Description
Egusi Soup is a beloved Nigerian dish made with ground melon seeds, palm oil, leafy greens, and rich proteins like chicken, beef, or fish. Thick, nutty, and spicy, it’s a staple of West African food culture and is often enjoyed with fufu, pounded yam, or rice. This recipe highlights the popular egusi soup with lumps method for authentic flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups ground egusi seeds
- 1/2 cup palm oil
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken (or assorted meat: goat, beef, smoked fish)
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1–2 scotch bonnet peppers (or habanero)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 large onion
- 2 tbsp ground crayfish
- 2 bouillon cubes (Maggi)
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 6–8 cups water or stock
- 2 cups leafy greens (spinach, pumpkin leaves, or bitterleaf)
Instructions
- Prepare pepper mix: Blend bell peppers, scotch bonnet, tomatoes, and onions until smooth.
- Cook meat: In a large pot, season chicken (or assorted meats) with onions, bouillon, salt, and water. Cook until tender, then set aside the stock.
- Cook pepper base: Heat palm oil in a clean pot, add blended pepper mix, and fry 10–15 minutes until oil separates.
- Add seasoning and stock: Stir in crayfish, bouillon, salt, and reserved stock. Simmer gently.
- Form egusi lumps: Mix ground egusi with water into a paste. Drop spoonfuls into the simmering soup. Cover and cook 10 minutes without stirring.
- Stir and add meat: Gently stir, return cooked meat, and simmer together.
- Add greens: Stir in spinach or other greens, cook 5–7 minutes, and adjust seasoning.
- Serve hot: Pair with fufu, pounded yam, or rice.
Notes
- Use hot oil when adding egusi paste to form proper lumps.
- Do not stir immediately—allow egusi to cook and set first.
- Crayfish or dried shrimp adds authentic umami flavor.
- Add greens last to preserve color and nutrients.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing scotch bonnet peppers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Nigerian, West African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: Egusi Soup, Nigerian Recipes, Egusi Soup with Lumps, West African Food, Spicy Egusi Soup