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!

How to Make Okra Soup

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

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

Ingredients

Don’t forget to add these ingredients to your next trip to the grocery store!

Okra

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. 

The okra’s mild flavor will pair well with the other ingredients of the soup. Aside from its culinary use, okra is also good for your health. It can help boost immunity, improve brain function, promote digestion, and more!

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. 

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

Pepper sauce

Don’t miss out on the delicious goodness of fresh pepper sauce. It is usually used in African soups and stews for its rich color, flavor, and aroma. 

The pepper sauce is made of tomatoes, red bell peppers, scotch bonnets, and onions. It also has the perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and pungent flavors. 

I love using it for Assorted Meat Stew, 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. 

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 assorted 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!

Palm oil

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

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

Directions

Follow these steps to make the perfect Okra Soup recipe:

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 the ingredients pair well together? Every sip 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

Selection

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

Storage

• 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. 

Preparation

• 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, use a food processor or knife instead. Alternatively, cook the ingredients in a pot and once soft, sieve them to get a smoother consistency. 

Assorted meat

Assorted meat is a two-in-one recipe because you get tender meat and delicious 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 5 to 7 minutes or until done. 
7. Set the fish liquid stock aside for other recipes! 

Okra Soup Recipe 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.

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How to Serve Okra Soup

Okra Soup is a family-friend 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 for the best quality. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nigerian okra soup made of?

Nigerian okra soup is made of 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 Okro soup called in English?

Okro soup is called “okra soup” or “gumbo” in English. When translated into English, okra or okro is called lady’s fingers. 

What is okra soup called in Nigeria?

In Nigeria, okra soup is also called Ila Alasepo. This soup is popularly made in Nigeria and West Africa because of the pepper sauce and locust beans. 

What does okro mean in Nigeria?

Okro means okra, which is the main food you need for this recipe. It is usually used as a thickener for soups and stews because of its slimy quality.