West Africa · Soup

Potato Greens Soup (Braised sweet potato leaves in red palm oil with smoked meats)

Name: Potato Greens Soup (Braised sweet potato leaves in red palm oil with smoked meats)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Liberia
Ingredients: 600 g fresh sweet potato leaves (washed, thick stems removed, very finely shredded); 400 g beef chuck (cut into 3 cm cubes); 200 g smoked fish (such as bonny fish or smoked mackerel, deboned and flaked); 150 g smoked turkey or pork tail (cut into bite-sized pieces); 150 ml unrefined red palm oil; 2 piece medium red onions (finely chopped); 3 piece scotch bonnet peppers (pounded into a coarse paste); 2 piece African garden eggs / bitter balls (stemmed and quartered); 10 g bouillon cubes (2 cubes); 500 ml water or beef stock; fine sea salt, to taste

Silky sweet potato leaves braised in fragrant unrefined red palm oil with tender beef, smoked fish, and fiery habanero peppers.

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The story

Prepared daily in family kitchens across all fifteen counties of Liberia from Grand Cape Mount to Nimba, potato greens soup is the undisputed bedrock of weekday family dining. Served over towering portions of parboiled country rice, it represents warmth, hospitality, and resourcefulness. The distinct culinary appeal lies in the tender mucilage of the sweet potato leaves, which emulsifies effortlessly with raw red palm oil and flaked smoked fish to form a glossy, rich sauce rather than a watery broth.

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