What is ewedu soup?

Ewedu soup is a savory soup commonly eaten by the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. It is made using Jute leaves, a highly nutritious leafy green plant eaten in countries all around the world.

Ewedu has a mucilaginous (somewhat slimy) texture when cooked, similar to Egyptian molokhia or okra soup, making it a perfect dish to go with fufu. Ewedu soup is almost always accompanied by Nigerian beef stew or fish stew.

Ingredients used

• Jute leaves: This is the main ingredient used for ewedu soup. It is popular in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Unfortunately, it is near impossible to get fresh jute leaves in the U.S, but most African, Asian or Middle Eastern grocery stores sell the frozen version, which tastes just as good!
• Spices: Ground crayfish, bouillon (or maggi cubes), cayenne pepper, salt and iru (fermented locust beans). Cayenne pepper is optional, but a little heat makes all the difference. Ground crayfish and fermented locust beans are traditional African condiments used in a lot of soups, but you can omit them if you don’t have them on hand.

How to make this soup

To make ewedu soup, you can use fresh or frozen jute leaves.

Using Fresh Jute Leaves

Remove the stalk from the leaves and wash under running water. Add a cup of water to a pot and bring to boil. After it boils, add the ewedu leaves and let them boil for a few minutes.

In Nigeria, after the leaves have been washed, they are mashed using a very special short broom known in Yoruba as Ijabe. This Ewedu broom is used to ‘pound’ the ewedu leaves till it is all blended and looks quite slimy.

I always found the process very intriguing, but unfortunately, I never mastered it. You won’t have to either because there is an easier and faster way.

Just pour the leaves with water, into a blender and puree till smooth. Sure, I could sneak in a nice arm workout by pounding my jute leaves till they are manually blended, but I am all for saving time

Pour the blended ewedu leaves back into a pot and add your spices. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

Using Frozen Jute Leaves

1. Let the frozen leaves defrost a bit. I like to take it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before. Place them in a blender, add a cup of water, and blend till smooth.
2. Pour the blended jute leaves into a pot and bring it to a boil.
3. Add the spices – ground crayfish, bouillon (or maggi cubes), cayenne pepper, salt and iru (fermented locust beans).
4. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, and enjoy!

This recipe serves 6 and contains 4 net carbs per serving.

Storing and reheating

Ewedu soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days but can be frozen for much longer. To reheat, you can use the microwave or reheat it on the stove.

If frozen, it is best to bring it out the night before and let it thaw overnight in the fridge.

What can I eat it with?

Ewedu soup is usually eaten with fufu and beef or fish stew. I eat it with my low carb fufu dishes, and it tastes just as good!
Cauliflower Fufu
Keto Amala Fufu
Coconut Fufu
Almond Fufu

Tips

• Do not cook the ewedu soup for too long. You only need to bring it to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes.
• If your iru is frozen, soak in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain.
• Traditionally, only ground crayfish is added to ewedu soup, since it is almost always paired with stew. I add more spices for flavor but you can omit the extra spices if you wish, and only add ground crayfish.

Enjoy these other delectable African soups!

Okro Soup (African Okra Soup)

Ogbono Soup

Egusi (Nigerian Melon Seed) Soup

Banga Soup

Efo Riro (Nigerian Spinach)

Recipe