If you have never tried okra before, you are missing out.  Also known as ladies’ fingers, okra is a hot weather vegetable that is very commonly used in US Southern-style cooking and Indian and Greek recipes.  Okra is a really beautiful vegetable and is very good for you.  It contains vitamins A, C, K, B6, magnesium, and antioxidants.

It is super easy to grow, and now is the time to get your seeds in the ground or your seedlings from the nursery.  The okra plant grows to about six feet tall and has gorgeous flowers, which is not surprising seeing as it is a cousin of the hibiscus.  Be sure to harvest your okra young as older pods get too fibrous.

With all that said, you might have already tried okra and have been put off by its notorious sliminess. This sliminess can be mitigated by using different cooking techniques.  However, if you have been deterred, let’s hope that some of these OGP recipes featuring okra can help to win you back.

1. Crispy Okra

Source: Crispy Okra/One Green Planet

Living Ayurveda celebrates the aforementioned sliminess in okra as it aids in the lubrication of joints and helps in the body’s digestion and elimination process.  In this Crispy Okra recipe, each okra finger is sliced open and filled with a blend of spices before being pan-fried.  The okra comes out crispy on the outside and tender in the middle.  This is the perfect finger food or side dish.

2. Cinnamon Okra

Source: Cinnamon Okra/One Green Planet

This simple little recipe for Cinnamon Okra by Sarah and Peter Hagstrom will work well as a burger or sandwich topping, or with a number of your favorite Indian recipes.  This recipe only has four ingredients, so this okra, with its Caribbean-inspired flavors, is easy to whip up.

3. Sautéed Okra in Tomato Coconut Sauce

Source: Sautéed Okra in Tomato Coconut Sauce/One Green Planet

Trudy Geneus advises you not to overcook the okra if you don’t want the sliminess to come through in her recipe for Sautéed Okra in Tomato Coconut Sauce.  This dish works beautifully when served with some steamed root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, or beets.  This dish is colorful, delicious, and gives you an extra dose of vitamin C at the same time!

4. Tomato Okra Stew

Source:  Tomato Okra Stew/One Green Planet

Adri Neocleous‘ recipe for Tomato Okra Stew is a wonderful Greek-style dish.  Get yourself a big serving in a bowl, or eat it with a helping of bulgur wheat or potatoes.  Don’t forget to add a big dollop of vegan Greek-style yogurt and a generous slice of crusty bread.

5. Crispy Okra

Source: Crispy Okra/One Green Planet

It might have the same name as the previous recipe, but this is a very different take. In Lena Novak‘s Crispy Okra recipe, the okra becomes the perfect little finger food for gatherings or games.  The okra is breaded and baked until golden.  Then, you can make up a batch of homemade cashew-based aioli to use as a deliciously creamy dipping sauce.

6. Briam: Greek Oven-Baked Roasted, Herbed Vegetables

Source: Briam: Green Oven-Baked Roasted, Herbed Vegetables/One Green Planet

Here we have another Greek-inspired dish featuring okra.  Raymund Macaalay‘s recipe for Briam: Green Oven-Baked Roasted, Herbed Vegetables calls for all the lovely Mediterranian veggies, such as tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and, of course, okra to be roasted together in a dish that is reminiscent of France’s famous ratatouille.

7. Curried Okra

Source: Curried Okra/One Green Planet

Another sweet and simple dish that is inspired by Indian spice blends. Garam Masala, cumin, turmeric, and coriander give Nikki and Zuzana‘s Curried Okra an amazing aroma and flavor.  Try this recipe if you are looking for a quick and easy oil- and gluten-free meal with an Indian twist.

8. Creole Okra Corn Soup

Source:  Creole Okra Corn Soup/One Green Planet

Creole cooking comes from Louisiana and is real Southern-style comfort food.  This Creole Okra Corn Soup by Kathy Hester can be made over the stovetop or cooked in a slow cooker while you are off doing something else.  This soup is packed with smokey flavors and fresh herbs.

9. Meaty Gumbo

Source: Meaty Gumbo/One Green Planet

Here we are again in Louisiana.  Gumbo is a true favorite in this neck of the bayou.  Gumbo is like a thick ‘meat’ and rice-based soup.  Here the okra acts as a thickening agent, as well as being an integral part of the flavor and tradition. You needn’t feel left out, and neither should your non-vegan friends and family, with this recipe for Meaty Gumbo by Betsy DiJulio.

10. Southern Okra, Pecan, and Cherry Tomato Stir-Fry

Source: Southern Okra, Pecan, and Cherry Tomato Stir-Fry/One Green Planet

Another Southern-inspired dish that is vibrant, light, and packed with flavor.  Sweet and simple, there is no sliminess here in the recipe for Southern Okra, Pecan, and Cherry Tomato Stir-Fry by Annie Oliverio.

If you are an okra lover already, let’s hope that some of these recipes will inspire you to create some new meals to enjoy.  If you have been repelled in the past, these amazing recipes will surely put okra right up there on your favorites list.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

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