Fried Okra Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Fried Okra at Home

Okra are the immature, star-shaped seed pods of the okra plant (Hibiscus esculentus), commonly consumed as a vegetable. This hardy, adaptable vegetable has a slimy texture due to mucilage, a gelatinous substance that helps the seedpod retain water. You can find okra at grocery stores and farmers’ markets. Lauded for its potential health benefits, okra is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin K, and folic acid.

Native to either Eastern Africa or Southwest Asia, okra arrived in the southern United States with the slave trade. The name “okra” may come from the Igbo ókùrù; while the Bantu word for “okra,” “ki ngombo,” or “gombo” for short, is the origin of the Creole word “gumbo,” a thick, flavorful stew.

Fried okra is a regional dish found throughout the southern United States consisting of fresh whole or sliced okra coated in buttermilk, tossed in a mixture of seasoned flour and cornmeal, and deep-fried in oil until crisp.

Use fresh okra to make this fried dish, as frozen okra will be too wet to crisp up properly. Here are some other tips to consider when making fried okra:

1. 1. Coat in cornmeal: Like fried green tomatoes, traditional fried okra features a crackly outer crust made from a mixture of all-purpose flour and cornmeal. Opt for finer ground cornmeal, like the type you’d use for cornbread, instead of a similar product like polenta. Learn about the differences between polenta and cornmeal.
2. 2. Add spices: Add Cajun-style seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, or cayenne pepper to the dry cornmeal mixture for added heat and dimension.
3. 3. Use an air fryer: Pop the okra into an air fryer to achieve a crispy deep-fried texture with far less oil. Fry the veggies for ten to fifteen minutes at 385 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping the pieces at the halfway point.

Serve fried okra as an appetizer or side dish:

1. 1. With barbecue: Fried okra is a staple at some barbecue restaurants, served alongside other fried favorites like hush puppies, tater tots, and battered green tomatoes.
2. 2. With dipping sauce: Pair fried okra with various sauces like barbecue sauce, tartar sauce, or garlic aioli.
3. 3. As part of a Southern spread: Serve fried okra with other classically Southern dishes, like sautéed collard greens and red beans and rice.