Okra soup (African okro soup) is prepared with okra vegetables cooked in a delicious mixture of palm oil, shrimp, goat meat, fish, and African spices and simmered to perfection!

This loaded okro soup is popular throughout West Africa, particularly Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon. Okra soup is delicious, nutritious, and high in proteins and healthy fats. It’s also great for busy weeknights because it can be prepared ahead of time and frozen!

To prepare your own okra soup, you’ll need a blender or grater to chop the okra, a cutting board and cutlery, and a large saucepan or Dutch oven.

Cooking Ingredients

Here are the ingredients used in cooking Okro soup:

1. Okra

For this dish, I used roughly 25 pieces of okra pods, totaling about 4 cups diced. It doesn’t have to be exact; you may eyeball the okra and estimate the quantity. Remember that the more okra you use, the thicker the soup will be.

2. Proteins

You can cook this with any combination of meat or fish, but the time will vary. I utilized goat meat, smoked catfish, fermented African locust bean (Iru), and fresh shrimp. The more protein you add, the more satisfying and chunky the soup becomes. I prefer it this way, but it’s up to you.

3. Red Palm Oil

Red palm oil is ideal for traditional African soups, although olive oil can be used if it is all you have. The flavor will not be the same, but you will still have a delicious okro soup dish.

4. Other Vegetables

The traditional Nigerian okro soup does not include bell peppers, but I added them because I believe they add texture and flavor, especially if you eat it alone as a meal, as I do.

5. Spices

I used bouillon, ground crayfish, cayenne pepper, and salt.

How to Make This Recipe

If you’re using fresh okra in this okra soup recipe, you’ll need to prepare it beforehand.

1. Prepare the Okra

If you only have frozen okra, but fresh okra is far superior. I had been using frozen okra for a long time, but I realized what I had been missing when I tried fresh.

You can choose how smooth or thick you want it to be. Using a blender, purée it until it is completely smooth. To make it chunkier, cut it into smaller pieces with a knife, shred it with a large hole grater, or chop it with a food processor.

The simplest and quickest method is to chop the okra into consistent chunks using a food processor, which takes around 2 minutes.

2. Make the Okra Stew

Cut the meats you picked into tiny pieces. Then, add salt, black pepper, seasoning cubes, and enough water to simmer until tender. Don’t discard the beef stock; it will be used to improve the soup’s flavor.

If you’re using smoked fish and locust beans, soak them separately in boiling water for 5 minutes, then break apart the smoked catfish and discard the bones. Finally, wash and drain the locust bean.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add some palm oil. Fry some onions until they just begin to brown, then add the chopped okra. Stir for about 5 minutes, and the okra will get slimy.

Add the meat stock from the simmering meat, or just water if you don’t have any. Because beef stock is typically highly tasty, you may need to add more spices to bring out the taste if you only use water.

Bring to a boil. Then add the seasonings, pork, shrimp, bell pepper, smoked catfish, and locust bean. You can add or eliminate anything from this list; simply make it your own!

Add spinach to make it even more filling.

Allow the okra to boil for 5 minutes before checking the soup’s texture with a slotted spoon. I usually like the texture at this stage, but if it’s too crispy for you, let it boil for a few minutes longer.