Classic Ogbono Soup

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Last Updated on August 21, 2019

Ogbono soup (ogbolo/apon) is one of my go-to Nigerian soups recipe I I turn to when I’m running out of time and I need to cook something yet appetising. Ogbono is another popular soup in Nigeria and it is cooked differently in every household, it can be mixed with different vegetables too. With this recipe, you are guaranteed an easy way to make ogbono soup.

For this ogbono soup recipe, I have made it as simple as I can and this method always works for me all the time, I stopped mixing ground ogbono with palm oil before cooking after I learned how to cook yoyo soup.

If you don’t know your onions with making this soup, you might end up with some sharp strange taste and unpleasant colour. Like I mentioned earlier, I have used this method many times for my ogbono soup and it has never failed.

Ingredients

120g ground ogbono (African bush mango seed also called apon)

Few pieces of assorted meat

Dried hake (panla/oporoko)

1/3 cup palm oil

Ground crayfish

Cayenne pepper

Beef bouillon cube

onion

Fried mackerel

Dried utazi leaves

2-3 cups of stock and water (use half and half)

How to make Ogbono soup

Notes:

• If you are using assorted beef like liver and lungs, parboil for about 5-8 minutes. Decant the water, rinse the assorted meat to get rid of scum and then return it to the pan before bringing to boil with seasoning, onion and salt till tender
• Boil stockfish with beef if you want or you can cook separately with small onions, seasoning and salt till tender.
• Use freshly ground ogbono powder, it only takes a few minutes to blend. Store leftover ogbono powder in the freezer.
• I always drain my stock as I like it dirt free. It makes the soup better and more appealing to the eyes

To cook ogbono

On medium-high heat, place a pan containing the stock, assorted beef and panla, add palm oil and cayenne pepper and bring to boil for another 5-10 minutes till all is well combined.

Stir the ogbono into the sauce bit by bit and stir briskly to avoid the ogbono clumping up. The ogbono starts to thicken and draws as you stir.

I’m sorry I missed taking the picture of this bit as I was busy filming with my phone.

Check for salt and seasoning. I didn’t use any in making the soup other than the one I used in boiling the fish and meat

Add crayfish and stir to combine, add fried fish and stir together. (Add more water to soup if need be)

Sprinkle utazi leaves on soup sparingly and stir to combine. (utazi is bitter so use carefully) Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat and serve with swallow of choice.

There you have it. Easy and straight forward.

How about trying oatmeal swallow with your ogbono soup. It is totally awesome.

Other amazing Nigerian soup recipes you should try

Plain Okra Soup

Egusi Soup

Efo Riro 

Edikang Ikong

Egusi Elefo Meta

Print Recipe

Ogbono Soup

Ogbono soup is one of my go-to soups when I’m running out of time and I need to cook something yet appetising. Ogbono is another popular soup in Nigeria. This soup is delicious especially when loaded with stockfish and assorted meat

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: African, Nigerian

Keyword: How to make ogbono soup, Ogbono recipe, Ogbono soup

Servings: 6

Author: Ajoke| My Active Kitchen

Ingredients

• 120 g ground ogbono African bush mango seed also called apon
• Few pieces of assorted meat
• Dried hake 2 medium steak (panla/oporoko)
• 1/3 Csp palm oil
• 1 tbsp Ground crayfish use more if desired
• Cayenne pepper use according to preference
• Fried or grilled Mackerel about 4 steaks
• Dried utazi leaves see note
• 2-3 cups of stock and water use half and half

Instructions

How to Boil Meat

• Boil stockfish with beef if you want or you can cook separately with small onions, bouillon cube and salt till tender. Separate the meat from the stock and drain the stock so its dirt free. Return the stock and meat back into the pan.
• On medium-high heat, place a pan containing the stock, assorted beef and panla, add palm, cayenne pepper and bring to boil for another 10 minutes till all is well combined.
• Stir the ground ogbono into the sauce bit by bit and stir briskly to avoid the ogbono clumping up. The ogbono starts to thicken and draws as you stir.
• Check for salt and seasoning. I didn’t use any in making the soup other than the one I used in boiling the stockfish and meat
• Add crayfish and stir to combine, add fried fish and stir together. (Add more water to soup if need be)
• Sprinkle utazi leave on soup sparingly and stir to combine. (utazi is bitter so use carefully) Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat and serve with a swallow of choice. 

Notes

Tips for making the best ogbono soup

• If you are using assorted beef like liver and lungs, parboil for about 5-8 minutes. Decant the water, rinse the assorted meat to get rid of scum and then return it to the pan before bringing to boil with seasoning, onion and salt till tender
• Boil stockfish with beef if you want or you can cook separately with small onions, seasoning and salt till tender.
• Use freshly ground ogbono powder, it only takes a few minutes to blend. Store leftover ogbono powder in the freezer.
• I always drain my stock as I like it dirt free. It makes the soup better and more appealing to the eyes

If you made this recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback. Tag me on Instagram and save away to your Pinterest

Enjoy.x