Efo Riro (Nigerian Spinach Soup) is a popular Nigerian dish known for its delicious and flavorful taste. It is a traditional Yoruba soup that is made with spinach (or preferred greens) and many other ingredients that will be listed below.
Efo Riro is often paired with white rice, fufu, pounded yam, or semovita. You can’t go wrong with any of these pairings as they all absolutely complement the rich, flavorful taste of a well-prepared Efo Riro soup.
We hope you find these details of how to prepare Efo Riro (Nigerian Spinach Soup) helpful.
- Photo by Phoenix
- Table of Contents
- Utensils And Appliances Needed For Efo Riro Recipe:
- Ingredients For Making Efo Riro:
- Instructions Needed For Making Efo Riro (Nigerian Spinach Soup):
Utensils And Appliances Needed For Efo Riro Recipe:
Bowls
Measuring Scoops
Knives
Cutting Board
Food Chopper
Serving Spoon
Pots (For boiling meats & for making spinach soup)
Ingredients For Making Efo Riro:
4.5 lbs of Spinach or other leafy greens (ugu, kale, bitter leaf)
2 Ripe Tomatoes (Chopped)
4 Large Bell peppers (Red/Chopped)
2 Large Onion (Chopped)
Assorted Meat (Beef, tripe, liver, or goat meat)
Stock Fish (Cleaned, soaked, softened, and shredded)
Smoked Fish (Cleaned, soaked, softened, and shredded)
2 tablespoons of locust beans (Iru/Optional)
3.5 cups of palm oil
Scotch bonnet or habanero (Preferred heat level)
2 tablespoons of ground crayfish
Beef or Chicken Stock
3 teaspoons Ginger paste
2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
Bouillon cubes or Powder
Salt (Optional, to taste)
Curry (To taste)
Thyme (To taste)
Instructions Needed For Making Efo Riro (Nigerian Spinach Soup):
Gather all utensils and ingredients necessary for making Efo Riro for your convenience.
Cut the assorted meats into bite-sized pieces. Clean the smoked and/or dried fish thoroughly. Leave the cleaned dried and/or smoked fish to soak in a bowl of hot water and set aside. In a pot, cook the assorted meat with a handful of chopped onions, add bouillon cubes or powder (to taste), and salt (to taste) on medium heat until tender.
Wash and chop the vegetables (spinach or preferred leafy green, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers like scotch bonnet or habanero, and onions). Thin the palm oil on low heat in a separate pot. When the palm oil gets thin enough, add sliced onions and fry until the onions become translucent. Stir in the crayfish and locust beans. Leave them to fry for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and bell peppers to the contents of the pot. Allow them to cook until the oil sits on top of the fried peppers.
Add the cooked assorted meats to the pot. We prefer to air fry or oven grill our assorted meats for the sake of a better texture and taste. Add the softened and shredded dried and/or smoked fish to the pot. Stir well to uniformly combine the flavors.
Season the fried stew in the pot with ground crayfish, bouillon cubes or powder, and salt according to your preferred taste. Let it simmer on low heat for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Finally, it’s time to add the chopped spinach or preferred leafy greens to the pot. Stir gently and cook until the vegetables are wilted but still vibrant, creating the delicious Efo Riro.
Once this Efo Riro soup is ready, you can go ahead and serve it with your choice of white rice or swallow, and enjoy it to your optimum satisfaction.
Efo Riro is as delicious as it is nutritious. It is packed with vitamins and protein. The combination of assorted meats, fish, and vibrant vegetables creates a mouthwatering experience that is sure to get a chef’s kiss. With this recipe, you can be assured of making Efo Riro that will have you and all your guests smacking your lips.
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