Make the Best Nigerian Tomato Stew with Assorted Meat in no time! It features oven-baked or fried assorted meat cooked in a rich and spicy tomato stew. Serve this stew with white rice, Jollof rice, pounded yam, amala and more.
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Nigerian stew, aka obe ata, is a staple dish in many Nigerian households. It forms the base of many Nigerian dishes (jollof rice) and can be served with white rice, eba, pounded yam, and more for a complete meal. However you serve it, this is a satisfying, hearty dinner that celebrates West African cuisine.
This Nigerian stew can be served with Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe and other delicious Must-Try Nigerian Food Recipes.
Why This Recipe Works
- This vibrant Nigerian Tomato Stew with Assorted Meat is filled with rich and bold flavors.
- This Nigerian red stew can be eaten with various dishes like this tasty Coconut Fried Rice with Shrimp.
- It keeps for a long time.
- You can adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
Nigerian Tomato Stew with Assorted Meat Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Plummed tomatoes: Select good-quality canned tomatoes for this recipe. You can also use fresh tomatoes.
- Red bell peppers (aka tatashe pepper): Also known as capsicum peppers, add sweet notes to the stew, so do not skip them!
- Scotch bonnets: For extra heat. Select fresh peppers. You can also use habaneros instead.
- Onions: Use white onions for this recipe.
- Tomato puree: Select a good brand of puree for optimal flavor.
- Chicken stock/broth: Use homemade stock from the parboiled meat or use shop-bought chicken broth.
- Chicken stock cubes: Knorr is my preferred brand.
- Curry powder (optional)
- Thyme: Adds a herby flavor to the stew.
- Precooked assorted meat (beef, chicken, pomo etc): Feel free to add your favorite proteins to this magnificent stew. Here are some additions that my family loves to add to our stews, depending on what we have on hand and the flavors we're craving boiler chicken, beef, Pomo or tripe.
Tips and Substitutions
There are dozens of different ways to cook Nigerian stew. Every household has its method, as the stew is so adaptable. Ultimately, it's all about cooking this dish in a way you enjoy, so be sure to taste it as you go along and experiment!
- Spice level: Some prefer less spicy stew, so they don't add scotch bonnets.
- Omit: Some people do not like the taste of chicken stock cubes, so they eliminate them.
- Pre-cooking meat: Whichever type of protein you choose, ensure your meat is soft and tender. The best way to do this is by precooking your proteins before cooking the stew. I wash the meat first, then parboil it with salt, onions, thyme, and chicken stock cubes for flavor (optional). Then, I finish cooking the meat in the oven. Once the meat is fully cooked, it will be tender and deeply flavorful. You can also fry the beef after boiling it, which is less healthy.
How to Make Nigerian Tomato Stew with Assorted Meat
- First, you will need to prepare the base of the stew. Add scotch bonnets, red bell pepper, onions and plum tomatoes to a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Next, heat vegetable/sunflower oil in a pot. It should cover the base of the pot.
- Once it is hot, pour the blended tomato mixture into the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Next, season the stew. Add chicken cubes, salt to taste, thyme, tomato puree and chicken stock. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Then stir and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the stew is nearly ready, prepare the precooked assorted meat.
- Then, add the chicken, beef, tripe, cow foot and stir well and leave to cook for another 7-10 minutes on low/medium heat.
Tip: Whichever type of protein you choose, ensure your meat is soft and tender. The best way to do this is by precooking the meat before cooking the stew. Wash and clean the meat, 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, flavorful and ready to be added to the stew.
9. Check the stew and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
10. Once the stew is done, leave it to cool for a few minutes before serving.
11. Serve this delicious Nigerian Tomato Stew with Assorted Meat with white rice, pounded yam, eba, One-Pot Nigerian Fried Rice, Coconut Jollof Rice Recipe, Fried Plantain Recipe (dodo) and more!
Recipe FAQs
Typical red stew ingredients include tomatoes, red capsicum peppers, onions, chicken, assorted meat, tripe, and seasonings such as chicken stock cubes, salt, and pepper. This Nigerian stew can be made in various ways, depending on preference.
If the stew is watery, the tomato mixture may have been blended for too long. Adding tomato puree can help to thicken the stew.
This sometimes happens when the canned tomatoes are sour. Slow cooking the stew on low heat can help to irradicate the sour flavor. In addition, you can add extra onions to the blended tomato mixture to counter the sour flavor of the tomatoes.
Nigerian stew can be refrigerated for up to 7 days in an airtight container or frozen for up to 1 month. Be sure to let the dish cool fully before freezing.
More Delicious Nigerian Stews
Nigerian Tomato Stew with Assorted Meat
Equipment
- 1 Cooking Pot
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 3 plummed tomatoes
- 2 red bell peppers (aka tatashe pepper)
- 2 scotch bonnets
- 2 onions
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- ¾ cup of chicken stock
- Salt to taste
- 1 chicken stock cubes (knorr)
- 1-2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
- 2 teaspoon of thyme
- Precooked assorted meat (beef, chicken, pomo etc)
- tablespoon Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Add scotch bonnets, red bell pepper, onions and plummed tomatoes to a blender and blend.
- Heat enough oil to cover the base of a large saucepan. Add the tomato mix and bring to a boil. Then add chicken stock cubes, salt, thyme, curry powder, tomato puree and chicken stock. Stir well and leave to cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Finally, add the assorted meat stir well and leave to cook for another 7-10 minutes on a low/medium heat.
- Serve with rice or swallow
Video
Notes
- Spice Level: If you prefer a milder stew, skip the scotch bonnets.
- Omit: If you don't like the taste of chicken stock cubes, you can leave them out.
- Pre-Cooking Meat: Whatever protein you use, make sure it's soft and tender. The best way to do this is by precooking it. I start by washing the meat, then par-boiling it with salt, onions, thyme, and chicken stock cubes for extra flavor (optional). Next, I finish cooking the meat in the oven. Once it's fully cooked, it will be tender and full of flavor. Alternatively, you can fry the beef after boiling it, though it's a less healthy option.
Robin
This sauce was amazing, so deeply flavorful! Is it possible to make it in advanced and refrigerate? I want to use it on seafood.
Stephanie
This recipe had such a rich deep flavor! This will definitely be served at the next family function.
Jen Sim
Right! It's a staple in my house.
Marta
We've not had Nigerian food since leaving the D.C. area, so, we had to try your recipe. Excellent flavors. We used cubed beef as our protein. Delicious.
EB
This stew is full of flavor and thank you for the details to make it perfect.
Jen Sim
You're welcolme. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Heather
This was our first time making this dish and I loved your step-by-step process pictures. The stew was a big success and our family really enjoyed it for dinner. Thanks so much!
Jen Sim
Thanks, Heather! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed it. 🙂
Jessica Lawson
This was really delicious, flavorful and surprisingly easy to make. I did it with chicken this time and will try with beef when I make it again!
Chef Mireille
This is a great way to use up leftover meat. I am always looking for no waste recipes that utilize leftovers and this totally hit the mark with some leftover roast chicken I had.
Lilly
I loved the spice levels and flavors of this stew! Such a great recipe! I will definitely be making this again
Chenée
I love this recipe! The flavors were perfect and it was so easy to make! I'm gonna make it again soon!
KALUHI
Meaty, hearty and delicious! Best part for me was that I could very easily get all the ingredients right here in Kenya! I will make this again!
Jazz
This stew is spot on--very flavorful with chicken! We enjoyed for dinner last night.
Britney Brown
This stew was SO flavorful and delicious! I couldn't believe how easy it was to make too! I made this with some rice and fried plantains and we loved it. We will definitely be making this again!
Dubem
This recipe has such a rich rich flavour and is so nutritious. shared it with my girl and she made a wonder of it.
Jen Sim
Nice! I'm glad you enjoyed it