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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.)

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. 

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.

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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!

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Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!

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

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

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

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