Nigerian Egusi Soup - All Nigerian Recipes (2024)

Here’s how to cook Nigerian Egusi soup, prepared with melon seeds. Egusi Soup is prepared by most tribes in Nigeria in many different ways. It is known as Miyan Gushi in Hausa, Ofe Egusi in Igbo and Efo Elegusi in Yoruba.

Nigerian Egusi Soup (Caking Method) [Video]

Egusi soup is also one of the most popular soups, if not the most popular for all Nigerians and non-Nigerians that like Nigerian fufu recipes.
The recipe detailed on this page is what I call the Caking Method of cooking Egusi Soup (the Egusi Before Oil method). Other methods are:

• How to Cook Fried Egusi Soup: this egusi soup recipe is where the Egusi is fried in palm oil before other ingredients are added. If you want to cook egusi soup recipe where the oil goes into the pot before the egusi, this recipe is for you.
• How to Cook Akpuruakpu Egusi Soup Recipe: this is egusi soup recipe where the ground egusi is molded into balls and cooked in the soup such that you will be eating the egusi balls like meat while enjoying the meal. The surrounding egusi in the soup is prepared using the caking method. Go check it out.

Ingredientsfor Egusi Soup

• 4½ cups (600g) Egusi (Melon) seeds
• 2 cooking spoons red palm oil
• Beef: Best cut and Shaki (cow tripe)
• Fish: Dry Fish and Stock Fish
• 3 tablespoons ground crayfish
• Pepper and Salt (to taste)
• Vegetable: Nigerian pumpkin leaves, spinach or bitter leaves
• 3 small stock cubes
• 1 Ogiri Okpei (traditional locust bean seasoning: optional)

More Nigerian Egusi Soup Recipes:

• Egusi and Ogbono Soup Combo
• Fried Egusi Soup [Video]
• Ofe Achara with Akpuruakpu Egusi [Video]
• Egusi Soup for Haters of Egusi Soup
• Sunflower Seeds "Egusi" Soup

More Nigerian Soups Recipes:

• Efo Riro
• The Best Ogbono Soup Recipe
• Edikang Ikong Soup
• Ofe Owerri
• Abak Atama Soup
• Afang Soup (Okazi Soup)
• Banga Soup (Ofe Akwu)
• Bitterleaf Soup
• Ora (Oha) Soup
• Ofe Nsala
• Egusi Soup (Fried Method)
• Nigerian Okra Soup
• Vegetable Soup (Pretend Edikang Ikong)

Important cooking equipment for Egusi Soup

• Spice grinder for grinding egusi (melon) seeds:

  Buy it in USA | in UK (Krups Twin Blade Grinder)

Before you cook Egusi Soup (Caking Method)

1. Before preparing the soup, soak the dry fish for about half an hour. If you are using the very tough stockfish, boil it for 20 minutes and leave in the pot with the hot water to soak for about an hour. If using the softer stockfish, you can just soak them in cool water till you can break them apart with your hands.
2. When the fish and stockfish are soft, debone and break them into sizeable chunks.
3. Much closer to your cooking time, grind the egusi with a dry mill. Grind the crayfish and the dry pepper separately and set aside. Wash the vegetable to be used. Cut into tiny pieces.

Cooking Directions: How to Cook Egusi Soup (Caking Method)

This method produces a healthier egusi soup as there is no frying involved. It requires less oil too.

1. Boil the shaki, stock fish and dry fish in 1 litre of water with the stock cubes till they are well done. First sign of a done shaki is that the cuts will start curling on itself.
2. Wash the beef to be used for the soup, add it to the pot and cook on medium heat till done.
3. As soon as the shaki, fish and meat are done, add crayfish and pepper, stir and remove all the meat from the stock (water used in cooking the meat and fish) and place in a different pot or plate.
4. Add the ground egusi to the stock and stir. If the stock from cooking your meat and fish is not enough to give you a medium consistency, add some water to get the consistency of evaporated milk or a bit thicker. It will not be as smooth as evaporated milk though.
5. Cover and cook till the egusi cakes. Stir and add a little bit more water. watch it closely so that it does not burn.
6. Repeat step 3, adding only a small quantity of water at a time. After about 25 minutes, you will notice the clear egusi oil coming to the surface of the soup.
7. Add the red palm oil and bitter leaves (if it is your choice of vegetable), pepper and salt to taste and cook for about 7 minutes. You know it is good to continue when the palm oil and egusi forms a good blend of light yellow colour.
8. Add the cooked meat and fish. If using pumpkin leaves or any other soft vegetable, add it at this time and stir the soup.
9. Add salt to your taste, stir and leave to simmer for 2 minutes maximum.
10. Turn off the heat. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

The egusi soup is ready to be served with Garri (Eba), Semolina Fufu, Amala, Cassava Fufu or Pounded Yam.