How to Make Ogbono Soup

When it comes to soups that “draw”, my go to soups are okra, ewedu, and ogbono. Ogbono soup is one of the most popular soups in Nigeria. It originates from the Igbo speaking part of the country.

What is Ogbono Soup?

Ogbono soup is made with ogbono seeds, which are also called wild mango seeds or bush mango. It is very common to eat ogbono with pounded yam, fufu, eba, or semovita. The way I prefer to eat it is with pounded yam or eba but honestly any of those staples would work just fine.

Today, I will be sharing my recipe for making a quick and delicious Ogbono soup.

So How Do You Make Nigerian Ogbono Soup.

To get started, you will need to purchase a number of ingredients including Ogbono seeds, beef and assorted meats, onions, garlic, ginger, salt, dried fish, smoked fish (optional), palm oil, and seasoning cubes.

It’s always best to have all your ingredients ready so that you can save some time in general and reduce your prep time.

Once you have all your ingredients assembled, start by washing the assorted meats thoroughly. Then place them in a large pot. I am very particular about spices and seasoning getting into my meats, if it is bland, I am not a fan. So, my recommendation is that you season the meats with sliced onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, salt, and seasoning cubes. Usually, I do not add water when I first start boiling meat. The reason for this is that they tend to have their own juices which can easily absorb the spices, so what I do is to add the seasoning and begin steaming on low heat.

After about 30 minutes, check if the meats are tender. If they’re still tough, add a little water or more meat stock and let them boil until soft. Once they’re fully cooked, separate the meat from the meat stock and set them aside. At the same time, clean the dry fish or stockfish by soaking it in hot water to soften. You should remove any bones and set it aside for later. Ogbono is a draw soup so you really do not want bones in the soup as much as you can help it.

Preparing the Ogbono.

In a separate pot, warm three tablespoons of palm oil over low heat. Make sure you do not overheat the palm oil otherwise your Ogbono will become black in color. When I first started cooking this soup, I would make this mistake and be frustrated with the result. The Ogbono should darken but not become black.

Once the oil melts, add the blended Ogbono and stir continuously for about two minutes until it forms a smooth paste. It is at this stage that the Ogbono should darken.

Once your Ogbono paste is ready, go ahead and add the meat stock that you previously set aside. Stir to dissolve the paste and make sure that there are no lumps in the soup. Depending on how you like your Ogbono, some people like it really thick while others not so much, you should add more meat stock or water.

The next step is to add the cooked meats, dry fish, crayfish, and ground pepper. You are getting closer to the end so go ahead and mix everything together and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. If you have smoked fish, now is a great time to add it into your soup.

The last ingredients you should add are the sliced onion, and ugu or spinach, which are cook for just a few minutes so that they don’t lose their flavors.

And with that your Ogbono soup is ready to serve!

How to Make Nigerian Ogbono Soup

Florence Akpotaire

Ogbono soup is a delicious Nigerian dish made with ground Ogbono seeds. It has a thick and slightly slippery texture.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Nigerian

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups Ogbono seeds (blended)
• 500 beef (with assorted meats like shaki, pomo, or goat meat)
• 1 medium-sized dry fish (washed and deboned)
• 1 medium-sized stockfish (optional)
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
• 3 tablespoons palm oil
• 2 tablespoons ground pepper (adjust to taste)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 seasoning cubes
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups water or as needed
• 2 cups vegetable (ugu or spinach, washed and chopped)

Instructions

 

Prepare the Meat:

• Wash the beef and assorted meats thoroughly.
• Place them in a clean pot, add sliced onions, garlic, ginger, salt, and seasoning cubes. Do not add water initially.
  
• Allow the meat to steam on low heat for about 30 minutes. The meat will release its own juices.
• If the liquid dries up and the meat is still tough, add a small amount of water and let it cook until tender.
• Separate the cooked meat from the meat stock and set them aside.
  

Prepare Other Ingredients

• Wash and debone the dry fish, then place it in a separate bowl.
  
• Slice an onion and set it aside.
• Blend the crayfish and keep it in a bowl.
  

Cook the Ogbono Soup

• Gradually pour in the stock while stirring to prevent lumps.
• Add the cooked meat, stockfish, and dried shrimp.
• Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Season the Soup:

• Heat palm oil in a pot over low heat.
  
• Add the blended Ogbono and stir continuously for about two minutes until it forms a smooth paste. The color will change to a darker brown.
  
• Gradually add the reserved meat stock while stirring to dissolve the Ogbono paste.
• Add the cooked meat, dry fish, crayfish, and ground pepper. Stir well and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
• If the soup is too thick, add a little water to adjust the consistency.

Final Touches

• Add the sliced onions and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped vegetables and let them cook for 2–3 minutes to retain their nutrients.
  
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  

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Now that you are done with preparing your Ogbono Soup, it is ready to be served for lunch or dinner! Let me know if you enjoyed making this traditional Nigerian soup!