An Exploration of some Uncommon Nigerian Soups

The popular French bread, baguette, is to the French what soups are to Nigerians— we can’t do without them! Most traditional meals in Nigeria consist of starchy food often referred to as 'swallow' such as eba, fufu, or semovita, etc, accompanied by a type of Nigerian soup. Swallows and soup are often eaten in Nigeria. They are served at celebrations like weddings and parties. They’re also prepared in households as regular meals. 

Amidst hundreds of different soups that come from the different parts of Nigeria, if you were to ask the average Nigerian to mention any three Nigerian soups off the top of their heads, certainly Ogbono and Egusi soup would come first on many people’s list. Some people may try to dig a tad deeper by mentioning ewedu, efo-riro, and ofe nsala. But even these ones are still scratching the surface of the many diverse soups made in Nigeria. 

Let’s dive spoon-first into this article as we explore the uncommon soups made in Nigeria!

1. Miyan Zogale

If you think masa, suya, and fura de nono sum up the delicious cuisine the northerners have to offer, then you’re terribly mistaken. Miyan zogale is a healthy soup the Hausas hold in high esteem. The major component of this soup is moringa leaf which consists of many vitamins that boost the immune system and aid digestion.

The soup is prepared with a good amount of protein in the form of beef, roast fish, daddawa (fermented locust beans), and black-eye beans. Blended tomatoes and curry leaves give it a nice taste and groundnut paste is added to give it that thick soup consistency. Miyan zogale is mostly eaten with tuwo shinkafa, amala, or masa but it can also be enjoyed with eba or pounded yam. 

2. Epe eza/ Epeza soup 

The Yorubas may have Gbegiri but the Ebira people of Kogi state have Epeza. The star ingredient in this tasty soup is black-eye beans which are blended to a powdery consistency. This soup is versatile and can be customized according to your taste. You can decide to prepare it with chicken, goat meat, or cow meat in addition to the usual dried fish or stock fish most people prepare it with. 

Just like with most other Nigerian soups, Epe Eza is cooked with leaves. It is often made with spinach or ugwu but that shouldn’t stop you from exploring other leaves to add to this delicious soup. Epeza can be eaten with any swallow of your choice be it eba or pounded yam. Some people even eat it with rice! 

3. Okoho soup

This soup has its roots in Benue state particularly among the Idoma people. Without the stem of the Cissus Populnea plant, which is its main ingredient, Okoho soup would not have the thick and slimy consistency it is known for. A variety of proteins such as bushmeat, grasscutter, smoked meat, and dried fish can be used to prepare this soup. Other key ingredients are locust beans, onion, pepper, and melon seed (egusi). 

Okoho soup isn’t only mouth-wateringly delicious but it is also very good for your health. Due to the medicinal properties of the Cissus Populnea plant, many health issues such as skin diseases, edema, and boils among others, can be treated. It is enjoyed best with pounded yam but can also be eaten with eba and semovita.

4. Banga Soup with Periwinkles  

Banga soup originates from the Niger Delta, a region with abundant palm trees where the key ingredient of the soup, palm nuts, can easily be attained. Periwinkles referred to as ‘isem’ are a delicacy in the Niger Delta and they are added to enhance the flavor of the soup. 

This rich soup is also composed of catfish or goat meat, dried or smoked fish, spices, ground crayfish, scotch bonnet peppers, and bitter leaves. Banga soup is often prepared by the Urhobo and Itsekiri people during festive occasions. Banga soup can be accompanied by pounded yam, starch, eba, or rice. 

5. Ofe Achara with Akpuruakpu Egusi  

Ofe Achara with Akpuruakpu Egusi is like regular Egusi soup taken to the next level. This soup is a signature dish of the Igbo people. Every ingredient used in making the soup such as melon seeds, palm oil, snail, bush meat, stockfish, and okazi leaves revolves around the main ingredient of the soup which is ‘achara’ (elephant grass shoots). 

The ‘akpuruakpu’ refers to the egusi which is blended then rolled into balls and boiled so it remains solid and doesn’t scatter giving the soup a distinct consistency. Ofe Achara with Akpuruakpu Egusi is often served at traditional weddings, burials, and festivals. This soup can be served with akpu, fufu, pounded yam, or eba. 

6. Ila Alasepo with Ewedu (ewedu ati ila alasepo)

Unlike the typical ewedu and stew which are prepared separately and then mixed together when being served, Ila Alasepo with ewedu is made in one pot from start to finish. Ila Alasepo is translated to ‘okra cooked together’. From the get-go, the pepper, onion, fish, iru, grated okro, and pomo are cooked together before the chief ingredient, blended ewedu leaves, are added to the pot and left to simmer until it’s ready. 

The Yoruba people love to eat this soup with amala , lafun, eba, semovita, or wheat swallow. Eating this soup will not only appeal to your belly but also benefit your entire body as ewedu leaves are packed with vitamins and calcium that aid in fighting the flu, strengthening bones, and aiding digestion.

In Nigeria, soups are more than just food. They are a combination of the taste of diverse cultures and traditions that make up the nation. Nigeria’s soup menu goes far beyond the usual traditional soups we have become accustomed to. From the moringa-rich flavor of miyan zogale to the one-pot-stop preparation of ila alasepo with ewedu or even the flavorful protein-filled epeza, there are so many unique and tantalizing flavors to explore with these uncommon soups. 

Whether you’re a tourist, a culinary professional, or just a huge food lover, by stepping out of the usual and trying uncommon soups, you get to expand and enrich your tastebuds with soup flavors that not only satisfy your hunger but take you on a journey of cultural appreciation. So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a steaming bowl of Ofe Achara right now!