handful of sliced ugu (fluted pumpkin) leaves
2 seasoning cubes
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste (scotch bonnet).
One medium-sized Stock fish head (okporoko)
20g Dawadawa or opkei (local ingredients)
The above-listed ingredients will make a large pot of egusi soup. See the bottom of this page. This soup will serve a family of 4 persons three times. You can always refrigerate leftovers.
This recipe shows you how to prepare Egusi soup with lumps, the kind you only find in posh restaurants and eateries.
Preparation
Step 1
Grind the four cups of egusi with a dry blender or hand-grinding machine and set them aside in a bowl. Add about a cup of water to it and stir to make a very thick paste, as you can see below.
Stepย 2
Parboil the meat with all the ingredients, it is advisable to parboil meat with some ingredients before adding them to the principal food, this improves the taste of the meat.
Step 3
Parboil for about ten minutes, then add water and cook till the meat is tender and the stock (water) is about to dry. Use two seasoning cubes, a teaspoon of salt and a half cup of sliced onions.
Step 4
Pour hot water over the stockfish in a bowl and wash thoroughly to remove sand, then set aside. Also, remove the center bone from the roasted fishes, wash and set aside too.
How to make Egusi Soup with Bitterleaf
Step 5
Set your cooking pot on the fire and add 300ml of palm oil (red oil), allow to heat for a minute but don’t allow to bleach. Add the egusi paste and keep stirring for the next eight to ten minutes to form seed-like crumbs. See the image below.
Then transfer the already cooked meat into the pot, stir.
Step 8
Add the washed dry fish, stockfish, ground crayfish, a seasoning cube, ground scotch bonnet pepper, and 2 cups of water. Then cover halfway and allow boiling for the next ten minutes.
Step 9
Stir occasionally to avoid burning. One spoon of ground dawadawa (local ingredients), and a taste for salt and pepper.
Add a handful of sliced utazi leaves.
Allow to simmer on low heat for 2 minutes, stir, and you just made a delicious pot of egusi soup
How to Serve Egusi Soup
This is how you make the best Egusi soup with lumps, the kind you only find in posh restaurants and eateries. ๐
You can serve with eba or fufu, in fact, any of the Nigerian swallows will make an impressive combination
What is Nigerian swallow? Learn all about it and all other ‘swallow recipes’
I also enjoy eating this soup and pounded yam together.
Egusi Soup and Pounded yam
The most popular way to serve this soup is to pair with pounded yam. If you are desiring a delicious plate of egusi soups and pounded yam, prepare them separately.
Follow the recipe on this page to make the soup.
Pounded yam is just boiled yam that underwent the process of pounding ๐
Recipes exist that have taken away the strenuous process of pounding. I learned you could make pounded yam with blenders or just buy yam flour and do it the easy way.
Here is the recipe for Pounded Yam
When you are done, you can serve both together.
Note: This soup can also be made with fluted pumpkin, they should follow the same process, the only difference is that bitter leaves should be replaced with fluted pumpkin leaves.
A combination of Ofe Egusi and Pounded Yam would be perfect for lunch
Egusi Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Cooker
- Pots
Ingredients
- 2 KG Assorted meat
- 4 cups of egusi melon
- Roasted Mackrel about two medium sizes
- Half cup of ground crayfish
- 2 cups of washed bitter leaves
- 3 seasoning cubes
- 300 ml of palm oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste scotch bonnet.
- One medium-sized Stock fish head okporoko
- 20 g Dawadawa or opkei local ingredients
Instructions
- Set a cooking pot on heat and allow drying. add the palm oil and allow to heat for 2 minutes but don't let it bleach.
- Disolve the egusi seeds in a cup of water and add to the heated oil.
- Fry the dissolved egusi seeds in palm oil for the next 8-10 minutes. Always stir to avoid burning it.
- Once the egusi is fried, add 6 cups of water, the cooked meat, stir. add the roasted fish, stockfish, ground crayfish, a seasoning cube, ground scotch bonnet pepper then cover and allow to boil for the next ten minutes.
- Stir occasionally to avoid burning.
- Add the already washed bitter leaves, one spoon of ground dawadawa (local ingredients), taste for salt and pepper.
- Allow to boils for ten minutes, stir in between.
- Serve Egusi soup and garri (eba), alternatively, you could serve with pounded yam.
- This is how you make the best Egusi soup with lumps, the kind you only find in posh restaurants and eateries. ?
Here is The complete List of All Nigerian Soups
Return to Homepage – All Nigerian Foods
99 Comments
Wow thanks ma
I don’t use to fry my melon,I fry my pepper with my palm oil,then add my ingredients and my dry melon,I don’t sock it, just want to know if my method is okay
WILL SURELY TRY THIS OUT.
CAN GROUNDNUT OIL BE USED IN PLACE OF PALM OIL? MY HUSBAND MADE IT ONCE WITH GROUNDNUT OIL AND IT WAS SO NICE
To be candid, you’re indeed a guru ! I’ve tried this way of yours tonight; it’s absolutely delicious to be ignored. Once again, you’re wonderful.
Owo yummy yummy ๐
Pls with ur direction u did not add usu
I’ve found something that helped me.
Many thanks! Egusi soup is actully my favorite Nigerian soup.
Woooow!! I love this!!. Can’t wait to get married and show my wife what I just learnt… If she like make she do shakara, I will just enter kitchen and surprise her
This is educational! I just ordered for 2 cups of melon ? now & some ingredients. I need to surprise my wife that I can cook egusi soup. Thanks so much ?
Plz hw cn u use osu to thick ur soup? Tnx alot luv ur blog
Please whatโs ground osu?
I am a 14 year old nigerian but and live in america, and speak like an american. How do i make egusi soup I have ate it before..
Nyc 1..one big pot of egusi will soon land
Always proud of been a chef
Although i know how to prepare egwusi soup but i will try this recipe thanks
Talk true!! U just learnt it now. Hahahahahaha
How much is the cook book and how can I get it.
Wow! Thanks a lot Chidi! This instruction is clearly stated but like u said “…Add the egusi paste and keep stirring for the next eight to ten minutes to form seed-like crumbs…” Then when am I suppose to add the pepper? Pls reply. Thanks!
Yeah! You are great, infact, your cooking method is superb, Keep up the good work.I luv ur style of cooking, pls do send me more on how to cook native soup, i love learn more from you and my God will surely bless u nd ur handwork. Amen! Carry-Go!
Really thankful for this recipe, I just used it and it’s my first time and my Egusi tastes good. Although, I think it’s a little salty but it’s good still ?
When do you put the ogiri?
Who said u re not genius. U stand out unique. My mom said am the best cook when I follow ur instructions. Like ur style.
I tried ur Caribbean rice n my husband loved it. Thank you
You are doing a great job. Love the mails u send to me. God bless u
I tried the catfish peppersoup recipe and method 2day with much uziza,utazi and scent leaf.It was d best,av never enjoyed p.soup like dat before.U’ll continue 2 grow in wisdom in Jesus name
absolutely fantastic cuisine! I love Nigerian foods
thank you for you wonderfull recipes
after work I will cook the bitter leave dish and
envite my Nigerian friend to enjoy with me…
how stunning is this dishes…”dis manjefiek” in Afrikaans!
love you guys
thanks ,its delicious have tried it,so superb
I tried this recipe and it was superb. Thanks a lot ma
Thanks a lot
I just want to thank you a lot for a hav leant a lot through ur page. My d good Lord bless you
You are doing a good job
Is tomato, papper and onion not need to prepare egusi soup
Now I’ve got to know why my egusi soup never tasted good. Mehn I love this.
Please how can I get your cook book and how much is it sold?
Thanks for improving me on cooking. But pls how do I use tomatoes to cook egusi soup (mellon) pls.
U are indeed a great teacher.thanks so much.
Waoooo.Chidi dis is really awesome.God bless u for spicing up our homes with different delicacies.U rock.
Thanx Chidi, but you dint say how the osu will be prepared. When do i add it?
Tanx chi baby, I prepared mine just d way u lectured and it looks exactly like d one in I saw and it was very delicious. God bless u for making me improved in my cooking, my family members are all happy.
thanks for this your site,my family are happy with me for your nice meals.
U are great loving this soup remain bless
I did as you directed and I made a nice Egusi soup today thanks for your clue I love that
thanks a lot, if not for u my visitors will not eat wat they want oo
i like it and i av learn alot also u are great keepon
Nice one chy! I have always loved to make my egusi soup to come out with balls, will that happen if I follow this recipe? And how do I order for your recipe book? Nice job, weldone!
I do much love this ur recipes and my husband did too
You are doing a great job dear. You are just the best cook jooor!
You are such an amazing cook, I love how you make egusi soup, u’ve got so much swags!!!!!! Good job. I’m glad I dotted all the lines to hook up site. Great way to go all the way in steps. Thumb up for u.
i jt want to thk u alot for i hv learn alot on ur program
Dear you are wonderful for your detail explanation, but my favourite dish is banga soup.
for my egusi soup I use either bitterleave/ ugu/ or uziza and otazi
you can try it with uziza. it comes out great and lovely.
Its a great priviledge to av u as frnds. So keep it up cos it helps most wives to bcom an experrt cooker.thanks
I’ll try it out now.
Last week I tried your okra recipe and the soup turned out delicious.
Keep it up
The site is damn help to whoever like kichen…
I have learned a lot ..
Iam a chef .
I have gone above others with this page..
Nuch love to the developer .
Aaaaaaaa tanks a lot…I just cook egusi soup and my America friends are going crazy….
Nice
Since some recipes have no universal English names, this may be hard to pull off in other localities like here in Uganda
Interesting Chidi. I just ordered for ur books which I got within three days in warri. In short I are really gifted. God bless u
SANTUS C
You are just nwa afo Igbo and doing a great job.I am happy to be part of this.keep the good work,thumbs up.
It’s always a delight reading your page. Could you please use lay estimates for your measures such as one or two spoonfuls as opposed to 5 to 10 cl. I believe most of your followers would benefit more that way . More power to your elbow.
Anoda way i make my eguisi soup is by adding raw eggs to the grounded eguisi before frying, u should try it, it tastes great!
Thank you am Ethiopian dating a Seirra leon men, i made eguzi soup before once…he ate it but of course it was far from being perfect….am only concerned about bitter leave where i can find it….i used spinach before….i am asking around where to find it…thx alot….tomorrow my baby is going to be surprised.
Wow! A different method from what I know n grew up knowing. Thank you.
Yea its great! Keep up the good work.I luv the taste more wen u add 2 big bulbs of onions (blended). Eww 2 d tomatoes!
M so proud 2 b part of u guyz,I ve learn’t alot
You are doing a great job. Seriously! Keep it up and thank you. One pot of egusi coming up now!
I just followed the direction and I cooked egusi soup made with ugwu for the first time. Thanks a lot, you have made me proud of myself.
Chidi may God keep strengthening you….Amen #great dish
Im grateful for this blog cause my guy is Igbo and he cant stomach my type of food much, tho he tries. Now I am surprizing him with many dishes.
really nice!!! i want to know why you didnt use fresh tomatoes and pepper, i think it improves the taste.
Thank you for the recipe. In Malaysia, it is kinda hard to get the ingredients, but I will try to get them as per recipe. My husband loves this egusi soup very much.
Thanks so much.for this wonderful site.You are blessed! Pls I want to be receiving newslettes frm u on diff kinds of recipe.God bless u and keep the good work.
The soup turned out great. Keep doing the good work. Thanks
Wow am so happy to know how to prepare Egusi soup now thanks for the good work
thanks alot.God bless you nd increase your talent.
I have learned a lot on how to make egusi soup,I am a south african woman married to a nigerian man.It was a challenge for me to cook for him coz he doesn’t like my food,but now am glad I know
Thanks for the egusi soup recipe, thank God i got ur page. Cos i have lean alot from u. God blesss
Thanks for your courageous undertaking putting together this great food blog. It is a great expose of one of the most important aspects of African civilization. Our cuisines is second to none in the world and I thank you for opening it up to the world. I like egusi soup too, Thanks for a nice job.
In fact, u are great!
it’s not that I can’t prepare food but I believe dat will lean everyday. And from what I am reading on this site I believe indeed that you are superb.
Keep the ball rolling. God is ur strength.
Ade, say the truth and shame the devil… You don’t know how to cool, simple. Come and beat me, I dey my village.
i need how cook delicious plenty Egusi soup for my wedding. thanks
How do I prepare Egusi soup with fresh tomatoes