How to Make Efo Elegusi (Two Ways)

Name: How to Make Efo Elegusi
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 plum tomatoes; 2 scotch bonnets; 1 red bell pepper; 1 large onion; Salt to taste; 2 tsp of iru; 1-2 maggi or knorr cubes; Ground pepper to taste; pre-cooked assorted meat; Dried fish (optional); 4 bunches of red root spinach; 1/4-2 a cup of grounded melon seeds; Vegetable or palm oil

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Ever wondered how to make efo elegusi? This traditional Nigerian golden stew combines rich, savory, sour flavors and is filling enough to feed the whole family. Serve with rice or swallows like eba, pounded yam or amala.

efo elegusi in a white bowl with a blue cloth

Table of Contents

What is Efo Elegusi?

You’ve probably stumbled across this golden stew on social media. Efo elegusi is something really near and dear to our hearts here at Sims Home Kitchen. It’s one of the most unique dishes you will ever try, we guarantee it! This soup combines some of the local flavours of Nigeria with strong spices and fish that offer a world-class tasting experience.

Egusi is the West African Yoruba name for plant seeds that come from melons, squash, and the like. These seeds have become a staple of the West African diet because when they are dried and ground, they provide a great source of protein.

Efo Elegusi is a soup that combines egusi and a myriad of other delicious ingredients for a filling meal. While traditional “Egusi” describes the basic soup version of this dish, efo elegusi means that this is an Egusi dish made with the highest-quality and quantity of green vegetables. We like to add greens like bitter leaf or spinach.

There are many different types of Egusi soups, and this is just one of them for you to try out. We hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do!

Here’s our recipes!

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make efo elegusi. Make sure you prepare the red root spinach before you start cooking the stew.

Canned plum tomatoes or fresh tomatoes: Both work well when making efo elegusi with tomato.
Scotch bonnets: Add some heat to this tasty stew by adding a few scotch bonnets. Add more or less depending on your preference.
Red bell pepper: These peppers add a fresh sweet flavor to the tomato base.
Onion: Adds savory flavor.
Salt to taste: Salt is important for this stew as there are lots of ingredients. Make sure you taste as you go along.
1-2 Maggi or knorr cubes: Chicken seasoning enhances the flavor in this dish but you can skip it for a healthier stew.
Ground pepper to taste: If you are making efo elegusi without tomato then use ground pepper to replace the tomato.
Pre-cooked assorted meat: Add meats such as beef, pomo, shaki, and more!
Fish: Option to add dried fish for even more flavour. For example, shawa, panla and more.
Red root spinach: Add fresh red root spinach to this dish. You can also add ugwu or bitter leaf for more flavor. Use four bunches of fresh red root spinach. To prepare the spinach chop the spinach and remove the roots. Then, add spinach to a large bowl, rinse with cold water and transfer the spinach to another bowl. You should see some dirt at the bottom of the bowl. Make sure you wash the spinach thoroughly at least 3 times as it is usually quite dirty. After washing the spinach pour boiling hot water over the spinach and drain after 5 minutes. The spinach is now ready to be added to the stew. If you do not boil the spinach beforehand it may make the stew watery.
1/4-2 a cup of grounded melon seeds: Grind melon seeds in a blender before cooking.
Vegetable or palm oil: For a more traditional recipe use palm oil instead of vegetable oil.

How to Make Efo Elegusi with Tomato

In a blender, add 2 scotch bonnets, 1 red bell pepper, 1 large onion, and 2 plum tomatoes and blend together until thoroughly mixed.

2. In a large saucepan, add oil that covers its entire base. Pour in the blended veggie mixture and bring it to a boil. Add salt and 2 tsp of iru (or 1 maggi cube) and mix to combine. Let it cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.

blended tomato mix for efo elegusi with tomato

3. Add pre-cooked assorted meat (or any meat combination of your choice) to the stew and let it cook for 10-15 more minutes. Add 4 bunches of spinach (we recommend red root spinach!) and lower the heat to a simmer.

tomato sauce with assorted meat and spinach

4. Meanwhile, take the grounded, toasted melon seeds and roll them into balls using oil to keep it together. Add these balls to the stew and stir. Let it cook for another 10-12 minutes.

Note: Make sure you boil and drain the spinach before adding it to the tomato base, if not the stew will be watery. To prepare the spinach remove the roots and chop the spinach. Then, add spinach to a large bowl, rinse with cold water and transfer the spinach to another bowl. You should dirt at the bottom of the bowl. Make sure you wash the spinach thoroughly at least 3 times as it is usually quite dirty. After washing the spinach pour boiling hot water over the spinach and drain in a strainer or sieve after 5 minutes. The spinach is now ready to be added to the stew.

5. Serve and enjoy Efo Elegusi with white rice and plantain or swallows such as eba, pounded yam or amala.

efo elegusi served with white rice and plantain

How to Make Efo Elegusi without Tomato

1. Add a generous amount of palm oil to cover the base of a pot and add 1-2 tsp of iru once it is hot. Pour in 1-2 cups of chicken stock. Season it with salt to taste, ground pepper to taste, and 1-2 knorr or Maggi cubes. Stir.

2. Then, add pre-cooked assorted meat to the stew and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes depending on how soft the meat is. Once the meat is done remove it from the pot and set it aside for later.

iru cooking in palm oil and assorted meat and chicken stock

3. Next add the egusi paste (see notes) to the pot. Stir gently for about 5-7 minutes. Then cover it and leave it to cook for another 5-7 minutes on low heat. The egusi should have a medium consistency.

Note: To make egusi paste blend 2 cups of egusi seeds, water, and a pinch of salt until it forms a paste (as shown). If the egusi is already grounded then mix it with water by hand to make a paste.

4. Add the precooked meat back into the pot.

egusi paste and cooked egusi with assorted meat

4. Add 4 bunches of red root spinach. Then, add water as needed and stir. Do not add water all at once as the stew may become watery. Finally, cover and leave to cook on low heat for 10 minutes.

Note: Make sure you boil and drain the spinach before adding it to the egusi, if not the stew will be watery. To prepare the spinach remove the roots and chop the spinach. Then, add spinach to a large bowl, rinse with cold water and transfer the spinach to another bowl. You should see some dirt at the bottom of the bowl. Make sure you wash the spinach thoroughly at least 3 times as it is usually quite dirty. After washing the spinach pour boiling hot water over the spinach and drain in a strainer or sieve after 5 minutes. The spinach is now ready to be added to the stew.

5. Serve and enjoy with swallow such as eba, pounded yam or amala.

efo elegusi in a white bowl with assorted meat

Well-Preserved Soup

Efo Elegusi is really easy to store and preserve. Since it contains mostly vegetables and the meat is already cooked, you can store it for several days in the refrigerator. In most cases, though, it is best to enjoy it fresh!

Top Tips:

Palm oil: Palm oil is traditionally used to make efo elegusi. Be careful when heating the palm oil as it gets very hot and smoky. Be generous with the palm oil as there are lots of ingredients in this stew. If you don’t add enough the stew may be dry.

Red root spinach: Boil and drain the spinach before adding it to the egusi. To prepare the spinach remove the roots and chop the spinach finely. Add spinach to a large bowl, wash with cold water and transfer the spinach to another bowl. You should see dirt at the bottom of the bowl. Repeat this step 3 times as spinach is usually quite dirty. After washing the spinach pour boiling hot water over the spinach and drain in a strainer or sieve after 5 minutes. The spinach is now ready to be added to the stew.

Egusi proportion: You can alter the amount of egusi you add to the stew depending on your preference. Some people prefer a more leafy stew so add less egusi while other prefer more egusi and add less spinach.

Alternative leaves: If you want to add a depth of flavour then add bitter leaf or ugwu to this stew. These leaves will take your stew to the next level and make it even more savoury and delicious. They are quite bitter so don’t add too much. I would suggest 1/2-1 bunch of bitter leaf or spinach. If you do add these leaves then make sure you allow them to cook for a bit longer as both leaves take longer to cook than red root spinach.

Pre-cooked assorted meat: Here are some additions that we love to add: chicken, beef, pomo and shaki. Whichever type of protein you choose, you want to make sure that your meat is soft and tender. The best way to do this is by precooking your proteins before you start cooking the stew. I normally wash the meat first, then par-boil it with salt, onions, thyme, and chicken stock cubes for flavor (optional). Then, I finish cooking the meat in the oven or fry it. Once the meat is fully cooked, it will be tender and flavorful.

FAQs

What does Egusi taste like?

Egusi soup is made from ground melon seeds and is eaten in Nigeria. It has a distinctive savory flavor and is usually cooked with tomato sauce, assorted meat and fish. Egusi has a beautiful golden color and is traditionally served with pounded yam.

What is EFO Igbo in English?

The direct translation of “efo” is leaf in Yoruba and “Igbo” is a Nigerian tribe. The phrase “Efo Igbo” means leaves eaten by Igbo people. Efo Igbo is known as an eggplant leaf in English.

How do you blend Egusi with water?

Add melon seeds to a blender and blend. Pour some water into the grounded melon seeds and stir to get a paste like consistency.

Can I use blender to blend Egusi?

Yes, you can use a blender to blend egusi (melon seeds). You can also use a mortar.

Is Pumpkin Seed same as Egusi?

No, pumpkin seeds are darker and come from pumpkins while egusi seeds are from melons. Egusi seeds are pale yellow.

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