African Okro Soup-Quick & healthy. Oh so easy yet yummy! Okro Soup African style loaded with shrimp , oxtails with or without Egusi.
Growing up Okra Soup was on my list of reviled sauce; when okra soup was on the menu at home. I would often eat bread or Garri, for sustenance, – Anything but Okro! I had such negative memories, they were hard to shake off. There was always an okro party, in the neighborhood and for me it was not a pretty sight. I could go on, but I know you get the gist.
Fast forward a few years, and guess what? My taste buds have changed, I think improved and now I happily indulge in all things okro.
In fact, it has become one of my go to meals because of its ease of preparation and versatility. I can still be picky about texture from time to time (though, not nearly as much as I was when I was a kid).
For the health conscious, okra is a rich source of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins and a low calorie vegetable. Known in most West African Countries as Okro, and the French speaking countries as gumbo. While in the U.S it is referred to as okra. So okra and okro are pretty much the same thing.
Here is a one of my healthier take on Okro soup. It consists of okra, spinach, crayfish, meat, and egusi.
The texture of the egusi cuts the slipperiness of the okra and makes this dish a perfect one for those who are leery of its consistency
I intentionally do not include oil in this soup okra because I want to fill up on it. – Oil contains a boat load of calories which does not add flavor or texture to this meal.
To To make it even healthier
- Use very little or no egusi (pumpkin seeds)- You can easily purchase pumpkin seeds in most super markets . Use a coffee grinder to grind.
- Use stew beef instead of oxtails . Oxtails are have more fat . But can’t help but indulge – what I do to cut down on the fat is to remove the thin layer of fatty oil that comes to the top of the oxtail stock. You can do this by using a spoon or better yet boil the oxtail a day in advance, refrigerate, and gently remove the layer of fat.
- You can also use dried or smoked fish. If it is readily available. It’s a luxury for me.
Crayfish is optional in this recipe you can cook this soup without it too.
Serve okra soup hot, with this Ugali or Corn fufu here
or rice.
Enjoy!!!!
- One pound okra fresh or frozen
- ½ pound meat oxtail
- ½ pound Shrimp
- ½ cup medium –sized Onions chopped
- ½ cup ground Crayfish
- 1 tablespoon Beef or chicken bouillon
- 3 cups of chopped Spinach
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup ground Egusi optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
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In medium –sized sauce pan boil oxtail seasoned with garlic salt, smoked paprika, pepper and onions until tender (approximately 30 -40 minutes). You can shorten this process in half by using a pressure cooker.
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If using fresh okra wash the okra, remove the tops and tails, and slice into rounds.
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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
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Add the ground crayfish, bouillon or Maggie and egusi into the pan of boiled meat , cook for 5 minutes
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Then add shrimp, cook for another 5 minutes and finally add the spinach and stir for about a minute or 2 .
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Serve warm with Fufu( any kind)
Boiled oxtail with most fat skimmed
Blended okro
Ground crayfish
Ground egusi
Last thing you add is okra, shrimp and spinach.
Bonnie says
11 May, 2019 at 12:35 amIs it possible to use beef neck bones?
ImmaculateBites says
11 May, 2019 at 8:54 pmYes you can, I use it all the time.
yvonne insh says
4 May, 2019 at 9:17 amCAN I USE CHICKEN INSTEAD OF BEEF?
imma africanbites says
5 May, 2019 at 3:24 pmYes, you can.
Gloria says
25 Feb, 2019 at 5:49 amThank you for this recipe,adding egusi is a new for me. Can’t wait to try it!
imma africanbites says
25 Feb, 2019 at 7:06 pmExcited for you, too. Hope you like it. Enjoy!
Linda says
13 Feb, 2019 at 6:02 pmThis recipe sounds so good. I seems to be similar to gumbo. I’m so glad that I stumbled upon your website. Thank you.
Shirley Rose says
28 Jan, 2019 at 6:39 amCan’t wait to make this today. Can’t get crayfish but will sub crabmeat.
Cheryl says
25 Aug, 2018 at 5:03 amWhat is Maggie and when is it added?
ImmaculateBites says
31 Aug, 2018 at 9:15 amIt’s comparable to chicken bouillon . Add together with egusi .
Chidinma Precious says
20 Jul, 2018 at 2:59 amCan I blend instead, the whole procedure seem so long
ImmaculateBites says
21 Jul, 2018 at 11:19 amYou sure can.
Chioma Nduka says
13 May, 2018 at 11:10 amPlease can I blend the okra instead don’t like the seeds? Will it still yield the same result? Thanks
imma africanbites says
14 May, 2018 at 4:34 pmHi, Chioma. Yes, you may. Egusi is optional for this recipe. Happy cooking!
Sam says
24 Mar, 2018 at 2:06 amHi how much water do you use to boil the oxtail? Thanks 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
24 Mar, 2018 at 7:26 amIt’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
14 Jul, 2017 at 12:29 pmWow thanks ma, i will try it
ImmaculateBites says
15 Jul, 2017 at 7:00 amAwesome! Do let me know how it works out for you.
Fanta says
18 Apr, 2017 at 3:21 pmI 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
18 Apr, 2017 at 5:49 pmAwesome! Glad to hear it was a success.
Barbarab says
12 Jun, 2017 at 8:15 pmWhat brand of smoked paprika to use with the chicken
ImmaculateBites says
13 Jun, 2017 at 4:43 amAny good quality brand is good! Have no preference for now. I usually get mine from Trader Joes
Naima says
13 Jan, 2017 at 2:26 pmHow many people does this recept serves? Trying it tomorrow!!
ImmaculateBites says
14 Jan, 2017 at 3:54 amAbout 4-5.
Dunori says
26 Dec, 2016 at 11:33 amThis 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
7 Dec, 2016 at 4:00 pmDo you have a recipe for the dipping bread that was shown with the okra soup?
ImmaculateBites says
7 Dec, 2016 at 5:18 pmDo 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
7 Dec, 2016 at 11:14 amHi ImmaculateBites,
How much and what type of liquid did you use to boil the oxtail?
ImmaculateBites says
7 Dec, 2016 at 11:32 amHi 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
17 Sep, 2016 at 12:40 pmHey!
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
2 Dec, 2016 at 11:22 amI 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
30 Jul, 2016 at 9:27 amwhat is EGUSI, sorry I new at cajan cooking?
ImmaculateBites says
30 Jul, 2016 at 10:24 amEgusi 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.
rachael says
18 Jul, 2016 at 7:57 pmSo 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
26 Dec, 2015 at 3:03 pmHi: 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
29 Dec, 2015 at 1:52 pmAww thanks for the tip Kim! Can’t wait to try it !
Nicky says
21 Aug, 2015 at 12:36 pmMade this with egusi and fresh tilapia fish . I can’t stop swallowing. Thanks for the recipe
ImmaculateBites says
21 Aug, 2015 at 2:33 pmEnjoy your swallow Nicky!
JUNE BRAHIM says
15 Jan, 2018 at 7:55 amThanks for all you delicious recipes.
ImmaculateBites says
15 Jan, 2018 at 8:16 amYour Welcome! Thanks !
Therese says
24 Jul, 2014 at 7:30 pmCan’t wait to make this!! When do you add the okra?
ImmaculateBites says
27 Jul, 2014 at 5:55 amThe last thing you do is add the okra – about 5 minutes before you remove the pan from the stove.
kelsey says
21 Sep, 2013 at 1:14 amDelicious. Thanks for this recipe. The added shrimp makes a huge difference. Flavour was awesome.
Africanbites says
21 Sep, 2013 at 6:00 amThanks Kelsey!