A velvety green soup of dasheen leaves and coconut milk, enriched with crab or salt fish — a Caribbean classic.
Callaloo soup in Grenada is thick, silky, and deeply nourishing — very different from the Trinidadian style. Dasheen (taro) leaves are the star, simmered down with coconut milk, crab or salt fish, and spices until everything blends into a gorgeous deep-green soup. It is a Sunday staple across the island and a dish that varies by household, each family keeping their own spice balance and protein preferences.
Serves 4
Sauté onion and garlic in oil until translucent. Add thyme.
Add callaloo leaves and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes.
Pour in coconut milk and 2 cups water. Simmer 20 minutes until leaves are very tender.
Use an immersion blender to blend partially (or fully for a smooth soup). Add crab or salt fish and simmer 5 more minutes. Season to taste.
Spinach or kale can substitute for dasheen leaves outside the Caribbean.
Do not over-blend — a little texture is traditional in Grenada.
A squeeze of lime brightens the finished soup.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Make fully vegetarian with coconut oil and smoked paprika.
Add okra for extra body.
Use bone-in crab for deeper flavour.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Soup thickens when cold — thin with water or coconut milk when reheating.
Callaloo soup has roots in West African leaf stew traditions carried to the Caribbean and adapted with local dasheen leaves and coconut milk. Each island has its own version, and the Grenadian style is especially prized for its rich coconut base.
In the Eastern Caribbean, callaloo usually refers to dasheen/taro leaves. In Trinidad it can also mean amaranth leaves.
Yes — it tastes better the next day once the flavours have melded.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Per serving (300g / 10.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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