You are welcome to Chefsbase. On this page, you will learn about how to cook vegetable soup otherwise known as pumpkin leaves soup.

Pumpkin leaves soup is the delight of many in Nigeria, especially those living in the Southern part of the country.

Survey has it that the soup is common among the Akwa Ibomites and Efiks in Akwa Ibom and Cross River State respectively.

What is Vegetable Leaves Soup?

This is a soup made with pumpkin leaves. Sometimes added with water leafs with little water.

It is commonly called vegetable soup especially by those who thinks pumpkin is the only vegetable.

I used to have this misconception while growing up too. Yes, as a child, I would think pumpkin leafs were the only leaf in the vegetable family, and until my 14, that was my thought.

As a young man from Akwa Ibom State, pumpkin leaves soup is one of my favorite soup and I had learned how to prepare it long ago.

One thing unique about this soup is that it does not really depend on too much of Ingredients before giving you the desired taste.

Without much delay let’s me take you the real recipe. Kindly read below.

Pumpkin Soup Leaves Ingredients

Here are the major ingredients for making this delicious vegetable soup:

1. Pumpkin leaf

2. Water leaf

3. Palm Oil

4. Meat

5. Fish

6. Periwinkles 

7. Onions 

8. Stock fish 

9. Cray Fish 

10. Fresh pepper 

11. Fresh tomatoes 

12. Salt

13. Seasoning cube (Maggi, Onga, or Ryco)

14. Water depending on the quantity of the leafs

15. Snail (optional)

16. Cat fish (optional)

17. Oyster (optional)

You can add other ingredients to taste if you wish, personally, I get satisfied with the ones listed above.

How to Cook Vegetable Leaves Soup 

Preparing pumpkin soup is not hard, even if it’s hard for you, a strict adherence to the steps below will do the magic within 15 to 20 minutes.

Yes, the soup is not supposed to be on the fire for more than 10 to 15 minutes so that the leafs will still maintain their freshness.

To prepare pumpkin soup, start by plucking the leafs from and wash them thoroughly.

Put the thoroughly washed leafs in a tray and slice them the way you want using your chopping stick and kitchen knife.

Put the chopped leafs aside and go for your water leafs, do the same thing and keep them aside. Steem your meat, fish and other sea food and keep them aside.

Now, fry your water leafs in a hot palm oil and add the pumpkin to it. Add the other ingredients one by one and allow them mix well.

Add your oil at last and allow it stir for some minutes before bringing it down. Enjoy your soup with either fufu, garri or Semovita.