What to Do with Okra

For those of us in warmer, wetter climates like the Deep South or the Caribbean, okra is a vegetable that we’ve grown up with in some form or fashion. We may know it from gumbo. We may know it fried as a side on plates of soul food classics. We—and this happens plenty—despise it as a weird, slimy little vegetable that has haunted us for years.

For others, though, okra is more of a mystery. While varieties are making their way north these days, it’s still recognized as a Southern specialty. Being a type of hibiscus (yes, the ones with gorgeous flowers), it needs warm weather and evenings to germinate, and it takes a while to grow to maturity, which can be anywhere from five to eight feet.

So, for those who are newer to okra, hoping to try it out or discover new ways to enjoy it, it’s time to dig deeper into the possibilities. Whether you’ve grown it, found some at the farmers’ market, or bought a bag of frozen stuff, here’s some of what you can do with okra.

Fried Okra

Perhaps the most popular delivery method for okra, even for kids, fried okra is a Southern mainstay. It comes in many forms, but more or less, the okra is breaded with cornmeal and either deep-fried or shallow-fried. The process nullifies the “slimy” aspect that sometimes gives okra a bad name. Plus, fried anything tends to be a flavor favorite.

Pickled Okra

Pickling is another great way to enjoy okra. The vinegar is often often paired with spicy flavors like cayenne, garlic, and mustard seed. Again, the pickling process eliminates the mucilage that many find unappetizing. Quick, “refrigerator” pickled okra is easy to make, only takes a couple of days to be ready, and will last several weeks.

Gumbo

One of the most famous Cajun dishes is gumbo, and many Louisiana natives swear that okra is the glue—somewhat literally—that binds it all together. Okra is great for thickening soups, and that’s what it does in this brothy creole dish. For plant-based versions, cooks can use chicken of the woods mushrooms, vegan sausages, or stick with a simple corn and okra version.

Okra, Tomatoes, and Corn

Another basic okra recipe takes advantage of what’s being harvested. Tomatoes and sweet corn are often readily available just about the time the okra output is hitting full stride. An easy option here is to pan sauté small pinwheel pieces of okra for a couple of minutes, adding in a bit of sweet corn along the way and then a bit of tomato at the end.

Succotash

While succotash doesn’t necessarily have to have okra in it, it’s all the better for doing so. This is another popular Southern side dish. At its heart, it’s composed of lima beans and sweet corn, but the notion behind it is to add a load of what’s coming out of the garden. It often has peppers, onions, garlic, summer squash, tomatoes, and—yes!—okra.

Curried Okra Fries

Generally, okra is cut across the pod which makes little pin-wheel pieces, but it can be cut lengthwise to make shoestring fries. In this version of fried okra, there is no cornmeal batter; it’s just the vegetable. The okra is fried and then seasoned as soon as it comes out of the oil. Healthier versions can be made with an air fryer.

In reality, this is just one way to add an Indian flash to okra. It features in lots of Indian dishes.

Raw Okra

Though it isn’t a common method for eating it, okra is edible when raw. When raw, okra is much less slimy than when boiled or cooked over low temperatures. However, there is a bit of mucilage, so it’s best to cut it into very thin pieces. Then, it works nicely as a crunch addition to salads.

Roasted Okra

Okra does wonderfully in the oven, too. Roasting okra at high, as with frying it, takes away the sliminess and leaves behind crunchy goodness. Adding a nice seasoning mix beforehand will kick up the flavor a few notches.

Grilled Okra

For those making the most of the warm weather with barbecue, okra is a great vegetable to add to the grilling repertoire. Leave them whole, skewer them, and put them over the flames until they start to brown. They can work as a surprising side dish to impress guests.

Frozen Okra

One of the best things about okra is that it is one of the few vegetables that retains its goodness, possibly even improves, with freezing. This is perfect for those growing okra in the garden. There is no need to fret about preserving it. Keep a bag of fresh (frozen) okra in the freezer, chop it up right after harvesting it, and add it to the bag.

Then, it can be used for delicious dishes for months to come.

Related Content:

• How to Cook Okra So It’s Not Slimy and All Flavor
• 10 Ways to Cook Okra
• 10 Vegetables That You Can Grow All Year Long!
• 10 Edible Groundcovers to Grow Outside the Garden
• What Greens to Grow When It Gets Hot

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