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    Balkan Lunch Box > Recipes > Bosnian Recipes > Okra Soup: Creamy Chicken Soup with Okra (Bosnian Bey's Soup, Begova Čorba)

    Okra Soup: Creamy Chicken Soup with Okra (Bosnian Bey's Soup, Begova Čorba)

    Published: Mar 27, 2017 · Modified: Jan 8, 2024 by Aida

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Delicious okra soup known as begova čorba, (aka Bey's soup), is a creamy chicken broth with veggies hailing from Bosnia and Herzegovina. This soup is so comforting, each spoonful is like a cozy blanket of warmth wrapped around you. Shall we?

    Soup in a silver bowl with a lid, a kitchen cloth, two slices of bread, a lemon wedge and a spoon.
    Jump to:
    • Background
    • Okra Taste
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • Handling
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More Heartwarming Broths
    • Thoughts?
    • Okra Soup (Bey's Soup, Begova Čorba)
    • More Recipes to 💙

    Background

    Begova čorba, Bey's soup, or Bosnian okra soup is a creamy okra delicacy.

    Beys were kind of like local governors during the times Bosnia was under Ottoman rule. Designating something as 'Bey-worthy' indicated the dish was great enough for the higher class to eat. So, super tasty!

    Today's rich broth accented with this unique and yummy ingredient is, together with the stewed okra (bamija), everyone's favorite okra dish. Ask any tourist what culinary creation they loved while visiting Bosnia, and okra soup is often at the top of the list.

    Okra soup is a harmonious medley of okra, chicken, and aromatics.

    Simmered to perfection, the soup is enriched with a simple roux, blended vegetables, or both. (It can almost be thought of as chowder!) Garnished with parsley and served with a slice of lemon, eating Bosnian Bey's okra soup (begova čorba) is a soul-warming experience.

    Okra Taste

    If you haven't cooked okra before, you're in for a delicious surprise!

    Although considered a veggie, okra is essentially a pod with seeds, thus a fruit. It has a gritty, savory taste kind of like a cross between asparagus and green beans.

    Okra is known for the sticky substance released when activated by heat or moisture. Some chefs love okra for this natural thickening agent as it enhances broths and sauces giving them a fuller texture.

    However, most people aren't crazy about this liquid. (We are in this camp.) Luckily, it can easily be avoided by soaking okra in hot water mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, for at least 30 minutes before it's cooked.

    Ingredients

    Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup), everyone's favorite creamy chicken broth.

    Ingredients (onion, flour, seasonings, herbs, egg, chicken, carrots, okra, flour, potatoes and celery) on a gray marble background.

    Meat for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup):

    • Chicken thighs and legs work best. Substitute with chicken breast. Note that the breast meat is drier. To counterbalance the flavor you'd get from thighs or legs you'll need to add more seasonings. Avoid wings.
      (Confession time! We just recently started using the breast to make okra soup, and we now prefer it to the thicker, juicier parts!)

    Veggies and Fruit for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup):

    • Okra: fresh, frozen, or dried. If using fresh or frozen, look for smaller, 2-inch pieces. Otherwise, slice each pod into a couple of pieces. While dried okra takes longer to cook, we love it because the end result is grittier and crunchier. The amount of okra is completely up to you. Some people like to "accent" the soup with an ounce of okra or less, while others think more is more.
      (Note: all okra should be soaked in boiling water with lemon juice to get rid of "slime".)
    • Lemon: fresh, to "de-slime" the okra, and a few wedges for serving. Substitute with vinegar.
    • Carrots.
    • Potatoes: Yukon Gold or Russets are best. Avoid fingerling, "young" or "new" potatoes.
    • Onion: yellow or white, only to fortify the broth.
    • (Optional) Celery: root only, for the broth. Substitute with celery sticks, however, later blend only 1 as they tend to take over the taste.
    • (Optional) Parsley: one bunch for the broth.

    Herbs and Seasonings for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup):

    • Parsley: minced, to garnish.
    • Stock powder, bouillon cube, or Vegeta.
    • (Optional) Bay Leaf.

    Faux Roux Ingredients for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup):

    • Egg Yolk.
    • Flour: regular flour works best.
    • (Optional) Sour cream: for serving or making the roux instead of the flour one.
    • (Optional) Butter: if you want a cooked roux mix.

    Instructions

    The instructions on how to make okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup) are below.

    Four photographs, 2 on top, 2 on bottom, of ingredients in a pot (onion, carrots, water, celery, chicken).

    Step 1 - Making the broth for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup). In a large pot, combine chicken, carrots, onion, parsley, and celery with about 2 quarts (2 liters) of water. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium. Cook for 30 minutes.

    Four photographs, two by two, of a white bowl with okra in it, water and lemon added, and in the last photographs okra is strained.

    Step 2 (Parallel to Step 1) - "De-sliming" okra for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup). Place okra in a bowl and cover with boiling water and juice from ½ lemon. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

    Four photographs, two by two, of ingredients put into the broth in photos 1 and 2, and in 3 and 4 ingredients are taken out and shredded (cut).

    Step 3 - Adding more ingredients to okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup). Add potatoes, okra, and seasonings to the broth. Cook for 30 minutes, or until potato is fork tender.

    Step 4 - Taking out ingredients from begova čorba, Bey's soup). Take potatoes, carrots, chicken, bay leaf, celery, parsley, and onion out of the broth. (Leave okra in.) Discard onion, parsley, and bay leaf. Dice one carrot, shred the chicken, and set aside. Take out 1-3 cups of broth (without okra) and set aside.

    Four photographs, two by two, of ingredients (potatoes, celery and carrots) in a silver bowl, blended with a stick blender in the third photo and poured back into the broth in the fourth photo.

    Step 5 - Blending broth for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup). In a bowl, blend potatoes, remaining carrot, and celery (only 1 stick, if using it instead of root) with 1-2 cups of broth (or hot water). Return to the broth and stir vigorously so the liquid congeals together. (If needed, use a strainer to avoid crumbs.)

    Four photographs, two by two, of egg, flour and broth being mixed until smooth (photos 1 and 2), and poured through a strainer into the soup in the third photo, and the fourth photo is of the soup.

    Step 6 - Making the foux-roux for okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup). In a bowl mix flour with the egg yolk and 1-2 cups of broth (or hot water) until it's completely smooth. Return to the broth and stir vigorously so the liquid congeals together. (If needed, use a strainer to avoid crumbs.)

    Two photographs side by side, on first one carrot and chicken pieces are put into the broth, and the second photo is of the finished soup.

    Step 7 - Finishing the okra soup (begova čorba, Bey's soup) off. Return chicken and carrots to the broth. Adjust seasonings if needed. If overly thick for your tasste, thin it out slightly with hot water or broth. Garnish with parsley.

    Expert Tips

    Here are a few expert tips that may be of help.

    • Potatoes are too sticky (waxy) after blending! Add more hot water to the blender, and blend the potatoes and the carrot a little longer. Then, when you transfer the blended portion to the broth, do it through a strainer. Use a spoon to "push" the potatoes through.
    • Ugh, that okra slime! If you've soaked the okra in lemon juice or vinegar, it should be slime-free. Another way to do it is to boil it at a low temperature in lemon juice or vinegar on low for 15 minutes.
    • My soup is too thick! Add hot water or chicken broth to thin it out. Adjust seasonings as needed.
    • My soup is too thin! Mix more flour and broth separately, and then add to the broth.
    • Are there other ways to make the roux? Yes!

      Although we prefer the "faux-roux" to additionally thicken okra soup, you may prefer the real roux. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter slowly, and then stir in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook it while vigorously stirring on low heat until butter and flour integrate and there are no crumbs. Transfer roux to the soup, stirring continuously so that it integrates with the broth.

      The second way is to combine 3 tablespoons of sour cream with one egg yolk and stir it into the soup at the very end. 
    A spoonful of soup from a silver bowl with a lid.

    Handling

    • Serving: serve okra soup warm or hot with a few slices of homemade bread, or local dough balls called lokumi. It's a great starter, however, some people prefer to make a whole main course out of it. Some add sour cream, or a squeeze of lemon juice.
    • Storing: keep begova čorba in the fridge in a closed container for up to 48 hours. Reheat before eating. (Add a little bit of warm water if it's too thick.)
    • Reheating: reheat Bey's soup (begova čorba) based on your preferred method. Take out only as much as you plan to eat. The best option is to warm it up on the stovetop, on low heat, until it heats up.

    Recipe FAQ

    What is okra soup made of?

    Bosnian okra soup, also called Bey's soup, is a creamy chicken broth mixed with vegetables and a thickener, accented with delicious okra.

    Is okra a fruit or vegetable?

    Like tomatoes, okra is a fruit often thought of as a vegetable, but like tomatoes, they're essentially pods with seeds on the inside.

    What does okra taste like?

    Okra is gritty, and it tastes like a mix of green beans and asparagus.

    Can I eat okra raw?

    Yes. Honestly, though, okra doesn't taste that great when it's fresh. Meanwhile, it's phenomenal in soups and stews.

    Which country food is okra soup from?

    Okra soup came to the Balkans from the Ottomans (present-day Turkey). However, it's believed that okra soups originated in Africa. Different types of okra soups are popular all over the African continent, especially in West Africa.

    What nationality eats okra? Tribe?

    Bosnians, Nigerians, North Africans, West Africans, Middle Easterners, and Americans from the Southern US are known to eat okra regularly. This is by no means an exhaustive list as many more nationalities love this plant!

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    Thoughts?

    If you made okra soup, also known as Bey's Soup (begova čorba), and liked it, please consider giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This helps others find the recipe more easily!

    Also, feel free to leave a comment (I read each one!), and don't forget to tag a photo #balkanlunchbox, or us @balkanlunchbox, on IG.

    Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!

    Soup in a silver bowl with a lid, a kitchen cloth, two slices of bread, a lemon wedge and a spoon.

    Okra Soup (Bey's Soup, Begova Čorba)

    Aida
    Begova čorba is a traditional Bosnian soup known for its creamy texture, prepared with chicken and okra as key ingredients.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Soups & Stews
    Cuisine Bosnian
    Servings 4
    Calories 760 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Broth Ingredients

    • 1-2 chicken pieces large, a leg and a thigh together, or a thick chicken breast, avoid wings
    • 1 onion yellow or white, medium-sized, peeled and halved, for the broth
    • 2 carrots large, peeled, and halved
    • 2 ounces celery root about ⅙ of the whole root, peeled, or 2-3 celery sticks
    • 1 bunch parsley for broth, set aside a little for garnish
    • 2 potatoes medium-sized, Russett or Yukon Gold, (avoid young, new, or fingerling), peeled, quartered

    Okra

    • 1-3 ounces okra (fresh or frozen) the amount of okra is completely up to you; use a little less if using dried okra
    • ½ lemon juice only
    • (Optional) 4-5 tablespoons vinegar instead of lemon

    Seasonings

    • 1 bay leaf
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1-2 tablespoons stock powder or bouillon cube or 2 teaspoons of Vegeta (adjust volume needed for 2 quarts of water)

    Roux or Thickener

    • 2-3 tablespoons flour
    • 1 egg yolk
    • (Optional) 2-3 tablespoons butter

    Serving

    • (Optional) sour cream
    • (Optional) lemon wedges

    Instructions
     

    Making the Broth

    • In a large pot, combine chicken, carrots, onion, celery, and parsley with about 2 quarts (2 liters) of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium. Cook for a total of 30 minutes for now.

    "De-Sliming" the Okra (Parallel to Making the Broth)

    • Place okra in a bowl. (If using dried okra, leave it on the string.) Cover with boiling water and lemon juice (or vinegar). Leave to soak for about 30 minutes. Strain (and take off the string, if using dried okra).

    Adding More Ingredients

    • Add the potatoes, soaked and strained okra (only if using dry okra, if using fresh, you'll add it later), bay leaf, and seasonings to the broth. Cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until potato is fork tender.

    Taking Ingredients Out

    • Take the potatoes, carrots, chicken, bay leaf, parsley, celery, and onion out of the broth, together with 1-3 cups of broth. (Leave okra in if using dried. If using fresh okra, this is the time to add it to the broth.) Discard onion and bay leaf. Dice one carrot, discard the chicken skin, and then shred the chicken meat. Set it aside with the diced carrot.

    Blending the Broth

    • In a blender (or in a bowl, using a stick blender), blend potatoes, celery root (if using it, if using sticks, blend only 1 celery stick), and the remaining carrot with 1-2 cups of broth (or hot water). Return to the broth and stir vigorously so the liquid congeals together. (If the potatoes are "elasticky" pour the blended portion into the soup through a strainer to avoid crumbs. Use a spoon to push the liquid through the strainer.)

    Making the Foux-Roux

    • In a bowl mix flour with the egg yolk and 1-2 cups of broth (or hot water) until it's completely smooth. Return to the broth and stir vigorously so the liquid congeals together. (If needed, pour it into the broth using a strainer to avoid crumbs.)

    (Alternative Roux)

    • Alternatively, you can make a classic roux by melting butter and then adding flour (2-3 tablespoons each), and vigorously stirring on low heat until they integrate. Then pour it into the broth. After, mix egg yolk with 2-3 tablespoons sour cream and add to the broth as well.

    Finishing the Soup Off

    • Return the chicken and carrots to the broth. Adjust seasonings if needed. If overly thick, thin the broth out slightly with hot water or broth. (You can play around with the thickness of the soup based on your preference.) Turn the heat off and garnish with parsley.

    Serving

    • Serve okra soup warm or hot with a few slices of homemade bread, or local dough balls called lokumi. Some add sour cream, or a squeeze of lemon juice Store in the fridge in a closed container for up to 48 hours. Reheat based on your preferred method. Reheat only as much as you plan to eat. The best option is to warm it up on the stovetop, on low heat, until it heats up.

    Notes

    • Expert Tips: 
    How much okra should I use? This is completely up to you. Some people like just to "accent" the soup with okra, while others prefer most of the soup to be okra. We like the sweet spot of 50-100g dry okra (or 1 ounce fresh okra). As you make the soup a few times (and you will once you try it!), you'll find just how much okra you prefer. 
    Potatoes are too sticky (waxy) after blending! Add more hot water to the blender, and blend the potatoes and the carrot a little longer. Then, when you transfer the blended portion to the broth, do it through a strainer. Use a spoon to "push" the potatoes through.
    Ugh, that okra slime! If you've soaked the okra in lemon juice or vinegar, it should be slime-free. Another way to do it is to boil it at a low temperature in lemon juice or vinegar on low for 15 minutes.
    My soup is too thick! Add hot water or chicken broth to thin it out. Adjust seasonings as needed. 
    My soup is too thin! Mix more flour and broth separately, and then add to the broth.
    Is blending traditional for this soup? This can be a point of contention, but the more recent versions of the soup usually are blended because it adds a creamier, and thicker aspect to the soup. You can skip it, and in this case, you don't have to use potatoes for the soup at all. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 760kcalCarbohydrates: 125.5gProtein: 36.5gFat: 13.4gSaturated Fat: 4.2gCholesterol: 353mgSodium: 7662mgPotassium: 1031mgFiber: 13.6gSugar: 5.8gCalcium: 337mgIron: 16mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Milena | Craft Beering says

      April 17, 2017 at 10:23 pm

      This soup looks delicious! I have been to Sarajevo twice and never had the pleasure of tasting it. Would love to make some as soon as I spot fresh okra at the market. Would using frozen from fresh be terribly offensive?:)

      Reply
      • Aida says

        April 18, 2017 at 2:38 am

        Milena,
        Frozen or fresh okra wouldn't be offensive at all. It's what I use when I'm in the States, as the dried kind isn't sold there. Cooking process is the same (you'll still boil it for a while, in water with vinegar or lemon), just dice up each okra into several pieces as they're bigger when fresh/ frozen.
        Hope you had a good time on your travels to Sarajevo and that you visit again. 🙂

        Reply
    2. denise moore says

      November 10, 2020 at 3:29 pm

      Hello My daughter is dating a Bosnian man who was a refugee And spent his early years in Germany before coming to the US at age 12 she is bringing him for Thanksgiving dinner and I would like to honor him by preparing a Bosnian dish vegetarian would be great if you have something you can recommend thank you

      Reply
      • Aida says

        November 10, 2020 at 5:38 pm

        Hi Denise,

        How about a phyllo cheese pie? This is a quick version with store bought phyllo. https://balkanlunchbox.com/phyllo-cheese-pie-slagana-sirnica-recipe/
        Or even better, why not include a dessert? Stuffed apples are traditional and relatively easy sweet to make, and always a big hit: https://balkanlunchbox.com/bosnian-walnut-stuffed-apples-recipe-tufahije/
        Good luck! Let us know how it went and may you have a Happy Thanksgiving.

        Aida

        Reply
    3. Maja Pavlovic says

      October 30, 2021 at 9:04 pm

      ovo je bilo PRE-LE-PO!!! hvala ti puno!

      Reply
      • Aida says

        October 31, 2021 at 7:01 am

        Hvala Majo! Dobrodosli na sajt. Drago nam je da Vam se supica svidjela. <3

        Reply
    4. saba khan says

      August 25, 2024 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      This looks amazing!!!
      We just recently went to a Bosnian Restaurant in Turkey and fell in love with this soup. I'm so glad I've found this recipe to make it at home!

      If I don't want to use stock powder or bullion cube and we don't have vegeta, how could I replace it? Could I use home-made chicken stock? How would I adjust the liquid, if so?

      Thanks so much...can't want to try it!!

      Reply
      • Aida says

        August 26, 2024 at 6:35 am

        Hi Saba,
        you can use regular table salt instead of Vegeta.
        Kind regards.

        Reply
    5. Adnana says

      March 31, 2025 at 5:14 pm

      5 stars
      Ja sam za Bajram pravila Begovu corbu bas po ovom receptu. Corba je fantasticna, a moji gosti su trazili tanjir vise :-). Ova corba nas je sve posjetila na kuhinje nasih nena. Uz ovu corbu sam pravila i tufahije koristeci Aidin recept. Tufhije su takodje bile fantasticne. Svima koji prave jela sa ovog bloga, toplo preporucijem da prate Aidine instrukcije, i sigurno necete pogrijesiti. Aida, tebi hvala na ovom blogu!

      Reply
      • Aida says

        April 04, 2025 at 2:35 pm

        Adnana,
        Bajrambarećula!
        Hvala Vam mnogo na divnom komentaru. Ovakve riječi nam daju nadahnuće da dodajemo više recepata.
        Ideja iza bloga i jeste da sačuvamo te neke recepte koji polako padaju u zaborav kroz brzinu današnjeg života.
        Mnogo sreće u daljem kuhanju, s nadom da ćemo i dalje biti dio vaše kuhinje.
        Srdačno,
        Aida

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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