🇱🇷 Liberian Cuisine

Cassava Leaf Soup

Cassava Greens Stew

Prep Time 2 hours

Servings 6

Difficulty Hard

Calories 470 kcal

A thick, deeply savoury soup made from finely ground cassava leaves slow-cooked with smoked fish, palm oil, and scotch bonnet peppers — Liberia's national dish.

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh cassava leaves, finely ground
300g smoked fish, deboned
200g dried fish
1 cup palm oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 scotch bonnet peppers
2 bouillon cubes
1 cup ground crayfish
Salt to taste
4 cups water or stock

Instructions

1 Wash and finely grind or blend cassava leaves until very smooth.
2 Boil ground leaves in water for 30 minutes to remove bitterness.
3 In a separate pot, heat palm oil and sauté onions until soft.
4 Add smoked fish, dried fish, crayfish, peppers, and bouillon.
5 Add the boiled cassava leaves. Stir well and simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
6 Season with salt and serve with fufu or rice.

Did You Know?

Liberians say you can judge someone's character by how finely they grind their cassava leaves — patience and care show in every spoonful.