Palm Butter Soup

Name: Palm Butter Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Liberia
Ingredients: 2 cups palm nut cream (canned or fresh-extracted); 1 lb beef or goat meat, cut into pieces; 1/2 lb smoked fish, flaked; 1 onion, chopped; 2 tbsp ground crayfish; 1 habanero pepper, whole; 3 cups water or beef stock; Cooked rice, for serving

6 servings20 min prep55 min cookMedium Liberia

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Palm Butter Soup

Story updated September 17, 2026

Palm butter soup gets its name and body from the pulp of the oil palm fruit, pounded and boiled down into a rich, orange-red base, a technique found throughout West and Central Africa's palm belt long before European contact. In Liberia it's considered a national dish, traditionally simmered with meat, fish, and hot pepper over rice.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

2 cups palm nut cream (canned or fresh-extracted)
1 lb beef or goat meat, cut into pieces
1/2 lb smoked fish, flaked
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp ground crayfish
1 habanero pepper, whole
3 cups water or beef stock
Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

1Simmer the meat with onion in water or stock until tender, about 30 minutes.
2Stir in the palm nut cream and crayfish, and add the whole habanero.
3Simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the oil separates slightly.
4Add smoked fish and simmer 5-10 more minutes.
5Season with salt and remove the whole habanero before serving.
6Serve hot over rice.

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