A delicious okra and tomato based soup perfect for using up all of your leftover holiday ham. Using canned and frozen vegetables makes this healthy, hearty and simple dish ideal for a busy weeknight.
Growing up I was an incredibly picky eater but my favorite food was a tomato – I would eat them like apples. So naturally I gravitated to mostly tomato based dishes like okra soup. At it’s base, okra soup is similar to most beefy vegetable soups with the addition of okra. Not familiar with okra? Totally fine. Okra has a sweet flavor and is often used as a thickener in soups like gumbo. Okra can be sautéed and served crispy or breaded and fried. I love okra as a side dish, tossed with olive oil, garlic and cherub tomatoes. It’s such a versatile vegetable!
What makes my okra soup different than others is using ham in place of beef and bringing in the flavor of smoked turkey necks. Yes, I said turkey necks. Simmering down all of the vegetables with smoked turkey necks gives this okra recipe a depth of flavor you don’t normally find in most okra soups. Smoked turkey necks are readily available in most grocery stores and are incredibly inexpensive!
What’s also so great about this okra soup recipe is it’s pretty much a dump and simmer. After sautéing the turkey necks, onions and okra, you dump the remaining ingredients, cover and walk away making this a great weeknight recipe.
What You Need
- 2 lb. smoked turkey necks
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb. frozen okra
- 1 (15.25 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 (15.25 oz.) can lima beans, drained
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- leftover ham
- salt & pepper to taste
What You Do
- In a dutch oven heat olive oil over med/high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the turkey necks and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes a side. Remove turkey necks and set aside.
- Saute frozen okra and onion in the same pan, scraping up the browned bits, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the drained corn, lima beans, can of tomatoes with liquid, chicken broth onion powder, smoked paprika, bay leaves and smoked turkey necks. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for an hour.
- Remove turkey necks then add in tomato paste and ham. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Season with salt, pepper and serve over hot white rice.
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