Easy Gbegiri Soup Recipe With Brown Beans – Takes 30 Minutes
Today’s Gbegiri soup recipe comes all the way from Nigeria! It is a delicious protein-filled soup with a ton of delicious savory flavors. It is easy to make and very quick too.
If you want to try some other delicious soup recipes, have a look at my site. Try for example this absolutely delicious Roasted Tomato Soup!
What is Gbegiri Soup Made Of?
Gbegiri soup is one of my favorite Nigerian soup recipes. It is an easy soup to make and doesn’t take longer than 30 minutes. This soup is filled with a ton of protein and other nutritional benefits.
So, what exactly is this stew? Well, Gbegiri is a traditional soup made using cooked and peeled beans. This recipe is another authentic Yoruba tribe dish from Nigeria. But, it quickly became popular across the globe and minor changes have been made to it.
The type of bean that you use for this dish is flexible. It mainly depends on what you have available in your region. However, the accompanying seasoning ingredients are (for the most part) set in stone.
These include palm oil, ground crayfish powder, stock powder (or cubes), and salt. I have added locust bean powder into my recipe to help thicken it, but it isn’t necessary.
This traditional African soup recipe is extremely versatile in the way you can serve it and goes great with virtually any other dishes. But, serving it with a swallow (dough-like accompaniment) such as Amala is always a great option.
Gbegiri Soup Ingredients – What You Will Need
My Gbegiri soup recipe is simple and doesn’t contain many ingredients. But, it’s the ratio of these and the way they are prepared that make my Gbegiri soup recipe superior!
So, first things first, you will need to get some beans. I like to use brown beans for my Gbegiri, but you can use other types of beans too. Black-eyed beans are arguably the other popular option. But any bean will do. That means that you can choose specific beans based on their flavor and mouthfeel.
Next, you need some palm oil. This oil has become easier to find, but it can still be expensive. Not to mention, you likely won’t use it in your kitchen very often. So, you can use any of these substitutes as well.
For seasoning the dish, I use crayfish powder, stock powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. The only thing I would say is optional here is the cayenne pepper. But I love to add it because of the peppery flavors it gives.
You can use stock cubes, but they take a while to melt into the soup mixture. The powder dissolves almost instantly.
The combination of these specific spices will give your soup a very savory, rich, and complex flavor profile.
And finally, I have added some locust bean powder, also known as locust bean gum. This ingredient will help thicken the soup and add a rich savory flavor.
Expert Tips For This Gbegiri Recipe
You need to properly peel the skins off of the beans before cooking them. If you don’t, the skins will add an unappealing grainy texture to your smooth soup. To learn how to de-skin beans, have a look at this helpful tutorial. Some tutorials also explain how to peel beans with a blender.
While I like to cook my beans over the stovetop, you can also use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Whatever method makes your life easier!
When blending your cooked beans, make sure to leave the hole in the lid open. That will help the steam escape while the beans are in the blender. If you blend the beans in a completely closed container, the lid could explode because of the steam that has built up inside. Not only does this create a massive mess, but it will give you a heart attack!
If your Gbegiri thickens too must (which it is likely to do), add some water to thin down the consistency. The locust bean powder is also a natural thickening agent, so don’t add too much at a time.
FAQs
Are there any substitutes for locust beans?
Guar gum is the best alternative for locust beans in this soup. It is also much easier to find in many parts of the world. Only use half of the amount because it has a stronger thickening ability than a locust bean.
What can you serve with Gbegiri soup?
Amala and Gbegiri go hand-in-hand in many Nigerian households. Amala is a type of dough-like accompaniment that you can dip into the soup. Gbegiri and Ewedu is another delicious combination that creates a colorful yellow and green plate.
But, this soup can be served with almost any dish. It has a neutral yet flavorful taste and the texture is very pleasing too.
What alternative beans can I use for Gbegiri soup?
You can use any other type of bean that you’d like for this recipe. Black-eyed beans are a common alternative, but butter beans and even kidney beans are suitable options.
Is Abula the same as Gbegiri?
Abula is another name for Gbegiri soup. The recipes are the same and so are the steps for making them.
More Soup Recipes
Easy Gbegiri Soup Recipe With Brown Beans – Takes 30 Minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown beans
- 1/4 cup palm oil
- 2 tbsp crayfish powder
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp beef stock powder
- 2-3 tsp locust bean powder, optional
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- First, prepare your ingredients, specifically your beans. Peel all of your brown beans using the tutorial I linked to in the tips section.
- Next, you are going to cook your beans. Place them in a pot of water and bring them to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow the beans to simmer until they are fully cooked. They shouldn't be disintegrated, but they shouldn't be hard.
- Once your beans have been completely cooked, remove them from the water and allow them to cool slightly. Then, place them inside a blender and process them until they are smooth.
- Place the finely blended beans back into a saucepan. Add the palm oil, crayfish powder, cayenne pepper, locust bean powder, stock powder, and salt.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat for roughly 5 minutes. The soup will thicken while it cooks. Just remember to keep stirring the mixture to prevent it from burning and to distribute the flavors well.
- Finally, serve your fresh Gbegiri with your favorite accompaniment. We especially love it with Amala, Ewedu, and a beef stew.
