Egusi Soup

Name: Egusi Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Nigeria
Ingredients: 2 cups ground egusi (melon) seeds; 1 lb assorted meat (beef and tripe), cut into pieces; 1 lb smoked fish, deboned; 1/2 cup palm oil; 1 onion, chopped; 3 tbsp ground crayfish; 2 scotch bonnet peppers, blended; 4 cups spinach or bitterleaf, chopped; 2 cups beef stock; Seasoning cubes, to taste

6 servings25 min prep50 min cookMedium Nigeria

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Egusi Soup

Story updated September 17, 2026

Egusi soup, thickened with ground melon seeds, draws on egusi (a variety of squash or melon grown for its protein-rich seeds) that has been cultivated in West Africa for centuries. It's a staple across Nigeria's many ethnic groups, each with its own variation, typically eaten with pounded yam, fufu, or eba.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

2 cups ground egusi (melon) seeds
1 lb assorted meat (beef and tripe), cut into pieces
1 lb smoked fish, deboned
1/2 cup palm oil
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp ground crayfish
2 scotch bonnet peppers, blended
4 cups spinach or bitterleaf, chopped
2 cups beef stock
Seasoning cubes, to taste

Instructions

1Boil assorted meat with onion and seasoning cubes until tender; reserve the stock.
2Mix ground egusi with a little water to form a paste.
3Heat palm oil in a pot and fry the egusi paste in lumps, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
4Add scotch bonnet, crayfish, and the reserved meat stock, stirring to break up the egusi.
5Add the cooked meat and smoked fish and simmer 20 minutes.
6Stir in the chopped greens and simmer 5 more minutes until wilted.
7Serve hot with pounded yam, fufu, or eba.

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