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Igbo cuisine is known for its delicious and flavorful soups, which are often served with fufu, a starchy side dish made from cassava or yam. Igbo cuisine features a wide range of soups with unique flavors and ingredients. The soups are mostly palm oil based. Meat or fish is a key component of the soup, mostly originating from cow, chicken, goat, turkey, dry fish or stockfish. Stockfish is air-dried codfish that is soaked and cooked in the soup. Some restaurants advertise bush meat as well, which can be from antelopes, but more valued is the grass-cutter (also called bush or cane rat), or maybe even less familiar species. Bush rat meat is worth a try, when cooked properly, as it is very tender and well spiced. Vegetarians, unfortunately, may find themselves limited to only a few non-meat dishes on the menu list.

The less hungry people may try moi-moi or suya. Moin-moin is a delicious steamed bean cake; suya is a brochette with thin slices of grilled cow or goat meat.

To make this section complete, you can find the recipes for some soups.

Ofe Nsala (White Soup)

Ofe Nsala, also known as White Soup, is a popular soup from the eastern part of Nigeria.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of goat meat, beef or chicken
  • 1 cup of yam, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup of utazi leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup of uziza leaves, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon of ground crayfish
  • 2 teaspoons of pepper soup spice
  • Salt to taste
  • Water

Procedure

  1. Boil the meat in a pot with enough water to cover it, add salt and cook until tender.
  2. Add the diced yam and continue cooking until it's soft and mushy.
  3. Add the pepper soup spice, crayfish, chopped onion, garlic, and salt to taste. Stir well and let it cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the chopped utazi leaves and uziza leaves to the pot and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving.

Other popular soups include: Bitterleaf Soup (not very distant from spinach), Ora and Ogri soup (a vegetable-based soup, most commonly eaten in villages), Egusi soup (yellowish soup based on melon seeds), Okro soup (sticky, viscous 'draw' soup made out of sliced okro pods), Ogbono soup (another 'draw' soup based on ogbono pods), and Vegetable soup (the most exclusive soup, because of its ingredients).

Bitterleaf Soup

Bitter leaf soup is a popular soup in Nigeria made with bitter leaf and other ingredients. It is usually served with eba, fufu, or any other swallow of your choice. Here's a detailed recipe and procedure on how to prepare it:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of washed and shredded bitter leaf
  • 1/2 cup of ground crayfish
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup of palm oil or any other cooking oil
  • 1-2 lbs of meat or fish (beef, chicken, goat, fish, or any other protein of your choice)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 2-3 seasoning cubes or powder (Maggi, Knorr, or any other brand)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

  1. Wash and shred the bitter leaf, then soak it in a bowl of water for about 5-10 minutes. Drain and rinse the bitter leaf thoroughly to reduce the bitterness.
  2. In a large pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute.
  4. Add the chopped red bell pepper and scotch bonnet peppers (if using) and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the meat or fish, seasoning cubes or powder, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the meat or fish is cooked through.
  6. Add the ground crayfish and stir to combine.
  7. Add the washed and shredded bitter leaf and stir to combine. Cover the pot and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes.
  8. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
  9. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving with your preferred swallow.

Enjoy your delicious bitter leaf soup!

Ora Soup

Ora soup (Ofe Ora) is a soup from the Eastern part of Nigeria made with Ora (Oha) leaves and other ingredients. Here's a recipe and procedure on how to prepare it:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of washed and chopped Ora (Oha) leaves
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup of palm oil or any other cooking oil
  • 1-2 lbs of meat or fish (beef, chicken, goat, fish, or any other protein of your choice)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 2-3 seasoning cubes or powder (Maggi, Knorr, or any other brand)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

  1. Wash and chop the Ora (Oha) leaves and set aside.
  2. In a large pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute.
  4. Add the chopped red bell pepper and scotch bonnet peppers (if using) and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the meat or fish, seasoning cubes or powder, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the meat or fish is cooked through.
  6. Add about 2 cups of water and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  7. Add the chopped Ora (Oha) leaves and stir to combine. Cover the pot and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes until the Ora (Oha) leaves are wilted.
  8. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
  9. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving with your preferred swallow.

Enjoy your delicious Ora soup!

Egusi Soup

Egusi soup is a popular Igbo soup made with ground melon seeds, vegetables, and meat or fish. Here's a detailed recipe and procedure on how to prepare it:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of ground egusi (melon) seeds
  • 2 cups of water or stock
  • 2 cups of chopped vegetables (spinach, ugu, kale, or any other leafy green)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 1-2 lbs of meat or fish (beef, chicken, goat, fish, or any other protein of your choice)
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup of palm oil or any other cooking oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons of ground crayfish (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Seasoning cubes or powder (Maggi, Knorr, or any other brand)

Procedure

  1. Prepare the protein: If using meat, wash and season with salt, pepper, and seasoning cubes or powder. If using fish, clean, season, and fry or grill until golden brown. Set aside.
  2. In a large pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute.
  4. Add the chopped red bell pepper and scotch bonnet peppers (if using) and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the ground egusi seeds and stir for 2-3 minutes until it starts to dry out and clump together.
  6. Gradually add the stock or water, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue stirring until the egusi mixture becomes a smooth paste.
  7. Add the ground crayfish (if using) and stir to combine.
  8. Add the meat or fish, cover the pot and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  9. Add the chopped vegetables and stir to combine. Cover the pot and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through.
  10. Season with salt, pepper, and additional seasoning cubes or powder if needed. Stir well and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
  11. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving with your preferred swallow (e.g., fufu, eba, semovita, or any other swallow of your choice).

Enjoy your delicious egusi soup!

Okro Soup

Okra soup is another popular Nigerian soup made with okra, vegetables, and meat or fish. Here's a detailed recipe and procedure on how to prepare it:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of chopped okra
  • 2 cups of water or stock
  • 2 cups of chopped vegetables (spinach, ugu, kale, or any other leafy green)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 1-2 lbs of meat or fish (beef, chicken, goat, fish, or any other protein of your choice)
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup of palm oil or any other cooking oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons of ground crayfish (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Seasoning cubes or powder (Maggi, Knorr, or any other brand)

Procedure

  1. Prepare the protein: If using meat, wash and season with salt, pepper, and seasoning cubes or powder. If using fish, clean, season, and fry or grill until golden brown. Set aside.
  2. In a large pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute.
  4. Add the chopped red bell pepper and scotch bonnet peppers (if using) and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the chopped okra and stir for 2-3 minutes until it starts to dry out and clump together.
  6. Gradually add the stock or water, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue stirring until the okra mixture becomes a smooth paste.
  7. Add the ground crayfish (if using) and stir to combine.
  8. Add the meat or fish, cover the pot and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  9. Add the chopped vegetables and stir to combine. Cover the pot and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through.
  10. Season with salt, pepper, and additional seasoning cubes or powder if needed. Stir well and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
  11. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving with your preferred swallow (e.g., fufu, eba, semovita, or any other swallow of your choice).

Enjoy your delicious okra soup!

Ogbono Soup

Here's a recipe and procedure on how to prepare Ogbono soup:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of Ogbono (Ground African mango seeds)
  • 1/2 cup of palm oil or any other cooking oil
  • 1-2 lbs of meat or fish (beef, chicken, goat, fish, or any other protein of your choice)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 2-3 seasoning cubes or powder (Maggi, Knorr, or any other brand)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

  1. In a small pot, roast the Ogbono over low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. In a large pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute.
  4. Add the chopped red bell pepper and scotch bonnet peppers (if using) and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the meat or fish, seasoning cubes or powder, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the meat or fish is cooked through.
  6. Add about 2-3 cups of water and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  7. Add the roasted Ogbono and stir to combine. Make sure the Ogbono is well mixed with the soup to prevent lumps from forming.
  8. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the soup thickens.
  9. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
  10. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving with your preferred swallow.

Enjoy your delicious Ogbono soup!

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable soup is a popular Nigerian soup made with different types of vegetables and often served with any type of swallow. Here's a recipe and procedure on how to prepare vegetable soup:

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of Ugu (Pumpkin) leaves, washed and chopped
  • 1 bunch of Spinach or other leafy greens, washed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup of palm oil or any other cooking oil
  • 1-2 lbs of meat or fish (beef, chicken, goat, fish, or any other protein of your choice)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 2-3 seasoning cubes or powder (Maggi, Knorr, or any other brand)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

  1. Wash and chop the mixed vegetables and set aside.
  2. In a large pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute.
  4. Add the chopped red bell pepper and scotch bonnet peppers (if using) and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the meat or fish, seasoning cubes or powder, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the meat or fish is cooked through.
  6. Add about 2-3 cups of water and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  7. Add the chopped mixed vegetables and stir to combine. Cover the pot and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through.
  8. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
  9. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving with your preferred swallow.

Enjoy your delicious Vegetable soup!

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