When it comes to Southern cuisine, okra is a staple. However, this superfood often receives criticism for its “mucilaginous” pods, giving it a slimy consistency when it’s cooked. There are ways to combat this texture, though, like cooking okra at high temperatures or cutting pieces into chunks rather than slices. We’ve rounded up three non-slimy okra recipes that could turn even the biggest okra skeptic into a fan.
Air Fryer Fried Okra
As air fryers continue to take the cooking world by storm, we turn to Laurie Fleming of the Fork To Spoon food blog for a delicious, low-maintenance air-fried okra recipe. Laurie’s recipe doesn’t outwardly include seasonings, but she suggests adding cayenne pepper, paprika, or garlic powder to the flour mixture to add some Southern flavor. If you prefer your okra on the crispier side, she also recommends spraying the okra pieces with cooking spray before air-frying them. However you choose to make this recipe your own, it’s sure to be delicious.
Air Fryer Fried Okra
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound okra fresh
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or cornmeal
- 1 egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Cut the okra into ½-inch pieces.
- In a small bowl, add your flour. In another bowl, add your eggs, and whisk with a fork.
- In another bowl, add your breadcrumbs.
- Then to bread, toss your diced okra into the flour, then into the egg wash, and then into the breadcrumbs.
- Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray. As you bread your okra, place it into the basket. Set the air fryer temperature to 375 degrees F, and air fry for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket frequently during the cooking process.
- Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Pickled Okra
Pickling is another option when it comes to making okra. This recipe comes from Sara and Pam Brand, the mother-daughter duo behind Biscuits and Burlap. This method is simple and leaves you with okra that’s perfect for elevating a sandwich, salad, charcuterie spread, or even a Bloody Mary. Sara and Pam are known for their spicy recipes, and this pickled okra is no exception. However, if you’re not a fan of spice, you can add fewer red pepper flakes — or leave them out altogether.
Pickled Okra
Equipment
- Pint jars
Ingredients
- ¾-1 pound whole okra washed
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 4-6 sprigs fresh dill
- 1¾ cups white vinegar
- ¾ cup water
- 4 tsp salt uniodized
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1-2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 1-1½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Place 2 garlic cloves and 1 bay leaf in each of 2 pint-sized glass jars.
- Place okra pods in jars alternating stem end up and down. Add dill sprigs.
- Bring water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in peppercorns and red pepper flakes, making sure salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Pour vinegar solution over okra and fill to about ½-inch from top of jar.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before sealing tightly.
- Refrigerate a minimum of 5 days before eating and a maximum of 2 months.
Nutrition
Oven-Roasted Okra
This recipe for oven-roasted okra comes from Jennifer of A Sweet Alternative. Not only is her recipe dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo-friendly and vegan, but it can be cooked in just 30 minutes. While the recipe calls for sesame seeds, Jennifer says you can leave them out or substitute them for half a teaspoon of dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, or oregano. She also notes that when baking your okra, it’s important to flip the pieces over halfway through the cooking process to ensure they are baked evenly.
Oven-Roasted Okra
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh okra chopped, width-wise
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Rinse and dry the okra.
- Trim the stem side off the okra, then cut the okra in half, width-wise.
- Place on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
- Add the olive oil, sesame seeds, garlic, salt, and pepper on top of the okra and toss with your hands to ensure the okra is thoroughly coated.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F, pausing after 15 minutes to shake the tray a bit so the okra rolls around on the tray.
Nutrition
Cheers to okra season!
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