Senegalese Okra Soup
If you've got fresh okra, beef stewing pieces and firm white fish fillets, you're most of the way to this beef: about 70 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Fish
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Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Season the beef with one crumbled stock cube, half the chopped onion and a little salt, then place in a pot with the water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 45 minutes until the beef is tender and you have a flavourful stock.
- While the beef cooks, trim the okra and either grate it coarsely or chop it finely; the more finely it is cut, the thicker and more characteristically slippery the soup will be.
- Heat the red palm oil in a separate large pot over medium heat, add the remaining chopped onion and the crushed garlic, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then add the prepared okra and stir well to coat it in the oil, cooking for about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the cooked beef along with its stock, add the second stock cube and the whole scotch bonnet, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes so the okra softens and thickens the broth.
- Cut the fish into large chunks, lower them gently into the soup, and simmer for a further 8 to 10 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, reaching at least 63 C in the centre.
- Taste and adjust the salt, remove the whole pepper if you prefer a milder soup, and serve hot with rice, fufu or another starchy side.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet Β· Large pot Β· Saucepan
Tips & common questions
How long does Senegalese Okra Soup take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe β rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Senegalese Okra Soup is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Soupou Kandja.jpg by T.K. Naliaka, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure β how we source recipes.