Stirred Egusi Soup with Spinach and Beef

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-19 · Updated 2026-04-19

A deeply flavorful Nigerian soup simmered with ground melon seeds, tender beef, and fresh spinach, served with steamed rice. This Nigerian-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs ground egusi seeds, beef broth, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, 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.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ground egusi seeds
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 medium, finely chopped onion
• 2 tbsp palm oil
• 1 small, finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 medium, blended tomato
• 1/4 cup, chopped spinach
• 200g, thinly sliced beef
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp palm oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup blended tomato, and stir for 3 minutes until the mixture thickens and the oil separates.
2. Step 2: Add 1/2 cup ground egusi seeds and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook the egusi without burning.
3. Step 3: Pour in 2 cups beef broth, 200g thinly sliced beef, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Step 4: Add 1 small finely chopped red bell pepper and 1/4 cup fresh spinach, and cook for 5 minutes until the spinach wilts and the soup thickens.