Okra Soup Recipe

What makes the Okra Soup recipe or “Ila Alasepo” one of the best African dishes?

It’s a savory, thick, and hearty meal with meat, turkey, fish, locust beans, blended pepper sauce, and fresh healthy okra! You can also cook this delicious dish in just one pot for hassle-free cooking. 

Enjoy this soup with your family on a cold winter dinner or during special celebrations. Your guests will surely feel warm and at home with a bowl of Okra Soup. 

If you haven’t been eating much okra, then you will start to love it after trying this recipe. You will certainly feel like you’re eating Okra Soup in Africa!

How to Make Okra Soup

With its rich and thick quality, you won’t believe how easy it is to cook Okra Soup. You just need to mix all of the ingredients in a pot until you get your desired flavor and texture. 

After all the soup recipes I have tried, this is definitely one of the best ones yet.

Ingredients

Don’t forget to buy these on your next trip to the grocery store!

Okra

You’ll definitely say “hurrah” with okra in your meals!

Adding okra to soups and stews is an excellent way of adding them to your diet. It gives dishes a thick, viscous, and good viscous quality that you will certainly enjoy. 

There are many recipes you can cook with okra. You can also boil, roast, air fry, grill, deep fry, or grill the okra for different dishes. Okra will always give you good results.

Most importantly, okra is actually good for your health in many ways.

In this recipe, the okra will be chopped or blended to be fully mixed into the soup. After learning how to prepare okra, you can easily cook the Okra Soup recipe and more!

Pepper sauce

An African soup or stew is not complete without pepper sauce!

You can make pepper sauce with tomatoes, red bell peppers, scotch bonnets, and onions. It has the perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and pungent flavors. 

I love using it for Ofada Sauce, Jollof Rice, and Smoked Mackerel Stew. How do you usually use pepper sauce?

Assorted meat

Make Okra Soup better by adding assorted meat for beefy and meaty flavors. I suggest using cow foot, beef, imu eran, and tripe for a good combination of textures and flavors. 

The assorted meat also gives you something to chew while you enjoy the soup. For a meaty and savory meal, go for Assorted Meat Stew!

Smoked turkey

Instantly upgrade your soup recipe with smoked turkey chunks. These add a smoky and rustic taste for better quality. You can use leftover turkey to restore the juiciness of the turkey. 

It can also be added to Turkey Pie or Egusi Soup for the best toppings!

Boiled mackerel

Just when you think assorted meat and smoked turkey are enough, why not add boiled mackerel to complete it? It has a mild flavor and soft texture that will pair well with the meat and okra. 

You can cook boiled mackerel at home and use it for other dishes, such as Moi Moi, Fish Rolls, Egusi Soup, and Egg Omelet Toast!

Liquid stock

After cooking the assorted meat and mackerel in water, save the liquid stock to add to the Okra Soup recipe.

It’s also infused with the savory rich flavor of the beef and mackerel to intensify the flavors of dishes.

Seasoning

Since the recipe already uses flavorful ingredients, the seasoning can be as simple as using stock cubes and salt. Using herbs and spices can improve the broth for better overall flavor. 

Locust beans

There’s a reason why locust beans are popularly used in African dishes. They add an umami, sweet, and savory flavor to the soup. I’ve also tried using these for soups and stews, and they truly work like magic!

Aside from adding flavor, you can also use locust beans to thicken soups, stews, and broths.

Palm oil

Cooking the blended pepper sauce in palm oil can make a big difference in your Okra Soup. It also helps release the delicious flavors of the ingredients for incredible quality. 

Once you have these , you can make Okro Soup anytime you want! 

Directions

Follow these steps to make the perfect Okra Soup:

1. Heat palm oil in a pot over medium fire. 
2. Add the blended pepper sauce. 
3. Stir in the liquid stock from the beef and mackerel. 
4. Season it with a stock cube.
5. Then, stir the soup with a spatula.
6. Cover and leave to cook for 10 minutes. 
7. Add assorted meat, turkey, or fish of your choice. 
8. Coat the meat, turkey, and fish in the sauce. 
9. Cover and cook for five minutes. 
10. Then, add the locust beans.
11. Cover and cook for ten more minutes. 
12. Mix in the blended okra. 
13. Toss in the boiled mackerel chunks. 
14. Season the soup with a stock cube and sea salt. 
15. Cook for two minutes. 
16. Once you’re happy with the texture and flavor, turn off the heat and serve!

Don’t you just love how everything goes together? Every spoonful feels like a warm hug! Don’t forget to cook this at home to give everyone a good time. 

Tips

Take your Okra Soup recipe with these simple tips you can do.

Okra

Buying okra

• Go for slim okra that is the size of your pinkie. 
• The okra should also feel firm. 

Storing okra

• Keep the okra in the fridge for a few days. 
• I suggest using okra within three days. 
• Wash the okra only when you need to use it. 

Preparing okra

• Use a knife to chop the okra finely. 
• Alternatively, use a blender to get a finer texture. 

Pepper sauce

Here’s how you can make pepper sauce at home:

1. Deseed and chop the tomatoes, red bell peppers, and scotch bonnets. 
2. Then, peel and slice the onion with a knife. 
3. Pulse everything in a blender until pulpy.
4. Store the sauce in the fridge or freezer to use for more recipes. 

If you don’t have a blender, then use a food processor or knife instead. Alternatively, cook the ingredients in a pot and, once soft, sieve them to get a smoother texture.

Assorted meat

Assorted meat is a two-in-one recipe because you get tender meat and meat liquid stock. 

1. Use a blender to puree onions and garlic with herbs and spices.
2. Put your chosen assorted meat choice in a pot. 
3. Then, pour in the sauce. 
4. Cook until tender. 
5. Drain the liquid stock and set the meat aside. 
6. Freeze the stock to store it longer! 

Mackerel

Boiling mackerel is certainly one of the easiest ways to prepare it. Check out how you can do it in minutes. 

1. Clean and gut the mackerel. 
2. Cut it into three to four pieces using a knife. 
3. Place the mackerel chops in a pot over medium heat. 
4. Season it with salt, stock cubes, and mixed herbs. 
5. Then, add water. 
6. Cook the mackerel for five to seven minutes or until done. 
7. Set the fish liquid stock aside for other recipes! 

Okra Soup Variations

You can always customize Okra Soup to your liking. For instance, you can use your preferred meat chops for the assorted meat. Chicken can also be a good option for the soup. 

Meanwhile, replace the liquid stock with stock cubes for similar flavors. Season the Okra Soup however you prefer. Make it as spicy or savory as you want. 

Make a recipe of your own by adding other ingredients like crayfish, shrimp, dry fish, spinach, chopped mixed bell peppers, and more!

Recommended Tools

• Pot: Cook the Okra Soup in a pot. 
• Spatula: Stir the soup using a spatula.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn commission income from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.

Visit my shop for more products.

How to Serve Okra Soup

Okra Soup is a family-friendly recipe that you can serve for celebrations and weekends. Your guests can enjoy it as a side dish or main dish because of how flavorful it is. 

I suggest serving it with other African recipes for a complete hearty meal! Here are also some of the best dishes that will go well with the soup:

• Oatmeal Fufu
• Amala Fele Fele
• Plantain Fufu
• Pounded Yam
• Nigerian Semolina

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Eat room temperature Okra Soup while it is hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is okra soup made of?

You can make Okra Soup with beef, turkey, mackerel, liquid stock, locust beans, seasoning, pepper sauce, and okra. You can also use different combinations of ingredients that best suit your appetite. 

What is the healthiest way to eat okra?

For healthy ways to eat okra, I suggest boiling or roasting it. When you boil okra, you can experience how soft and viscous it is. You can also roast it for a crunchy and healthy snack.

How do you make okra soup draw?

Draw soup is another okra soup that’s popular in Nigeria. Start by cooking the meat until you get the stock. Add an onion and pepper to the broth.

Toss in fish, beef, or chicken chops for your meat options. Then, add the finely chopped okra. Once you get the right flavor and texture, the Draw Soup is ready to serve!

Where did okra soup originate?

Okra Soup originated in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. In fact, it is called “gumbo” in other countries, especially French-speaking nations.