Okra and Tomatoes Recipe: How to Make the Stewed Dish

Stewed okra and tomatoes is a dish of fresh okra or frozen okra, fresh or canned tomatoes, and seasonings. Cooking the two ingredients together softens the okra, which is mild in flavor, and the tomatoes, which bring acidity to the dish. The meal is popular in certain southern parts of the United States, such as in Louisiana and Mississippi, where fried okra, gumbo, and other chunky vegetable stews are traditional.

There is more than one way to prepare okra and tomatoes. Here are three methods for making the stewed dish:

1. 1. Bake the dish in the oven. Preheat an oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Dice the tomatoes and slice the okra. Then add them to a baking dish with water or chicken broth and any other ingredients in the recipe. Cook the mixture in the oven for about forty minutes or until the tomatoes and okra break down somewhat but remain chunky.
2. 2. Simmer the dish on the stovetop. In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil, then add the okra and tomatoes. Add the water or broth and seasonings of choice, then cook the ingredients on low heat until the mixture is soft but not mushy. Cook the stew less if you want the okra to retain its crispy texture.
3. 3. Stew the dish in a slow cooker. Use canned diced tomatoes or fresh diced tomatoes, and slice the okra or cut it in half, depending on the size of the okra. Place the tomatoes and okra in the slow cooker with water or chicken broth, chopped onion, chopped red or green bell peppers, and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper. Cook the tomato and okra mixture on the low setting until they are soft and the texture is saucy but not watery.

Add stewed okra and tomatoes to your weekly meal plan and pair the dish with a protein or other carbohydrates. Here are a few serving ideas for stewed okra and tomatoes:

• Pair the dish with sausage. A hot sausage—such as Italian sausage, andouille sausage, or kielbasa sausage—complements the sweetness of tomatoes and okra well. Andouille sausage is even a common ingredient in gumbo, a dish similar to stewed okra and tomatoes. Use a combination of sausage and stewed okra and tomatoes for sandwiches, pastas, or composed dishes.
• Serve the dish with cornbread. Enjoy cornbread alongside a serving of stewed okra and tomatoes. Alternatively, place a piece of cornbread on a plate with a couple of fried eggs and stewed okra and tomatoes. The cornbread will soak up excess juice from the stewed okra and tomatoes.
• Spoon the dish over pork chops. You can use stewed okra and tomatoes like you would a sauce for pork. Sear the pork chops in a nonstick skillet, then spoon the okra and tomatoes over the pork chops or serve it on the side.