Nigerian Egusi Soup Recipe (BEST African Soup) + Video!

ByNkechi Ajaeroh, MPH

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Nigerian egusi soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is indeed one of the best soups in African cuisine, and it is loved both at home and in restaurants. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. You can pair egusi soup with “swallow,” such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. Plain white rice equally pairs well with egusi soup.

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Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

Decoding Classic Nigerian Egusi Soup

Nigerian egusi soup also know as egusi stew is one of the best soups out of the African continent. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, it sure makes a statement on the dinner table. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. Growing up in Nigeria, egusi was (still is) a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with “swallow” such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

Like okra/ogbono soup, cocoyam soup, oha soup, pepeper soup, and other excellent Nigerian soups, egusi soup is rich, nutrient-packed, and flavorful. This soup will not disappoint you. If you already know and enjoy this soup, today’s recipe will show you another way to make it even more palatable. And if you have never seen or tried egusi soup or stew before, I hope this recipe helps you to give this a try. As I stated in the video, there are several ways to make Nigerian egusi soup. However, this is one of the ways that I love to cook this Nigerian delicacy.

Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

What is Egusi Soup Made Of?

Nigerian egusi soup is made of ground egusi (African melon seeds), arguably the most important ingredient! Also, egusi soup consists of assorted meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, homemade beef broth, African bird’s eye pepper (red hot chili pepper), salt, pepper, spinach, etc. Though I used African bird’s eye pepper,” in today’s recipe, you can use fresh hot pepper such as habanero or any hot chili pepper. If using habanero, one or two is enough! You do not need to make your egusi soup so spicy that you lose that taste!

WATCH THE VIDEO; How To Cook Nigerian Egusi Soup:

What is Egusi? What is egusi called in English?

Egusi seed simply is African melon seed. However, the raw, unpeeled egusi seeds look more like pumpkin seeds in appearance. It is essential to know that the African melon that produces egusi seeds is indeed bitter and not edible. The only edible part is the seeds extracted and used to make the delicious egusi soup! Some people refer to this soup as melon seed soup.

Can I use pumpkin seeds to make egusi soup? Honestly, I don’t know as I have never tried this before. If you ever try it, please keep me posted. May I also say that while egusi seed isn’t pumpkin seed, some people still may refer to egusi soup as “pumpkin seed soup.”

Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

Egusi Soup Ingredients:

  • Ground egusi
  • Homemade meat broth/stock (I used all the broth from boiling the oxtail and beef)
  • Oxtail (cooked until fork tender)
  • Beef (boiled/cooked till fork tender)
  • Dry fish (wash thoroughly and remove all the bone)
  • Ground crayfish
  • Knorr or Maggi cubes
  • Red palm oil
  • Tomato paste
  • Ground African chili pepper/African bird’s eye chili pepper or habanero
  • Salt to taste plus more for boiling the oxtail and beef
  • 1 medium-sized onion, plus 1 large onion for boiling the oxtail and beef
  • Fresh spinach (frozen works too)

How To Cook Nigerian Egusi Soup (Step-by-Step):

Nigerian egusi soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. Here’s how to make authentic African egusi soup!

  1. Prep the Meat

    Wash and cook all the meat before starting to cook your soup. Place washed oxtail into a clean pot, and add enough water to cover the meat. Then add ½ an onion, two teaspoons salt, and one teaspoon Knoor, cook until fork tender, separate the meat from the broth, and set aside. Reserve the broth to cook the egusi soup. Repeat the above process to cook all the meat separately.

  2. Clean/Prep the Fish

    Wash and debone dry/smoked fish, and set aside. If the fish is very dry, consider boiling it for a few minutes to soften a bit prior to using/cooking your soup.

  3. Cook Your Egusi Soup:

    Place a big pot on the stove and turn your stove to medium. Add palm oil and allow to heat up a bit (about ½ a minute) or so. Add your ground egusi and keep stirring to combine red palm oil and egusi for about 1-2 minutes.
    Stir in the tomato paste, and continue to combine with the egusi/red palm oil already in the pot. Add some salt (one teaspoon or less). (You may want to lower the heat at this time to avoid burning). This process reduces the raw taste of the egusi and tomato paste. Then add all the meat broth (about 6 cups.)
    Give a good stir, making sure to dissolve any visible “paste lump.” Add all the meat and fish (already cooked oxtail, beef, and dry fish; stir. Now add the other condiments: ground red pepper (African bird’s eye pepper), Knorr cubes, and ground crayfish. Stir everything together and taste.
    Cover and simmer (on low-medium) for 30– 40 minutes, checking and lightly stirring every 5 minutes. You will surely notice when the soup thickens and tastes like cooked egusi.Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

  4. Add Spinach and Finish Cooking

    Add spinach around the 35 – 37 minutes mark or when you think that your soup is almost ready. Then stir and allow another 3 minutes for everything to simmer. Your soup is ready after that. Taste for flavors and adjust before turning off the stove. Serve with pounded yam, garri, or white rice. Enjoy!!! Don’t forget to watch the video for proper cooking instruction and guidance.Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

TIPS/Recipe Notes:

  1. Cook all the meat before making the soup, if possible, a day before. Also, boil the meats separately; for instance, I boiled the oxtail separately from the red beef meat. If I were using cow foot, too, I would cook them separately as well.
  2. Season each of the separate meats when you boil them. This ensures you have a well-seasoned broth.
  3. When boiling the meats, please add more water as the water dries up. This happens especially for meat that takes longer to cook, such as cow foot and oxtail. Alternatively, boil your oxtail and cowfoot in the pressure cooker if you have one. 
  4. Make sure to wash your dry fish properly and debone them. “Dry fish bone accident” is horrifying. Always debone your fish, whether cooking for yourself or others. Perhaps soak your dry fish in hot salty water to rid it of sand/dust. Soaking always allows the fish to soften and the bones to let go. 
  5. There are several green leaves that you can add to your egusi, such as ugu (African fruited pumpkin leaves). However, I’m using spinach, as that’s what I can find here. I wouldn’t use spring mix, though.
Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

Optional/Substitution

Usually, whenever I make larger quantities of egusi soup or party egusi soup, I also like to prep a pepper-onion base. This augments the tomato paste. Though this is optional, it sure takes my egusi soup to the next level. Let me know if you want me to share my party egusi soup recipe! (See below):

Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

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Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

Nigerian Egusi Soup Recipe (BEST African Soup)!

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  • Author: Nkechi Ajaeroh, MPH
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Nigerian
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

Nigerian egusi soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is indeed one of the best soups in African cuisine, and it is loved both at home and in restaurants. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. You can pair egusi soup with “swallow,” such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. Plain white rice equally pairs well with egusi soup as well.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups of ground egusi
  • 4 – 6 meat broth/stock (I used all the broth from boiling the oxtail and beef)
  • 3 lbs. Oxtail (cooked until fork tender)
  • 2–3 lbs. beef (boiled/cooked till fork tender)
  • 1 lb of dry fish (wash thoroughly and remove all the bone)
  • ¼ cup of ground crayfish
  • 2 cubes of Knorr or Maggi cubes, plus more for boiling the oxtail and beef
  • 1/3 cup of red oil
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Ground African chili pepper/African bird’s eye chili pepper or habanero
  • Salt to taste plus more for boiling the oxtail and beef
  • 1 medium-sized onion, plus 1 large onion for boiling the oxtail and beef
  • Fresh spinach (frozen works too)

Instructions

  1. Prep the Meat. Wash and cook all the meat before starting to cook your soup. Place washed oxtail into a clean pot, and add enough water to cover the meat. Then add ½ an onion, two teaspoons salt, and one teaspoon Knoor, cook until fork tender, separate the meat from the broth, and set aside. Reserve the broth to cook the egusi soup. Repeat the above process to cook all the meat separately.
  2. Clean/Prep the Fish. Wash and debone dry/smoked fish, and set aside. If the fish is very dry, consider boiling it for a few minutes to soften a bit prior to using/cooking your soup.
  3. Cook Your Egusi Soup. Place a big pot on the stove and turn your stove to medium. Add palm oil and allow to heat up a bit (about ½ a minute) or so. Add your ground egusi and keep stirring to combine red palm oil and egusi for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, and continue to combine with the egusi/red palm oil already in the pot. Add some salt (one teaspoon or less). (You may want to lower the heat at this time to avoid burning). This process reduces the raw taste of the egusi and tomato paste. Then add all the meat broth (about 6 cups.) Give a good stir, making sure to dissolve any visible “paste lump.” Add all the meat and fish (already cooked oxtail, beef, and dry fish; stir. Now add the other condiments: ground red pepper (African bird’s eye pepper), Knorr cubes, and ground crayfish. Stir everything together and taste. Cover and simmer (on low-medium) for 30– 40 minutes, checking and lightly stirring every 5 minutes. You will surely notice when the soup thickens and tastes like cooked egusi.
  4. Add Spinach and Finish Cooking. Add spinach around the 35 – 37 minute mark or when you think that your soup is almost ready. Then stir and allow another 3 minutes for everything to simmer. Your soup is ready after that. Taste for flavors and adjust before turning off the stove. Serve with pounded yam, garri, or white rice. Enjoy!!! Don’t forget to watch the video for proper cooking instruction and guidance.
  5. Serve with pounded yam, garri, or white rice. Enjoy!!! 

Notes

Cook all the meat before making the soup, if possible, a day before. Also, boil the meats separately; for instance, I boiled the oxtail separately from the red beef meat. If I were using cow foot, too, I would cook them separately as well.

Season each of the separate meats when you boil them. This ensures you have a well-seasoned broth.

When boiling the meats, please add more water as the water dries up. This happens especially for meat that takes longer to cook, such as cow foot and oxtail. Alternatively, boil your oxtail and cowfoot in the pressure cooker if you have one.

Make sure to wash your dry fish properly and debone them. “Dry fish bone accident” is horrifying. Always debone your fish, whether cooking for yourself or others. Perhaps soak your dry fish in hot salty water to rid it of sand/dust. Soaking always allows the fish to soften and the bones to let go.

There are several green leaves that you can add to your egusi, such as ugu (African fruited pumpkin leaves). However, I’m using spinach, as that’s what I can find here. I wouldn’t use spring mix, though.

The time for boiling the meat is excluded from the overall preparation time.

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More Nigerian Cuisines To Try:

Healthy Okra and Ogbono Recipe with Spinach and served with oat fufu

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Nigerian egusi soup is one of the best soups in African cuisine. With a slightly yellow and reddish color and sprinkles of green leaves, this African soup is rich, flavor-packed, and hearty. This favorite soup is loved both at home and in the restaurant. Egusi soup is easy to make as it requires only a handful of ingredients, including ground egusi seeds, meat, dry fish, ground crayfish, and other ingredients. Most African countries and tribes generally enjoy it, especially Nigeria. In Nigeria, egusi is a show stopper and a well-referred soup! This spectacular soup is versatile and typically eaten with "swallow" such as fufu, garri/eba, pounded yam, amala, oat fufu, etc. You can also pair egusi soup with plain white rice.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! Stay well, safe and keep living your life to the fullest!

Nkechi Ajaeroh's blog nkechiajaeroh.com for healthy food recipes, and healthy living. tips.

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I'm Nkechi Ajaeroh, a 2x International Best Selling Author, Food Enthusiast, and Public Health expert with a Master's in Public Health. Originally from Nigeria, I now reside in the United States. My passion is crafting heart-healthy Nigerian meals with an American twist. My blog explores the joy of food and life, sharing my personal and professional journey and helping you navigate your healthy lifestyle. I am dedicated to impacting lives through storytelling and inspiring others to achieve their personal goals. LEARN MORE ABOUT ME

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