Egusi soup

This rich, hearty egusi soup is a West African classic made with ground melon seeds, red palm oil, crayfish, assorted meats, and leafy greens, all simmered into a thick, nutty, savory pot. It’s the kind of soup that silences the table, served with any swallow you love.

Recipe Highlights

• Cook Time: About 1 hour
• Servings: 6
• Key Ingredients: Ground egusi (melon seeds), palm oil, crayfish, assorted meats, spinach
• Who This Recipe Is For: Anyone who wants authentic West African egusi at home, Nigerian and Cameroonian style.
• Variations: Use any proteins you love, swap the greens, or make it vegetarian.

Egusi was always a big-pot soup in my house, the one we made when family was coming and we wanted everybody to eat well. In Cameroon and Nigeria alike, it is a true staple, and everybody’s mother makes it a little differently. This is my way, and I will show you the one trick that keeps the egusi from burning and gives you that proper thick, caked texture.

If you love these rich African soups, try my afang soup, egusi pumpkin leaves soup, and ogbono soup. Serve any of them with a good type of fufu.

What is Egusi Soup?

Egusi soup is a thick West African stew made from ground egusi, the seeds of a melon-like gourd (they look and taste similar to pumpkin seeds). The ground seeds thicken the soup and give it its signature nutty flavor. It’s cooked with red palm oil, crayfish, assorted meats and fish, and leafy greens, then served with fufu, yams, rice or preferred sides. It’s hugely popular across Nigeria and Cameroon, and every family has its own version.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic flavor: Real palm oil, crayfish, and ground melon seeds.
• Hearty and filling: Loaded with assorted meats and greens.
• Naturally gluten-free: Thickened by the seeds, not flour.
• Make it your way: Any proteins, any greens, mild or spicy.

Recipe Ingredients

• Egusi (melon seeds): The star. Buy whole and grind yourself for the best quality, or use ground.
• Palm oil: Red palm oil gives the soup its color and real flavor. Don’t swap it fully for vegetable oil.
• Proteins: Beef, tripe (shaki), cow skin (kpomo), and smoked fish. Use what you love, cooked until tender.
• Crayfish: Ground, for savory depth.
• Greens: Spinach, or bitter leaf, uziza, or fluted pumpkin (ugu) leaves.
• Pepper mix: Red bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, and Scotch bonnet.
• Seasoning: Seasoning powder, and salt.
• Stock or broth: To reach the thickness you like.

See the recipe card below for exact amounts.

Two Ways to Cook Egusi (Caking vs Frying)

There are two traditional ways to cook the egusi, and both are authentic:

• The caking method: Mix the ground egusi with a little water into a paste, then drop it into the hot palm oil and pepper base and let it fry and cake, forming those little nutty lumps. This gives a richer, more textured soup.
• The dissolving method: Blend the egusi smooth with stock first, then stir it in. This gives a smoother, more even soup.

I used the dissolving method for that classic texture, but both work, so make it how your family likes it.

Variations and Substitutions

• Proteins: Use any mix you love. Beef, goat meat, tripe (shaki), cow skin (kpomo), smoked fish, stockfish, or smoked turkey all work. Just cook them tender first.
• Greens: I used spinach, but bitter leaf (washed well), fluted pumpkin (ugu), uziza, or collard greens are all traditional.
• Make it vegetarian: Skip the meats and use mushrooms or tofu, vegetable stock, and keep the palm oil for authentic flavor.
• Add locust beans (iru/ogiri): For a deeper, more traditional aroma, stir in a little fermented locust beans with the pepper base.
• Heat level: Add more or fewer Scotch bonnets, or leave them out for a mild soup.
• Oil: Red palm oil is best for real egusi flavor and color. If you want to cut it, mix in a little vegetable oil, but keep palm oil as the larger amount.
• Texture: For a lumpy, caked egusi, stir less once it’s in. For a smoother soup, blend the egusi fully with stock first.

What Can I Use Instead of Egusi?

Egusi has a unique nutty flavor and thickening power, so there’s no perfect match, but a few seeds come close:

• Pumpkin seeds (pepitas): The closest substitute. Grind them fine and use the same way.
• Melon or squash seeds: Similar family, similar result.
• Ground sunflower seeds: Work in a pinch for the thickening, though the flavor is milder.

For the most authentic egusi soup, real egusi seeds are worth finding at an African store, Asian store as "Char magaz" or online, but these will get you a similar nutty, thick soup if you’re stuck.

How to Make Egusi Soup

1. Cook the meats. In a pot or pressure cooker, boil the beef, tripe, and cow skin with salt, seasoning powder, and water until tender. Remove, cut into chunks, and keep the stock.
2. Blend. Roughly process the onion, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Separately, blend the egusi with a little water or broth until smooth.

3. Start the base. Heat the palm oil in a pot, add the onion-pepper mix, and cook about 10 minutes until the oil floats. Add salt, seasoning powder, white pepper, and crayfish. Stir to combine.
4. Add the egusi. Stir in the blended egusi, cover, and cook about 15 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t burn. Add broth or water for your preferred thickness.

5. Finish. Add the greens, smoked fish, and boiled proteins. Stir and cook another 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot with your favorite fufu or side.

Recipe Tips

• Grind the egusi finely for a smooth soup, or stir gently for lumps if you like texture.
• Blend egusi with stock, not too much water, so you don’t thin the soup.
• Don’t bleach the palm oil. Don’t overheat it, or it loses its color and taste.
• Stir often once the egusi is in, so it doesn’t catch and burn at the bottom.
• Taste at the end and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Storage and Reheating

Egusi is best hot, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently in a pot on low heat or in the microwave. The flavor deepens the next day.

What to Serve With Egusi Soup

Egusi is made for swallows. Serve it with pounded yam, eba (garri), fufu, semolina, amala, or water fufu. It’s also lovely with rice, plantains, or cassava. Rice is one of my favorites with egusi.

More African Recipes to Try

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

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