READY IN ABOUT 1¾ hrs

Egusi Soup

Read Reviews (30)

"This soup is native to West Africa (Nigeria) and many of my American as well as Nigerian friends have enjoyed it. It is a great soup for those who like to try something different every once in a while. Ground Egusi seeds give this soup a unique color and flavor. If you can't find Egusi seeds, you can substitute pumpkin seeds. Any combination of crab, shrimp and smoked fish can be used in place of the shrimp. Drained, smoked oysters and chicken can be used in place of the beef." — Karena

Directions

Place pumpkin seeds in a blender and blend for 30 to 40 seconds or until mixture is a powdery paste. Set aside.
Wash beef and cut into bite-size cubes. Season with salt. In large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add beef and saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until brown but not cooked through.
Place tomatoes, onions, and pepper in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Add tomato mixture to meat, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is tender.
Add tomato sauce, water, and shrimp and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add spinach and ground pumpkin seeds and continue to simmer 10 minutes more.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 1 hr 20 mins
READY IN 1 hr 35 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Dec 01, 2006

this is my favourite soup ever, as i am nigerian...you need to try this! absolutely delicious!

—Simi

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 10, 2008

This recipe is AUTHENTIC, Egusi is eatten all over West Africa, this is the Nigerian version.

—tamunobelema

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32 Ratings

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Apr 06, 2007

Call me crazy but collard greens work better than spinach with this recipe. This was GREAT. My husband's parents are from Liberia and they are big fans.

—Georgia Belle

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Dec 08, 2003

Incredible!

—ZENSUNNI

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Nov 14, 2003

It's a very nice soup if you're entertaining a number of people. It's unique, filled with all kinds of good stuff and very, very, very rich. It almost has a "bisque" quality to it, but "nutty" as well. I used fresh crab, which made it tiring to make -- and as careful as we were in taking the meat out of the shell, we still found shell bits in our soup. My mistake was trying to eat the entire recipe over the course of a number of consecutive days. It's way too rich to try to eat it that way. Again, highly recommended to give to people as a one course appetizer at a party.

—HUGUENOT

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Nov 14, 2003

This recipe really satisfies my craving for diversness in cuisine. It tastes simply wonderful and I would love to see more recipes native to the African continent!

—crystal

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Jul 14, 2003

Delicious. I cut the on-line recipe in half and it worked just as well. I also used chicken stock in lieu of water.

—RBOURGUI

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Aug 29, 2002

The spinach can be replaced by any type of green leafy vegetable, we especially liked this soup using shredded cabbage.

—SKINNYPIG

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Nutrition

Calories
758 kcal
38%

Carbohydrates
16.9 g
5%

Cholesterol
306 mg
102%

Fat
51 g
78%

Fiber
4.8 g
19%

Protein
60 g
120%

Sodium
858 mg
34%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Egusi Soup

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
** Calories: 758
** Calories from Fat: 459

% Daily Value *
** Total Fat 51g 78 %
** Saturated Fat 14g 70 %
** Cholesterol 306mg 102 %
** Sodium 858mg 34 %
** Potassium 1706mg 48 %
** Total Carbohydrates 16.9g 5 %
** Dietary Fiber 4.8g 19 %
** Protein 60g 120 %
** Sugars 7g
** Vitamin A 167 %
** Vitamin C 70 %
** Calcium 24 %
** Iron 117 %
** Thiamin 35 %
** Niacin 174 %
** Vitamin B6 59 %
** Magnesium 91 %
** Folate 106 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.