Layered spinach and pepper sauce baked with a mint garnish, a modern oven take on the classic Yoruba vegetable stew efo riro.
Efo riro is a rich Yoruba vegetable stew, usually cooked entirely on the stovetop, built from a base of blended pepper and onion fried hard in palm oil, then loaded with leafy greens like spinach or ugwu along with assorted meat, fish and locust beans (iru). This baked adaptation layers the same core elements — pepper sauce, greens, and a bit of protein — into a dish and finishes it in the oven so the top sets slightly and the flavors concentrate, with a scatter of fresh mint added at the end for a cooling contrast against the rich, spicy base. The pepper sauce still needs the same careful stovetop treatment before baking: blended tomato, bell pepper and scotch bonnet fried in palm oil until the water cooks off and the oil rises to the surface, a sign the sauce has developed real depth rather than tasting raw. Only after that base is properly cooked do the greens and protein go in, followed by a short stint in the oven to bring everything together. Served with pounded yam, semovita or rice, this dish keeps efo riro's bold, savory character while the mint finish gives it a slightly different, fresher edge than the traditional stovetop-only version.
Serves 4
Heat palm oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion, cook 3 minutes, then add blended tomato, bell pepper, scotch bonnet and blended onion.
Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until the sauce darkens and the oil rises visibly to the surface.
Stir in shredded beef or fish, ground crayfish, iru, seasoning cubes and salt. Cook 5 minutes to combine.
Preheat oven to 190C (375F). Spread half the sauce in a baking dish, layer the chopped spinach on top, then cover with the remaining sauce.
Bake uncovered 15 minutes until the greens have wilted into the sauce and the top is slightly set.
Scatter fresh mint over the top just before serving with pounded yam, semovita or rice.
Reduce the pepper sauce until the oil visibly separates and floats on top — this is the clearest sign it's cooked enough to bake without tasting raw.
Chop the greens just before layering; wilted, pre-cut greens lose both color and nutrients.
Use smoked fish for a more traditional, deeply savory flavor if you can find it at an African grocery.
Skip the oven step entirely and finish everything on the stovetop for the traditional efo riro method.
Add cooked tripe or shaki alongside the beef for a more traditional mixed-protein version.
Use kale instead of spinach for a heartier green that holds up well to the baking step.
Refrigerate up to 4 days; the flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a covered dish in the oven at 160C.
Efo riro is one of the most iconic soups of Yoruba cuisine in southwestern Nigeria, traditionally made with a mix of assorted meats and fish and eaten with pounded yam or a starchy swallow, valued for its depth of flavor built from palm oil and locust bean.
Yes, the dish will still taste good, though iru adds a distinctive fermented depth that's part of what makes efo riro so savory.
The palm oil likely wasn't heated and cooked down long enough before the greens went in; make sure the sauce base is fully reduced first.
Spinach is the most widely available substitute and works well; kale is a good option too if you want something heartier.
Per serving (300g / 10.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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