Nigerian pepper soup
Pepper soup
Thin, hot, aromatic Nigerian broth of goat meat simmered with scotch bonnet and the camphorous pepper soup spice blend.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Pepper soup.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Extra hot
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Pepper soup is a clear, fiery broth, not a thick stew. Goat meat on the bone is simmered with onion, ginger and garlic until tender, then the pot is seasoned with scotch bonnet, ground crayfish, stock cube and pepper soup spice: a blend of calabash nutmeg, negro pepper and uziza that tastes of nothing else. Basil goes in at the end for the scent leaf you probably cannot buy. It is thin enough to drink, hot enough to clear your sinuses, and eaten from a bowl with a spoon and, if you want, boiled yam or plantain on the side.
What you'll need
11 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Choose one
Goat meat, bone-in, cut into 4 cm pieces1 kg- Pepper soup spice30 ml
- Scotch bonnet, blended or finely chopped2
- Onion, half blended, half sliced1 large
- Ginger, grated15 g
- Garlic, crushed2 clove
- Ground crayfish15 ml
- Salt4.9 ml
- Water1½ l
- Basil, torn, for scent leaf (optional)1 handful
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Put the goat in a pot with the sliced onion, half the ginger, the garlic, one stock cube and salt. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Skim the grey foam for the first few minutes.
10 min
Step 2
Lower to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is tender but still holding to the bone, 50 to 60 minutes. Top up with water as it drops.
55 min
Tip: Goat varies. Young goat is done in 45 minutes; an older animal can take 90.
Step 3
Add the rest of the water, the blended onion, remaining ginger, scotch bonnet, crayfish, pepper soup spice and second stock cube. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes so the spices open up and the broth takes on a brownish tint.
15 min
Step 4
Taste. It should be hot, salty and aromatic, with the camphor note of the spice clear. Adjust salt and chilli. Stir in the basil and turn off the heat.
2 min
Watch: Pepper soup spice is bitter in excess. Add the second tablespoon only if the first is not coming through.
Step 5
Serve in deep bowls with plenty of broth, with boiled yam, plantain or white rice alongside if you want something to soak it up.
2 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 274 kcal
- Protein
- 11.9 g
- Carbs
- 35.5 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.2 g
- Fibre
- 5.5 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1389 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Shellfish
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Pepper soup spice → A teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, black pepper and crushed allspice
You lose the calabash nutmeg and uda notes. It is still a hot aromatic soup.
Tips
- For catfish pepper soup, make the broth with water and seasonings first, then poach thick catfish steaks in it for 10 minutes at the end.
- A squeeze of lime at the table is not traditional but cuts the heat nicely.
History & culture
Pepper soup is beer-parlour food in Lagos and Port Harcourt, served in small bowls with cold lager. It is also hospital food, new-mother food and cold-weather food. Catfish pepper soup is the riverine favourite; goat, chicken and assorted offal are everywhere else. People order it specifically to sweat.
The spice blend comes from the forest belt of southern Nigeria, where Igbo, Efik and Ijaw cooks used indigenous aromatic seeds long before black pepper arrived by trade. The soup's name is English and colonial; the spicing is much older.
Regional variation — Uses a bought pepper soup spice sachet and basil in place of scent leaf (efirin). Both substitutions are common in diaspora kitchens.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Nigerian pepper soup take?
1 hr 30 min all in — 15 min prep, 1 hr 15 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Extra hot.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Shellfish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Stockpot, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Pepper soup spice → A teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, black pepper and crushed allspice. You lose the calabash nutmeg and uda notes. It is still a hot aromatic soup.
What should I watch for?
Pepper soup spice is bitter in excess. Add the second tablespoon only if the first is not coming through.
Any tips from this recipe?
For catfish pepper soup, make the broth with water and seasonings first, then poach thick catfish steaks in it for 10 minutes at the end. A squeeze of lime at the table is not traditional but cuts the heat nicely.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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