Callaloo Soup

Name: Callaloo Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Grenadian
Ingredients: 1 bundle dasheen leaves, stripped and chopped; 4 blue crabs, cleaned and halved; 6 okra, sliced; 400ml coconut milk; 1 onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 sprigs thyme; 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole; 2 tbsp butter; Salt and black pepper; 1 litre chicken stock; 2 stalks chive, chopped

Callaloo Soup (kal-AH-loo SOUP)

Dasheen Leaf Soup with Crab

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour 30 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 388 kcal

A thick, verdant soup of dasheen leaves slow-simmered with blue crab, okra, coconut milk, and fragrant seasonings, embodying the heart of Grenadian Sunday cooking.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 24.0g

Carbs 28.0g

Fat 20.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ shellfish

Equipment Needed

large stockpot wooden spoon blender (optional)

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep soup bowl

Garnishes: chopped chive, whole crab claw on top

Accompaniments: crusty bread, provisions

Ingredients

1 bundle dasheen leaves, stripped and chopped
4 blue crabs, cleaned and halved
6 okra, sliced
400ml coconut milk
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs thyme
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole
2 tbsp butter
Salt and black pepper
1 litre chicken stock
2 stalks chive, chopped

Instructions

1
Wash dasheen leaves thoroughly, strip from stems, and chop finely. Set aside in a bowl.
2
Melt butter in a large stockpot. Saute onion, garlic, chive, and thyme until fragrant, about three minutes.
3
Add chopped dasheen leaves and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer thirty minutes until leaves are very tender.
4
Add coconut milk, okra, and whole Scotch bonnet. Simmer another twenty minutes, stirring occasionally.
5
Add cleaned crab pieces and cook fifteen minutes until crab is bright red and cooked through.
6
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot in deep bowls with crusty bread on the side.

💡

Did You Know?

Grenadian callaloo soup is considered so essential that it is sometimes called the national soup, served at nearly every Sunday lunch across the island.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large stockpot
wooden spoon
blender (optional)

Garnishing

chopped chive, whole crab claw on top

Accompaniments

crusty bread, provisions

The Story Behind Callaloo Soup

Callaloo soup traces its origins to West African leafy green stews brought to the Caribbean by enslaved peoples, blended with Amerindian techniques of cooking with local dasheen leaves. In Grenada, the dish evolved into a rich, coconut-enriched soup featuring the island's prized blue crabs. It became the centrepiece of Sunday lunch, a tradition that persists in nearly every Grenadian household. The slow simmering of dasheen leaves until silky smooth represents a patience and care that defines Grenadian home cooking.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed sunday lunch 📜 Origins: West African and Amerindian fusion

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