Okra Soup – Dive into a swirling pot of flavorful magic with a soup extravaganza! Brace yourself for a beautiful dance of succulent okra, tantalizing spices, and tender chunks of meat – all simmered to perfection. So prepare to embark on a taste journey to make your taste buds do the happy dance!
If you’re not an okra fan, this okra soup recipe will convince you otherwise because the okra’s slimy texture is masked with bold flavors and nice, thick consistency. You’ll forget about the sliminess and only taste a symphony of flavors that will transport your taste buds to culinary bliss.
Okra is also a superfood that offers a ton of health benefits, such as aiding digestion and promoting healthy skin. Not only is okra soup delicious, but it’s also good for you! All the more reason to love okras!
African Okro Soup vs. Nigerian Okra Soup
African okro soup is a vibrant celebration of flavors from across the continent, featuring ingredients like palm oil, smoked fish, and various vegetables. It tends to have larger, more visible okra pieces, adding a chewy texture to each spoonful.
On the other hand, Nigerian okra soup has a tomato-based broth, succulent chunks of meat or seafood, and a fiery kick of chili peppers. The okra in Nigerian Okra Soup blends into the broth, creating a smooth and comforting consistency. Both soups showcase the star ingredient, okra, but offer distinct and exciting taste experiences.
Recipe Ingredients
- Okra – You can use fresh or frozen for this recipe.
- Meats – I use a combination of oxtail, shrimp, and crayfish to create a flavorful, healthy, and rich soup.
- Veggies – Onion for a savory flavor and aroma and spinach to add more texture and nutrients.
- Seasonings – Add bold flavors with beef or chicken bouillon powder, smoked paprika, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Egusi – Thickens the soup and contributes a nutty taste, enhancing the overall depth of flavor.
How to Make Okra Soup
- Season the oxtail with garlic salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, and onions. Then simmer it in a medium-sized saucepan for 30-40 minutes. (You can cut your cook time in half with a pressure cooker.) (Photo 1)
- Chop – If using fresh okra, wash the okra, remove the tops and tails, and slice into rounds. Blend the okra to a coarse consistency in a food processor, or you can finely chop the okra using a sharp knife. (Photo 2)
- Cook – Add the ground crayfish, bouillon or Maggie, and egusi into the pan of boiled meat, and simmer for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. (Photos 3-6)
- Add Remaining Ingredients – Then add shrimp and okra, cook for another 5 minutes, and finally add the spinach and stir for about a minute or two.
- Serve warm with fufu (any kind).
Recipe Variations
- Meat Swaps – Use goat meat, other types of fish, beans, and African spices. These give different flavors and nutrients.
- Tomato-Based – Add tomato sauce and enjoy this soup in Nigerian style.
Tips and Tricks
- Mincing half of the okra does wonders for a creamy, thick consistency. Simply chop half and use a food processor or food chopper.
- Cooking the meat first builds a flavorful soup base. However, simmer until tender to ensure the desired thickness without overcooking it.
- Let’s address the elephant in the room. Not everyone loves okra’s sliminess, but others believe the slimier, the better. If you prefer less slime, the acidity in vinegar and tomatoes cuts out a lot. You can soak the okra in vinegar for half an hour before chopping or add a cup of chopped tomatoes to your soup.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make this ahead because it tastes even better the next day. Making it in advance lets the flavors marry together. Just follow the instructions and cover tightly, then store in the fridge. You can also prep the okra and base of the soup in advance.
Serving and Storage Instructions
This deliciousness is best served hot with fufu. But you could enjoy it at room temperature.
Keep leftover soup appropriately covered in the fridge. Okra soup will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
When ready to enjoy your okra soup, thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it on the stovetop or microwave, stirring occasionally until thoroughly heated.
FAQs
Okra is already nutrition packed, but you can always add more protein and vegetables, such as tomato, corn, beans, carrots, and potatoes, to make it even better.
West Africa, specifically Nigeria and Ghana, is okra soup’s birthplace. This staple comfort food has been enjoyed for generations. And, as people become more mobile, it has gained international popularity.
The mildly sweet grassy flavor, similar to green beans, is great in soups, fried, roasted, and grilled. I’ve even snuck a few small tender okras raw. Yum! But it’s the texture that makes it famous. Slimy isn’t always bad.😉
What to Serve With Okra Soup
There are several tasty options to serve with okra soup to create a complete and satisfying meal.
More Satisfying Okra Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Try this amazing okro soup recipe for a comforting one-pot meal. Would you like more comfort food recipes? Try out my newsletter for the latest.
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”NZkIwgrK” upload-date=”2019-09-07T21:51:10.000Z” name=”African Okro Soup” description=”African Okro Soup – Quick & healthy, oh-so-easy and yummy! Okro Soup African-style loaded with shrimp , oxtails with or without Egusi.”]
This blog post was originally published in December 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Okra Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) okra fresh or frozen
- ½ pound (225g) oxtail
- ½ pound (225g) Shrimp
- ½ cup (25g) chopped onions
- ½ cup (23g) ground crayfish
- 1 tablespoon (36g) beef or chicken bouillon
- 3 cups (90g) spinach, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (7g) smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon (5g) red pepper flakes
- ½ cup ground egusi (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, boil oxtail seasoned with garlic salt, smoked paprika, pepper, and onions until tender (30-40 minutes). You can shorten this process in half by using a pressure cooker.
- If using fresh okra, wash it, remove the tops and tails, and slice it into rounds.
- Blend the okra to a coarse consistency in a food processor, or you can finely chop the okra into coarse consistency using a sharp knife.
- Add the ground crayfish, bouillon or Maggie, and egusi into the pan of boiled meat, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Then add shrimp, cook for another 5 minutes, and then add the spinach and stir for a minute or two.
- Serve warm with fufu (any kind).
Tips & Notes:
- Mincing half of the okra does wonders for a creamy, thick consistency. Simply chop half and use a food processor or food chopper.
- Cooking the meat first builds a flavorful soup base. However, simmer until tender to ensure the desired thickness without overcooking it.
- Let’s address the elephant in the room. Not everyone loves okra’s sliminess, but others believe the slimier, the better. If you prefer less slime, the acidity in vinegar and tomatoes cuts out a lot. You can soak the okra in vinegar for half an hour before chopping or add a cup of chopped tomatoes to your soup.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Chioma Nduka says
Please can I blend the okra instead don’t like the seeds? Will it still yield the same result? Thanks
imma africanbites says
Hi, Chioma. Yes, you may. Egusi is optional for this recipe. Happy cooking!
Sam says
Hi how much water do you use to boil the oxtail? Thanks 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
It’s kind of tricky. I add enough to cover it , plus two more cups. You can always add as you go. When making the soup , set aside excess stock – then you can add to desired consistency.
Mercy says
Wow thanks ma, i will try it
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you.
Fanta says
I have been trying to get my okra stew right for years. It was always loosing its consistency. This turned out just amazing…thanks so much!!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Glad to hear it was a success.
Barbarab says
What brand of smoked paprika to use with the chicken
ImmaculateBites says
Any good quality brand is good! Have no preference for now. I usually get mine from Trader Joes
Naima says
How many people does this recept serves? Trying it tomorrow!!
ImmaculateBites says
About 4-5.
Dunori says
This is one of those recipes that really reveals the connection between West Africa and the Caribbean – callalou in Trinidad is made almost the same way. Thanks for posting!
Gail says
Do you have a recipe for the dipping bread that was shown with the okra soup?
ImmaculateBites says
Do you mean the white stuff next to it? If so it’s not bread it’s Cornmeal fufu. You can check it out here https://www.africanbites.com/ugali-corn-fufu/.
Brittny says
Hi ImmaculateBites,
How much and what type of liquid did you use to boil the oxtail?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Brittany! I used about 4 cups liquid. After boiling the beef am usually left with about 2-3 cups of stock. Depending on the duration of the meat. You can always add more or less liquid water to the okra soup towards the end, to achieve desired consistency.
Anna says
Hey!
Just like you, I used to revile Okra soup when I was a kid, back in Africa. Fast-forward decades later and living in areas where African dishes aren’t on the menus of restaurants, I decided a few weeks ago to give it a try. I did some grocery shopping, found some palm oil as well, bought both plantain and yam fufu flours and tried to remember my mother recipe. Oh boy, I had it good when I was young; call me now a new convert to okra soup!
ImmaculateBites says
I don’t know how I missed this. Yes Girl! It’s amazing how taste buds change over time. Must make this week!
Roy Yawn says
what is EGUSI, sorry I new at cajan cooking?
ImmaculateBites says
Egusi is a thickening agent used in African Cooking-Available in African Markets. You can sub with green pumpkin seeds. It’s not used in Cajun Cooking.
Frank says
Hello,
I’ve tried your recipe without meat and no egusi I only used smoked fish.
It just turned out perfectly.
Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Now I Can cook some african dishes for family and Friends.
Merci beaucoup Imma.!!!
imma africanbites says
Yaay! Awesome! Thank you, too, for taking the time to let me know!
rachael says
So good! I had such a craving for “home food” the other night. This came out very tasty. I used goat meat instead of oxtails and added palm oil and a small amount of bitter leaf the way my mom does. Delicious, nourishing, and comforting. Thank you for this recipe 🙂
Kim says
Hi: I love your site. I found it looking for an ox tail recipe and will try one of yours. About the okra. I’m from Charleston and cook with it a lot. Okra Soup (different from yours – tomato, corn and shrimp based – and okra purloe – okra and rice dish). But the one secret to removing the slime is to sauté the sliced okra in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet before using in the recipe. Works every time. Keep up the great work here. Can’t wait to try your recipes.
ImmaculateBites says
Aww thanks for the tip Kim! Can’t wait to try it !
Nicky says
Made this with egusi and fresh tilapia fish . I can’t stop swallowing. Thanks for the recipe
ImmaculateBites says
Enjoy your swallow Nicky!
JUNE BRAHIM says
Thanks for all you delicious recipes.
ImmaculateBites says
Your Welcome! Thanks !
Therese says
Can’t wait to make this!! When do you add the okra?
ImmaculateBites says
The last thing you do is add the okra – about 5 minutes before you remove the pan from the stove.
kelsey says
Delicious. Thanks for this recipe. The added shrimp makes a huge difference. Flavour was awesome.
Africanbites says
Thanks Kelsey!