Recipe · Yado Market Blog
Efo riro is the Yoruba spinach stew: greens cooked in a rich red pepper base with palm oil, iru, crayfish and stockfish. Here is what goes into efo riro, how to make it in about 45 minutes, and where to get every ingredient in Chicago or online.
Quick answer: how to make efo riro
- Blanch and squeeze 2 lb spinach dry.
- Boil blended peppers and onion until thick.
- Fry iru and onion in palm oil, add the pepper and fry until the oil rises.
- Add meat, stockfish, crayfish and seasoning, then stir in the greens for 3 to 5 minutes.
45 min
Total time
4 to 6
Servings
2 lb
Fresh spinach
½ cup
Red palm oil
Know your dish
What Is Efo Riro?
Efo riro (say eh-faw ree-raw) is a vegetable stew from the Yoruba people of southwest Nigeria. Efo means leafy vegetable and riro means stirred, so the name is simply "stirred greens" [1]. It is thicker than a soup and is eaten with a "swallow" like pounded yam or eba, or with rice.
In Nigeria it is made with local greens such as efo shoko (Lagos spinach) or efo tete (amaranth). In the U.S. most cooks use regular spinach, and some mix in kale [2]. What makes it efo riro is the base: red peppers, palm oil, iru (fermented locust beans) and crayfish.
Greens
Spinach, efo shoko, efo tete, or a spinach and kale mix.
Pepper base
Red bell pepper (tatashe), scotch bonnet (ata rodo) and onion.
Flavor
Palm oil, iru, ground crayfish and a seasoning cube.
Protein
Beef, assorted meat, stockfish, smoked fish or prawns.
Shop the ingredients
Efo Riro Ingredients We Sell
Everything except the fresh greens and meat, in stock for pickup at 1651 E 87th St, Chicago, local delivery or U.S. shipping:
Iru
Igbasan Foods Iru
Fermented locust beans: the deep, savory flavor of real efo riro.
Shop · $8.99
Stockfish
Stockfish Bits (Eja Panla)
Pre-cut dried fish. Soak, then simmer in the stew.
Shop · $21.99
Pepper shortcut
Esther's Ready Stew, Spicy
Ready-made pepper and tomato base when you don't want to blend.
Shop · $10.99
Smoked abo fish (sole fish): rinse and add for a smoky taste.
Ingredients
What You Need (Serves 4 to 6)
- 2 lb fresh spinach (or two 16 oz bags frozen chopped spinach, thawed)
- 3 red bell peppers, 1 to 2 scotch bonnets and 1 onion, roughly blended (or 1 jar Esther's Ready Stew)
- ½ cup red palm oil
- 2 tbsp iru (locust beans), rinsed
- 3 tbsp ground crayfish
- 1 cup stockfish bits, soaked, plus 1 lb cooked beef or assorted meat
- 2 seasoning cubes, salt to taste, and 1 extra onion, sliced
Step by step
How to Make Efo Riro
The secret is dry greens and a well-fried pepper base. Watery spinach gives you a thin, bland stew.
1. Greens
Chop the spinach, pour boiling water over it for 1 minute, drain and squeeze out as much water as you can.
2. Pepper
Boil the blended peppers and onion in a pot for 10 to 15 minutes until most of the water is gone.
3. Base
Heat the palm oil on medium for 2 minutes (don't let it smoke). Fry the sliced onion and iru for 2 minutes.
4. Fry
Add the pepper paste and fry, stirring, for 10 to 15 minutes until the oil floats on top.
5. Season
Add the meat, stockfish, crayfish, cubes and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Stir
Add the greens, stir well and cook 3 to 5 minutes, just until hot. Taste and serve.
Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best Efo Riro
Too watery?
Squeeze the greens harder and boil the pepper down longer before frying.
Tastes flat?
Add more iru and crayfish, or another half cube. Iru is the flavor most home versions miss.
Greens went dark and soft?
You cooked them too long. Add greens last and stop after 3 to 5 minutes.
Too spicy?
Use 1 scotch bonnet, or the mild Esther's Ready Stew.
Compare
Efo Riro vs Egusi Soup
Efo riro
Greens are the star, cooked in a fried red pepper and palm oil base with iru. Thick and saucy.
Egusi soup
Built on ground melon seeds, which make it thick and nutty. Greens are added but play a smaller part.
Efo elegusi
A mix of both: efo riro with ground egusi stirred in. Popular at parties.
Want to try egusi too? Start with egusi melon seeds, or read our list of 25 Nigerian dishes to try.
Shop the meal
What to Eat With Efo Riro
Efo riro goes with almost any swallow, and with plain white rice:
Pounded yam
The classic pairing. Smooth, stretchy and ready in 10 minutes from flour.
Eba
Made from garri. Quick and filling.
Amala
Dark yam flour swallow, popular in Yoruba homes.
White rice
An easy weeknight plate.
Our best-selling swallow
Ola Ola Pounded Yam Flour
Smooth iyan in minutes. Our top pick with efo riro.
Shop · from $9.99Good to know
Is Efo Riro Healthy?
Efo riro is mostly vegetables. Raw spinach has about 23 calories per 100 g and gives you vitamin K, vitamin A and folate [3]. The calories come mainly from the palm oil and meat, so measure the oil and load up on greens. Iru and crayfish add a lot of flavor in small amounts [4].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is efo riro made of?
Leafy greens (usually spinach), a blended pepper and onion base, palm oil, iru (fermented locust beans), ground crayfish, seasoning, and meat or fish such as stockfish.
What is the difference between efo riro and egusi?
Efo riro is a greens stew in a fried pepper base. Egusi soup is thickened with ground melon seeds. Mixing the two gives you efo elegusi.
Can I make efo riro with frozen spinach?
Yes. Thaw two 16 oz bags of chopped spinach, squeeze them very dry and add them at the end, the same as fresh.
What do you eat with efo riro?
Pounded yam, eba (garri), amala, fufu or white rice.
Can I make efo riro without iru?
You can, but it will taste less traditional. Iru gives the deep savory flavor. Extra crayfish and a little more seasoning can help if you skip it.
Where can I buy efo riro ingredients in Chicago?
At Yado Market, 1651 E 87th St, Chicago: palm oil, iru, crayfish, stockfish and seasoning cubes. Pick up in store, get local delivery, or order for shipping anywhere in the U.S.
Ready to Make Efo Riro?
Palm oil, iru, crayfish and stockfish in one order. Add pounded yam and dinner is done.