Cabbage Egusi Soup

Content… What Is It? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Traditional African Recipes to Try

What Is Cabbage Egusi Soup?

If you’ve never heard of egusi melon seeds, let me clue you in. You may know it as white seed melon. Egusi (cucumeropsis mannii) is a wild member of the gourd family with dry skin and bitter flesh. However, the seeds (looking a lot like watermelon seeds) are an essential ingredient for any egusi soup recipe.

They’re incredibly nutritious, being high in protein and healthy oil. And in the cuisine of West Africa, they’re often used in thickening soups and stews. Enjoy depth of flavor, and egusi cabbage soup is an amazing one-pot meal with meat, egusi, and cabbage!

Nullacia, this one is specially made for you!

Recipe Ingredients

1. Meat – Smoked turkey, beef, goat, chicken, and pork work well; use whatever meat you’re in the mood to flavor this traditional stew. 
2. Cabbage – Shredded cabbage gives this stew a well-balanced texture. You can also buy pre-shredded cabbage in a bag to save time. Actually, any dark, leafy green will work.
3. Egusi – Your local grocery store may have ground egusi seeds in the international foods section. Otherwise, try a West African market or Amazon. 
4. Veggies – Besides cabbage, you’ll need tomato, onion, and garlic to give this soup flavor, texture, and color. Bell pepper wasn’t a traditional ingredient when I learned to cook, but you can add it if desired.
5. Oil – Canola oil, or any cooking oil, will do for this recipe.
6. Crayfish – A popular ingredient in many African dishes, ground crayfish adds a unique flavor to this dish. If you don’t have any, dried shrimp works well too. 👌

How to Make Cabbage Egusi Soup

• Boil the Meat -Season the beef or chicken with salt (or garlic salt). Simmer in enough water to give you 3-4 cups of broth for the soup until tender. Optionally add smoked paprika, black pepper, and onion powder. Remove the meat and reserve the broth.
• Brown the Meat (Optional) -Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium. Fry the meat first, then set aside. If you decide not to brown the meat, proceed to the next step.
• Aromatics – Saute the onion and garlic mixture until translucent, for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the beef, smoked turkey, and crayfish and continue cooking.
• Soup Base – Stir in the tomatoes with their juices and 1-2 cups of beef or chicken stock—bring to a boil and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Egusi – Next, add the ground egusi and keep simmering on medium heat for approximately 12 minutes. Add more broth as needed for the desired consistency or to prevent burning. (Photos 2-3)
• Cabbage – Finally, toss in the cabbage and simmer for a few minutes until tender.  If you have extra, use it up in my delicious chicken cabbage soup.
• Serve – Give the soup a taste test and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve hot with plantains, eba, yams, fufu, or the side of your choice.

Recipe Variations

1. Can’t find egusi? Swap it out for pumpkin seeds (pepitas). Many friends swear by this swap-out. 
2. Leave the egusi out. You can omit this ingredient altogether and still have a tasty cabbage stew!
3. Add some heat. Feel free to toss in a scotch bonnet pepper, cayenne pepper, or both if you’re a heat seeker! ❤️‍🔥
4. Extra protein. Some people like adding dried fish toward the end and cooking it just enough to soften it.

Tips and Tricks

1. If you don’t like the smell of cabbage but want to add it to the soup, lightly cook it before adding it. You’ll get all that good flavor without the overpowering smell of cabbage in the soup. 
2. If you are using a tough cut of meat, definitely boil it and then fry it. Feel free to skip the frying step if using a more tender cut, like chicken or beef sirloin.
3. If you have whole egusi seeds and plan on grinding them yourself, a mortar and pestle or food processor will do the job. 😅

Make-Ahead Instructions

Make this stew a day or two ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Simply reheat it on the stove. You can also freeze this dish for up to three months. 

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve egusi cabbage stew nice and hot, with a carby side (or two.)

Refrigerate leftovers for 3-5 days in an airtight container. Reheat it on the stovetop set to medium heat. If it seems too dry, add some water or broth.

What Goes With Cabbage Egusi Soup

Fufu and egusi soup are a classic pairing. But you can also serve it with fried sweet plantains and some steaming basmati rice. Some homemade garlic bread for dipping is always a good idea, too! Wash it all down with refreshing pineapple juice.😋

More Traditional African Recipes to Try

1. Chicken Stew
2. Red Red
3. Maafe
4. Hot Pot Potatoes
5. Kati Kati