Cow Foot Soup (Cow Heel Soup)

This cow foot soup (cow heel soup) is comfort food in a bowl. It is hearty and flavorful, rich in collagen and nutrients, and can be enjoyed in any season!

Why You’ll Love It

Cow feet may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but don’t be so quick to shoot it down till you try it first. Cow foot soup is very nutritious, filling, and has bold, spicy flavors. It has a gel-like texture, which is not uncommon to gelatinous soups.  

I grew up eating cow feet in many of our African stews and soups, so the taste of cow feet is comforting and reminds me of home.

Ingredients used in making Cow Foot Soup

• Cow feet: You can get yours from a meat market or butcher, but I frequently buy them from the meat section in Asian or Mexican stores here in Texas. It might be helpful to ask the butcher to cut the cow feet into smaller sizes because if you take it home and it is too large for your pot, it is next to impossible to cut it yourself.
• Vegetables: Onions, habanero pepper, red bell pepper, and scallions.
• Spices: Bouillon powder, ground crayfish, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, and salt. Ground crayfish is a popular African spice that can be left out if you do not have it, or you can substitute coconut aminos.
• Olive oil: I use this to sauté the onions, but you can use any cooking oil.
• Arrowroot powder: I use this as my thickener of choice. Traditional cow foot soup is cooked with split peas, yam, or plantain, but I use arrowroot powder to keep the carbs low.

How to Make Cow Foot Soup

I make my cow foot soup in the Instant pot but you can use the stovetop or a slow cooker/crockpot. It will take a few more hours but it can be done.

The instant pot cuts down my cooking time from 3-6 hours to about 70 minutes!

1. Chop the onions, then turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil to the Instant Pot and add the chopped onions.
2. Sauté for about a minute, then add about a half cup of water. Add the spices and cow feet and stir till the cow feet are well coated.
3. After about 2-3 minutes, pour in roughly 3-4 cups of water. This amount will vary depending on the size of your pot, but you just need enough water to cover the cow feet, so pour about one cup at a time.
4. Place the instant pot lid back on and switch to manual mode. Set to 30 minutes on high pressure. Remember, it will take 10 minutes to get under pressure.
5. While waiting, chop the red bell peppers and scallions. When the Instant Pot timer goes off, let it naturally release for about 10 minutes before quickly releasing the pressure.
6. Turn the instant pot back to sauté mode. Add the chopped red bell pepper and whole habanero pepper and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
7. To thicken, combine two teaspoons of arrowroot powder and one tablespoon of water in a small bowl to make a slurry and whisk together. Pour the slurry into the cow foot soup and let it cook until it thickens.
8. Garnish with scallions and serve!

Storing and Reheating

Cow heel soup can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for 2-3 months. To reheat frozen cow heel soup, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove on medium-high heat.

Other Ways of Making Cow Foot Soup

Stovetop: Follow the directions above, but let the cow feet cook on the stovetop for 2-3 hours, depending on how soft you want them. You’ll have to watch closely and stir from time to time so the soup does not begin to spill. You might also need to replenish the water as they dry out.

Slow cooker/crockpot: Follow the directions above, but let the cow feet cook in the crockpot for about 6 hours.

Recipe Tips

• If you like your cow feet really tough, quickly release the pressure immediately when you’re done. If you like them really soft, where they just fall off the bone, let the pressure naturally release all the way. This will make the cow feet’ meat much more tender.
• I add a whole habanero pepper, which adds enough heat and flavor to the dish without being overpowering. You can leave out the whole habanero pepper if you want it less spicy. Or chop it up to increase the heat!

Frequently Asked Questions

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📖 Recipe

Cow Foot Soup (Cow Heel Soup)

This cow foot soup (cow heel soup) is comfort food in a bowl. It is hearty and flavorful, rich in collagen and nutrients, and can be enjoyed in any season!

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