Slow-Cooked Nigerian Egusi Soup with Spinach and Beef

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A rich and hearty Nigerian stew featuring ground melon seeds, tender beef, and fresh spinach, slow-cooked to develop deep, comforting flavors. This Nigerian-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 130 minutes, pairs beef stew meat, cubed, egusi (melon seeds), ground, palm oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 110 min Serves 6 Nigerian cuisine 480 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat, brown 1.5 lbs cubed beef stew meat in 1/4 cup palm oil for 5 minutes until edges are seared.
  2. Step 2: Add 1 large chopped onion and 1 small minced scotch bonnet pepper to the pot, sauté for 3 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Step 3: Stir in 1 cup ground egusi seeds and cook while stirring for 4 minutes until the seeds begin to release oil and smell nutty.
  4. Step 4: Pour in 3 cups beef broth and 2 cups water, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 1.5 hours until beef is tender.
  5. Step 5: Add 2 tbsp crayfish powder and 4 cups chopped fresh spinach. Stir well and simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes until spinach wilts and soup thickens.
  6. Step 6: Season with salt to taste and drizzle remaining 1/4 cup palm oil over the top before serving with fufu or rice.

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