Okra Soup

Okra soup contains sliced okra fruit, meat, crayfish, seasoning cubes, salt, pepper, etc.

I like this soup because it is very easy to prepare and likely the cheapest soup in Nigeria.

I remember making a pot of (Okra) Okro soup with just two hundred and fifty Naira, (10 years ago 😀 )… more like a one-dollar soup.

You can use frozen fish, Okra and some other ingredients to prepare the soup, then you could buy a good frozen fish with just forty or fifty Naira, I am talking about the “good old days”.

Okro Soup

Okra soup is one of the most common soups eaten by the people of Igbo, often, I combine okro and ogbono for better results, you can learn more here about making Nigerian Ogbolo(ogbono) soup.

Is Okro soup Good for Kids?

There are several reasons I like this soup, the most outstanding reason being that kids love it, I learned that the best way to introduce eba or fufu to kids is to serve it with Okra or ogbono soup, this way it would be very easy for them to swallow, I have tried it, it worked for my kids. 😀

Okra is also good for adults, I just made a pot of okra soup before writing this, a tiny quantity that would serve for this night, it is Sunday night here in Nigeria. I like this soup because the two major ingredients are very rich in vitamins (okra and fluted pumpkin)

So let’s make a delicious pot of Nigerian Okro soup, The exact way an Igbo woman would like to make it, Did I tell you that Okra is one of the most popular soup in Igbo land especially from April to July, its exact harvest season

Below is the list of ingredients that were used, you can always increase or reduce depending on the number of the person you are looking to feed and of course their stomach sizes.

Ingredients For (Okro) Okra Soup

Serving 4×2 | Preparation time:

Sliced Okra (a medium-size bowl full)
Stockfish head (medium size)
1 kg of meat (chicken)
5 shombo peppers
2 scotch bonnet peppers
500g mackerel
2 seasoning cubes
Salt to taste.
200ml Red (palm) oil
half cup of ground crayfish

Here are some ingredients that I use for making this soup.

Okra soup ingredients

Preparations

Step 1

Slice the okra and set it aside in a bowl, the trader in most Nigerian markets can assist you with slicing the okra, but you can also try using a kitchen knife, I like to slice Okra myself, although there is no harm in using the help of the market women.

Remove center seeds from the shombo, combine with scotch bonnet and blend or pound using a mortar and pestle. Also, blend or grind the crayfish.

I used just 1kg (2.2lb) of chicken and 500g of fish for this okra soup.

I like to parboil meat with lots of spices and then use very little while making the real soup.

How to Make Okro Soup

Step 2

Wash the fish/chicken and season with a half teaspoon of salt, two seasoning cubes, a cup of water, and half a cup of sliced onions.
Allow it to boil together for 10-15 minutes. Remove them while leaving the stock in the pot.

Step 3

Add the stockfish to the boiling pot, one more cup of water, and cook for about 10 minutes till they are soft for consumption.

Add two cups of water.

Step 4

Introduce 200ml of palm oil, add the crayfish, pepper/shombo, and salt to taste.

Let it boil for 8 minutes. Add the cooked chicken/fish and allow simmering for three more minutes.

Step 5

Add the sliced okra and stir. Drop the cooked mackerel fish on top.

Allow simmering for 3-4 minutes, and you are done with this delicious soup.

You can serve ofe okro with eba, fufu or pounded yam.
Okro Soup recipe

Okro Soup recipe

Okra Soup Recipe | Nigerian cooking with Okro

Chef Chidi
Okra soup is unarguably one of the most delicious soup in Nigeria and one os the easiest you can make any day.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Nigerian Cuisine
Servings 8 People
Calories 475 kcal

Equipment

  • Pots

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Big Bowl Big Bowl Okra fresh
  • 200 g Stockfish head
  • 1 kg of meat beef
  • 400 g Frozen mackerel
  • 3 Seasoning cubes
  • 3 Scotch bonnet peppers.
  • 200 ml Red palm oil
  • 1/2 Cup Ground Crayfish

Instructions
 

  • Season the beef and mackerel and cook together, remove the mackerel and continue to cook the meat till it becomes soft.
  • Add the washed stockfish and add to the cooking meat, allow to cook for another 10 minutes.
  • Add ground crayfish, palm oil, 1 seasoning cube, pepper and salt to taste.
  • The sliced okra should be added at this point, stir. drop the cooked mackerel fish on top.
  • Allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes and you are done with this delicious soup.
  • Okra soup can be paired with fufu or eba.

Video

Keyword Nigerian Foods, Ofe Okro, Okra soup recipe

Okro Soup Video

The video above is for okro soup, I call it okro pepper soup, slightly different from the recipe above but would give you some ideas.

Compare (Okro) Okra Soup & Other Nigerian Soups

How to make Egusi (melon) Soup In Nigeria

Learn to make Bitterleaf & Cocoa Yam Soup

Return To Homepage – All Nigerian Foods

107 Comments

Gabriel
Reply

I am validating this !
Thanks

August 22, 2022
Oluebube
Reply

5 stars
its very nice i just made some now and i am already in the skies looking for more

March 29, 2022
Deny
Reply

5 stars
Okro soup is my best! I don’t like it very thick and it shouldn’t draw too much. Just plain and easy flowing soup.
Thanks for this recipe.

September 5, 2020
Sunny
Reply

You got me feeling hungry now

June 17, 2020
Henry
Reply

Wow.. What a detailed easy to follow steps.. Your pattern of teaching is very unique, I googled how to make Okro soup, and I was hoping to see your write up and boom here it goes 😂, you never failed me.. Now I can prepare my Okro soup with much confidence…. Thanks dear… By the way am enjoying your ebook on how to Prepare Nigeria Delicacies 👍

April 24, 2020
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Thanks for your feedback, God bless you more.

May 9, 2020
drdora
Reply

you make me hungry! Nice one tho. I only have a little issue with the ingredients. I am a seventh day Adventist with some reserved laws on food and drinks. I dont include scaless and finless seafoods in my diet and a struggling vegan, which means that cryfish is out of it. Could you please help include meatless recipes in your blogs to help people, who knows it might attracts more people.

September 17, 2019
Ruth Friday
Reply

You are doing great , Good job

June 5, 2019
Linda Micheal
Reply

Am definitely cooking Okra soup this week…. Thanks Chidi for this

June 4, 2019
Jay
Reply

Can you add a little bitter leaves. Just a little. Your steps are so easy to follow. Thank you.

May 16, 2019
Goodluck
Reply

Always afraid of going to the kitchen, having the fear of cooking and serving a poison to friends and relative and even to myself… But with ur step to step lecture I compete with mum in the kitchen. Continue with ur good works dear.

May 5, 2019
Kevin DuBree
Reply

Hello from USA. I want to try to make this soup for an Igbo Catholic Priest who is living at our Apostolate while he is studying at University of Notre Dame. Hopefully I can find similar spices and ingredients that will make the soup taste familiar to the real thing for him. God Bless.

March 23, 2019
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Ok, good luck to you dear.

March 28, 2019
Teddy cole
Reply

I’m making okro soup now. Thanks for the great assistant. God bless you.

February 27, 2019
Osemeilu isi
Reply

Thank you !

December 3, 2018
Chidi
Reply

Thank you for your recipe. Okro is my best soup and as a self acclaimed international chef lol, I’m always looking for ways to better my cooking skill. Thank you again. Just made Okro

April 6, 2018
Uzzi Keith Chilanga
Reply

I’m so interested in trying this at home. My question is: can this recipe do without oil? I like foods with no oil, I only use water. I love my food boiled or grilled.

March 1, 2018
stella
Reply

Please reduce palm oil to enable the soup look greenish and attractive. You can use two cover of bottle water to measure your oil whenever you want to cook your okra soup. I prepared Okra soup yesterday, it was very sweet and greenish, because I did not add much oil, only one cover of bottle water I used.

Thanks

May 25, 2017
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

thanks

May 26, 2017
Peachy
Reply

How about Okra with Egusi

May 5, 2017
chidi anan
Reply

Lol, I am yet to try that one.

May 10, 2017
Prince Miracle
Reply

wow i must say I suddenly becomes great cook through your site. Great Work.

forever thumbs up to you #TeamNigeriaRecipe

April 10, 2017
Ebonie Chi
Reply

Really, Okra is the simplest, easiest and cheapest soup to make. i once tried another method. i heated my oil, put my onions and fried the okra just a little before adding my already boiled meat and other ingredient and pumpkin leaves. it was really superb. i told myself i would learn over 20 different types of soups before getting married. my fiance loves Nigerian food. i am so happy to have come across this wonderful site. you are marvelous. keep up the good work. and guess what, i am going no where, i am gonna sit back and follow you all the way! kudos!

March 1, 2017
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Thanks for your feedback dearie, I am happy to help.

March 3, 2017
GLORY TESSY
Reply

I LOVE THIS SOUP AND IT IS MY FAVORITE. THANKS

February 24, 2017
GLORY TESSY
Reply

I REALLY LOVE UR TEACHING VERY SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND TO PRACTICE. KEEP IT UP AND GOD BLESS.

February 24, 2017
Temitope olasunkanmi
Reply

Bravo!…the steps are simple to understand.I love that soup very much.it even taste better with pounded yam…..nice work,i love u so much.

August 30, 2016
Victoria
Reply

Tnx Chidi i love you okro soup recipe and many other recipes on this food blog. keep it up

July 29, 2016
Loveth
Reply

I love ur teaching,i am practically enhancing my cooking,thank

June 20, 2016
Christopher Dennar
Reply

okro is a nice Nigeria season soup. I like it

June 9, 2016
Tochi
Reply

Its nice, and today am gonna make my own ogbono and okro soup, cant wait, its been long i ate the food last so i decided to use the site so i can make a very delicious one

April 22, 2016
Mirabel
Reply

Thanks for the great recipe. You’re wonderful! I want to know, aside pumpkin leave can you use uziza leave for it?

April 21, 2016
Arine
Reply

Just finish cooking mine…..i can tell its great.thanks

March 25, 2016
EZEB
Reply

am new here. i think am gonna try dis too. tnx

March 2, 2016
Joy oladimeji
Reply

Chi
Thanks this is tantalizing, am going to make mine this week end. God will reward u ijn.

February 22, 2016
Esiri
Reply

Uuuuh.. Am so excited. This is the first time am cooking okra soup and it turned out incredible. I love you. Lol… Thanks.

January 18, 2016
BANKE
Reply

l love your steps, so easy.keep it up.

January 8, 2016
Vovo
Reply

Thanx for the recipe. M South African in love with Nija man. M defenatly gonna cook for him.

January 7, 2016
Edna
Reply

I love okro soup with a touch of sprinkled dried bitterleaf and pumpkin leaves….. It gives a great taste….

January 6, 2016
firstlady
Reply

Thanks for this great recipe. Pls I will like to know if there is any other simplier one that u don’t have to use stock fish and dryfish. I remember whn I was in scondary sch my landlady do make okra with fresh titus or shawa without all those recipe and we do enjoy it. Can u pls help me with that method? Thank u very much

December 10, 2015
Alexander Ebuka
Reply

More grease to your elbow” i just make a delicous okro soup with your method. Thanks alot

November 22, 2015
Joy
Reply

Welcome, it’s a good job u re doing. You re helping a lot of us

November 20, 2015
Cynthia
Reply

I love that ,keep it up.

November 16, 2015
Virginia Okeukwu
Reply

Good job,that is my husband best ,keep it up

October 29, 2015
Oluwabunmi
Reply

Are you saying we are going to add all the ingredients before the okra itself?

October 23, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Sure, except the leaves (if you chose to add vegetables)

October 26, 2015
Sarat
Reply

I just prepare this.. it came out real good too.. thank you..

September 25, 2015
Frank Edozie
Reply

Nne u r 2much. Nigerian kitchen is really helping me a lot. Thank u

September 22, 2015
gift
Reply

wow dis method is gud buh wat abt dis method…..u wash d soup pot plc on fire allow it to dry add red oil u bring it down to b cool for sumtimes add d granded ogbolo stir plc on fire stir add meat water allow to boil for 5mins put all neccssary ingredent add d slice okro allow to boil for 15mins put d meat/fish together add d punkin leaf allow to boil for sumtyms den serve

August 26, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

When it comes to making foods, no method is actually bad as long as it turns out well.

August 27, 2015
hummapwa
Reply

I dont like it befor but now is one of my best soup .

August 18, 2015
Philip Kingsley
Reply

wao! I just observed the steps you listed and guess what, I produced a very delicious okra soup.
I’ve never tried cooking soup in my life. Your recipes was really helpful
Thanks

July 31, 2015
cassie
Reply

Your okro soup recipe appear nice and affordable too, great outcome i must say. But i discovered from the enumerated ingredients that ogbono was not mentioned only to be mentioned later before the addition of okro – please check. Also where and when do we add the grounded crayfish because you really did not mention that…just curious.
I am a very careful learner that’s why, Chidi.

Thank you

July 29, 2015
Adaco
Reply

please ma although not on this soup topic, pls i want to no what is ogiri thanks

July 28, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Ogiri is a native ingredient that is made from casto seeds, I am not sure there is an English name for it.

July 29, 2015
Phemmy
Reply

Thanks for this information. You just saved a hungry Bachelor this afternoon.

July 17, 2015

I love Okro soup but instead of pumpkin leaf, I use uziza leaf. Its tastier and the aroma is wonderful

July 10, 2015
Adenike comfort
Reply

I jst cook okro nw nd i didnt cover it atal bt its nt drawing, y?

June 29, 2015
Adaco
Reply

I love Okra soup because good i blood system I need more option

June 9, 2015
Mercy
Reply

Infact the soup is really delicious,God will increase your knowledge in million ways in Jesus.

May 12, 2015
ola-balogun edith
Reply

okro soup is always delicious with ugu leaf and traditional comdiments.

April 18, 2015
Tola
Reply

Okro is the most cheapest and delicious soup to prepare. I enjoyed it anytime i prepared it, i will give it atrial again for this weekend because what ‘am seen make me salivating, i love it.

February 3, 2015
chioma
Reply

thumbs up.keep it up

February 2, 2015
olayink tiawo
Reply

Ur cookbook and recipes helps me alot cos i married igbo man.God bless d day I came across ur site.u’r bless

February 2, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Thanks dear, God bless you too.

February 4, 2015
Hadiza
Reply

you just made me salivating for okro soup, I think I need to give it a try using your own method…. keep up the good work.

January 31, 2015
ONWE IFEANYICHUKWU PHILIP HND psc
Reply

I love this site. . . HOw can i be following your pages. . . This site makes my home proud of me

January 24, 2015
Ifeyinwa
Reply

Chidi, you are very encouraging. Your cookbook and recipes will keep uniting the Nigerian family. Daughters will have what they need to make their future homes pleasurable. God bless you.

December 19, 2014
OLAJUMOKE
Reply

I luv okro soup but i didnt kno that it cld be combine wit ogbono since they both draw nd av dif taste.

December 8, 2014
chiamaka
Reply

such a nice method. l like this.

November 17, 2014
Erica
Reply

Okro soup is one soup i love so much. Though this method is quite different from the way we cook it in URHOBO land. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipe. I ll definitely try this method.

October 23, 2014
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Erica, thanks for your comment

October 25, 2014
FAVOUR
Reply

Okro soup is one of my best soup so far i love these recipes, i promise to keep it up on how to
prepare it
THANKS ALOT

October 22, 2014
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Favour, welcome once again to the kitchen.

October 25, 2014
ukams
Reply

goodjob chy now i confident in cooking thanks

October 11, 2014
Nneka
Reply

Welldone, you are doing a great job. This soup looks tantalising, I am salivating already!

October 10, 2014
Chimmy
Reply

Correct Recipe for Okro soup,Thanks for the good work, keep it up!

October 6, 2014
Cadace
Reply

I have a few questions if you don’t mind. Why is palm oil always used in recipes? Why not other oils such as olive , or vegatable? Why is stock head and dried fish used in every soup recipe? It seems as though all soups are really just one base with different ingredents used to make it a different soup. Is this the case? Thanks.

September 15, 2014
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Palm oil is red in color and adds the much needed redness in most Nigerian soup, and yes it is just one base, I did state somewhere that the different between most Nigerian soups are just the leaf/thickener used. Thanks for the question.

September 16, 2014
bata
Reply

thanks

September 5, 2014
Nicholas Nicholasa
Reply

thanks alot just saved me from an embarrasment dis evening.

September 3, 2014
Airat
Reply

That was nice, I love okro soup

August 26, 2014
chika
Reply

just had okro soup n it so delicious. i love ur recipes. thank u so much….

August 26, 2014
Esther
Reply

okro soup it so sweet to taste give me Nigeria kitchen nothing do you

July 25, 2014
Annette
Reply

Am new here and I like your recipes. Okro is on of my favorite soups and Am open to different methods of preparing it.

July 21, 2014
Grace
Reply

This is great, keep it up and may God give u more wisdom

July 12, 2014
Osita
Reply

I am making Okra tonight; the Nija man way (Cat fish, Stock fish, Kanda etc). Can’t wait

July 7, 2014
Eunice
Reply

well and very well, u change my way of cooking and make my home sweeter. thank very much.

June 18, 2014
sadiya
Reply

Hi, atyms my okro dosnt draw well…wat do u tink I should do

June 11, 2014
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Sadiya, it could be that you are using the wrong okra specie, there is one called chuku chuku here in Nigeria, it kind of got tiny thorns. Also, avoid covering your pot immediately you add the okro, it helps.

June 18, 2014
ogonna
Reply

Ur are doing great work. Ride on!

May 25, 2014
Eunice
Reply

Thank U. I Promise To Try All D Soup Out. U Are D Best.

May 21, 2014
Ify
Reply

Lovely that soup was my best, my university days my roomate and myself use it for our sunday special. Thanks dear.

April 14, 2014
Joy
Reply

I am enjoying this site/group such much its a wonderful place n I always look forward to getting ur news letter n new way of making Nigeria food n delicacies.thank u for having this vision n being a blessing to Nigeria men n women. Pls send the recipes faster .

February 19, 2014
ST UJU
Reply

CHY YOUR RECIPE ARE D BOMB AM SO ENJOYING YOUR STEP TO STEP PROCEDURE KEEP THE GOOD WORK GOING .GOD IS UR STRENGTH .

March 27, 2014
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Uju, thanks for your comment.

May 5, 2014
princess miracle obi
Reply

waw the okro soup is so exciting , tantalizing, and more over delicious mainly looking at it . In fact i feel lyk eating it right away. i luv ur site is so interesting.

February 13, 2014
irene
Reply

Thanks for the okro soup. but u mentioned ingredients for parboiling the meat, aside onions, salt N maggi what else can we use. Thanks i enjoy your site and i have tried several of your recipes. The most recent been cocoyam N oha leaf

January 29, 2014
The Nigerian Kitchen
Reply

Hello Irene, there are several other ingredients for perboiling meat; we have kitchen glory, curry, thyme, mama dish and just too many of them. You can try some of them and then decide which one you like most.

January 30, 2014
tessy awu
Reply

Nice and very easy to follow, I love ofe okro very much. I shall make it tomorrow unfailingly. U re da bomb!!!

January 16, 2014
Essor U.M
Reply

Yummy yummy dats my favorite soup okro and I love making it. Thanks d steps are easy to understand

December 21, 2013
Julia
Reply

very interesting indeed, it helps alot. keep it up

November 25, 2013
princess olamide
Reply

Am new here but I like what am reading and seeing here because I have been looking for ways to know how to cook this okro soups… Thanks for the good work keep it up.

November 14, 2013
Irene. Igwe
Reply

Good one and keep it up

August 28, 2013
Cynthia Boma Ipalibo
Reply

you know, your steps are easy, simple and delicious! keep it up!

August 17, 2013
Rita
Reply

Okra soup is my best, you kinda know how to get me hungry! I love all your recipes. Keep the good work going.

August 6, 2013
Grace
Reply

Yes, okra is the cheapest and one of the easiest Nigerian soups, I also like Nigerian foods a lot. I am married to a Nigerian man, and my husband only eat home made foods so I make foods everyday. I am hoping to improve my menu with some of your delicious recipes. You are really great. I love your site

July 27, 2013

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