# Egusi Soup

> Egusi soup is a thick Nigerian soup made from ground melon seeds, eaten nationwide under different names and preparations. Its precise ethnic origin is disputed among Yoruba and Igbo food traditions, and it is also cooked by Edo, Hausa, and neighbouring West African communities. It is usually served with a swallow such as pounded yam, eba, or fufu.

**Category:** Food & Cuisine · **Updated:** 2026-07-23 00:55:07 · **Canonical:** https://nigeriastuff.org/a/egusi-soup

## Key facts
- **Main ingredient:** Egusi (ground melon/gourd seeds)
- **Yoruba name:** Obe egusi / efo elegusi
- **Igbo name:** Ofe egusi
- **Hausa name:** Miyan gushi
- **Ghanaian equivalent:** Agushie / palaver sauce
- **Botanical debate:** Cucumeropsis mannii vs. Citrullus lanatus/mucosospermus
- **Typical accompaniment:** Pounded yam, eba, fufu, or semovita

## Sources
- Unlocking the potential of 'Egusi' melon (Colocynthis citrullus L.) as a crop for biotechnological improvement — Frontiers in Plant Science (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1547157/full)
- Flour nutritional profile, and soxhlet-extracted oil physicochemical breakdown-storage performance of white melon (Cucumeropsis mannii Naudin) seed varieties from Southeast Nigeria — PMC / National Center for Biotechnology Information (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10174525/)
- A List Of Nigerian Foods With Disputable Origins — Roll Call — Eat Drink Lagos (https://www.eatdrinklagos.com/roll-call/2020/7/9/nigerian-food-disputable-origins)
- Egusi Soup (Nigeria) — 196 Flavors (https://www.196flavors.com/nigeria-egusi-soup/)

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