Boiled sweet potato with garlic served with fresh parsley Garlic Infused Sweet Potatoes Nutella mascarpone cake decorated with whipped cream and chocolate shavings Nutella & mascarpone layer cake Fresh, homemade cinnamon sugar pretzels, crunchy and golden brown Cinnamon sugar pretzels Rum and raisin cannoli served on a plate Rum & raisin cannoli Oreo macaron Oreo Macarons Elk Meat Doughnut served fresh Elk meat doughnuts (venison) Spinach rice served Greek spinach rice Cauliflower and pea samosas served Spiced cauliflower and pea samosas Honey ginger lemonade freshly served Zesty honey and ginger lemonade Khao soi soup served Khao soi (Northern Thai curry noodle soup) Natto with mustard served with coriander Japanese natto with karashi mustard & spring onion Malai Sondesh with cream, garnished with fresh cottage cheese and rosewater Malai Sondesh Bicol Express pork with coconut milk sauce and chilli peppers Bicol Express with Coconut Milk Galaktoboureko with lemon syrup, filo pastry and semolina filling Galaktoboureko with lemon syrup Broken wheat payasam with coconut milk and spices, rich Indian dessert Broken wheat payasam Lomo saltado served with beef and roasted vegetables Lomo Saltado with Roasted Vegetables Smoked meat pelmeni served with sour cream Russian smoked meat pelmeni Butter scones served All-butter puff scones Creamy spicy tomato soup served Spicy cream of tomato soup Taco bowl served Deconstructed taco bowl Boiled sweet potato with garlic served with fresh parsley Garlic Infused Sweet Potatoes Nutella mascarpone cake decorated with whipped cream and chocolate shavings Nutella & mascarpone layer cake Fresh, homemade cinnamon sugar pretzels, crunchy and golden brown Cinnamon sugar pretzels Rum and raisin cannoli served on a plate Rum & raisin cannoli Oreo macaron Oreo Macarons Elk Meat Doughnut served fresh Elk meat doughnuts (venison) Spinach rice served Greek spinach rice Cauliflower and pea samosas served Spiced cauliflower and pea samosas Honey ginger lemonade freshly served Zesty honey and ginger lemonade Khao soi soup served Khao soi (Northern Thai curry noodle soup) Natto with mustard served with coriander Japanese natto with karashi mustard & spring onion Malai Sondesh with cream, garnished with fresh cottage cheese and rosewater Malai Sondesh Bicol Express pork with coconut milk sauce and chilli peppers Bicol Express with Coconut Milk Galaktoboureko with lemon syrup, filo pastry and semolina filling Galaktoboureko with lemon syrup Broken wheat payasam with coconut milk and spices, rich Indian dessert Broken wheat payasam Lomo saltado served with beef and roasted vegetables Lomo Saltado with Roasted Vegetables Smoked meat pelmeni served with sour cream Russian smoked meat pelmeni Butter scones served All-butter puff scones Creamy spicy tomato soup served Spicy cream of tomato soup Taco bowl served Deconstructed taco bowl
Ogbono Soup with palm oil, rich spicy soup with meats and fresh spinach
Spicy Ogbono soup with palm oil, in rich flavour world

Nigerian Ogbono Soup

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Soups
Ogbono soup is Nigeria's culinary pride, the soul of which is ground ogbono seed. This special seed imparts a thick, slimy consistency (draw) to the dish during cooking, similar to the effect of okra, which locals highly value because it helps the soup cling to fufu offered as a side. The deep, fiery taste of smoked fish mixes with the reddish glow of palm oil and richness of meats. This is not a hurried weekday dinner, but a filling, warming meal that requires patience but rewards care in every spoonful.
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 1 hr
⌛ Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 580 kcal
🌍 Cuisine African

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large capacity pot (for boiling soup)
  • Frying pan (for frying onion)
  • Whisk or wooden spoon (for lump-free mixing)
  • Sharp knife and chopping board

Allergen Information

⚠️ Fish

Instructions

1 ✓

Prepare meats: cut beef and chicken into uniform bite-sized cubes. Pick smoked fish into pieces, carefully removing bones.

Tip: Uniform size ensures every bite cooks at same time and presentation is aesthetic.
2 ✓

Put meats in a large pot, pour over water, season with salt, pepper, and cook on slow fire until beef is butter-soft too. This will be your soup's rich base.

Tip: Collagen and flavours dissolving from meat during slow cooking make stock substantial.
3 ✓

Meanwhile heat palm oil in a pan and sauté finely chopped onion and crushed garlic. When onion is translucent, stir in grated ginger and paprika/chilli.

Tip: Add paprika only at very end and remove from heat quickly, because it can turn bitter in moments in hot fat [burning].
4 ✓

Pour spiced onion oil into soft meat soup base. Boil together so flavours unite.

Tip: Here you can adjust soup thickness: if too much liquid, boil some off before thickening.
5 ✓

Now for the essence: sprinkle in ground ogbono seed. Stir continuously and thoroughly so soup thickens and becomes silky. Cook for further 15-20 minutes.

Tip: Ogbono seed fat content and fibres form emulsion with water, giving soup that characteristic creamy-stretchy texture.
6 ✓

Add smoked fish pieces, washed spinach and chopped coriander. Cook for another 5 minutes, just until leaves wilt.

Tip: Don't overcook spinach as it loses bright green colour and vitamin content.
7 ✓

Serve hot. A few drops of lime juice as after-seasoning can bring freshness amidst heavy, oily flavours.

Tip: Acid [citric acid] helps counterbalance palm oil fattiness, making dish lighter.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the soup get lumpy?
Ogbono seed thickens very quickly. If you don't stir it thoroughly and quickly into hot liquid, it clumps. As prevention you can dissolve it in a little warm palm oil before adding to soup.
What can I substitute for palm oil?
Although palm oil gives authentic taste and colour, in an emergency you can use vegetable oil coloured with a little paprika, but taste experience will differ.
It became too thick, what do I do?
Pour in a little hot water gradually until it reaches desired but still rich consistency.

Ingredients

  • 200 g Ogbono seeds (ground)
  • 3 tbsp Palm oil (red)
  • 1000 ml Water (or stock)
  • 300 g Beef (shin or diced)
  • 300 g Chicken (thigh or breast)
  • 1 whole Smoked fish (e.g. mackerel or catfish)
  • 1 tbsp Ground dried chilli or Paprika
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Pepper (freshly ground)
  • 1 head Onion
  • 1 cm Ginger (fresh)
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 bunch Fresh coriander (or parsley)
  • 150 g Fresh spinach (or other leafy greens e.g. chard)