A Classic and Southern Fried Okra Recipe — the flavor is amazing, and the fresh okra comes out with a beautiful golden brown color with a perfectly crunchy texture! This is one of the best okra recipes around!!!
My Fried Okra Recipe Origins
This Southern fried okra recipe is dedicated to my daddy. I realize that a lot of the things I wanted to learn how to cook and bake came from figuring out what foods made him excited. For instance, he loves key lime pie, fried catfish and fried okra, and I learned how to make those things early on growing up. I seriously think I fried my first fillet of fish around 11 or 12 years old and got pretty darn good at it too. Each Friday, my dad got off early from work and would pick me up from school right on time. We would then go home and have a fish fry. Those definitely brought him back to his Mississippi southern roots.
How to Fry Okra
Frying okra could not be easier. I love to start with fresh okra however you can absolutely use frozen okra that has been thawed out. The most important thing to remember is to keep the texture intact. Most people don’t enjoy okra because of a somewhat slimy texture.
I told you all about the essentials of fish fries when I shared my Hush Puppy recipe earlier this year, and I loved sharing the country fun of frying up Green Tomatoes this summer too, but a fried okra recipe is just as iconic when it comes to southern and soul food cooking. Nowadays if you want a quick fix, you can go to Cracker Barrel or any neighborhood southern restaurant and order some but I love the homemade ones best. These fried okra are perfectly spiced to your liking, crispy and best eaten right out of the fryer. Fry these babies up and see what all my daddy’s fuss is all about!
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- 12 ounces fresh okra cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon paprika optional- go up to 1/4 teaspoon if you like spicy foods
- Oil for frying
- Season okra with salt and pepper.
- Add eggs to a separate small bowl.
- Combine flour, cornmeal, seasoned bread crumbs and paprika into another small bowl and whisk together.
- Begin by dipping okra into cornmeal and flour coating.
- Next add okra to eggs coating on all sides.
- Lastly dip back into the coating and set aside okra on baking sheet.
- Repeat dredging process until all okra is ready.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
- Fry okra until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
- Serve warm.
Recipe Video
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I love your backstories to your recipes!
Fried okra was a regular dish for Sunday dinner during okra season when I was a girl in the 1960’s. My grandma would put cut okra into a large bowl, crack a few eggs over it, add salt and pepper, then sprinkle corn meal over it until it was nice and gooey. Then she’d fry it in her cast iron skillet. When I asked her how many eggs, how much corn meal, etc., she said she just added the ingredients until she got happy! I’ve been using her approach for years and my two sons love it. Now that I’m a grandma, that’s the first thing they want for dinner when they come home for Christmas. I think I’m going to sneak in some paprika this year and see if they notice! Thanks!
Oh fantastic! And thank you so so much for your beautiful story.
I choose fried okra over popcorn to eat while watching a movie at home…….I absolutely will try your version!
That’s a fantastic idea!
I loved reading the special memories about your daddy and you! Too sweet! This fried okra sounds awesome! I can totally see my hubby loving it. 🙂
Awww thanks so much Jocelyn. I am truly a daddy’s gal haha.
What a tasty treat! I don’t use okra nearly often enough!
Yep okra is pretty awesome Kevin!
This is the best looking fried okra I’ve ever seen! Fried okra is my absolute favorite food. It’s been too long since I’ve had it.
Gosh fried okra is pretty darn awesome! Thanks so much Emily!
Now you’re singing my tune, Jocelyn! Love my fried okra and yours looks absolutely perfect. I see your southern roots in this post! 🙂
Oh yeah Bill, my southern roots are all over this post!
Filleting a fish that early is so badass. Teach me one day!!
Girl haha! Clearly my family starts them young!
Okra just came up as a major discussion at my family reunion. We are TOTALLY northerners. We had fresh okra
and wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. There wasn’t an easy way to check. Darn—this looks wonderful.
I totally understand the northerner side for sure. Next time you have fresh okra, you can try this.
Oh, GIRL, this has got it all going on and then some! I love fried okra but have never braved making it at home. Maybe I can convince Warren to bust out the fry daddy to make a batch 🙂
Girl I love a good ole fry daddy.
Yay for okra season! I’ve only had fried okra once and ever since then I’ve been wanting to make my own. Now I know how :). Thanks for sharing, dear!
That’s awesome! Go for it girl.
I love your stories about cooking for your family, Jocelyn — that’s so sweet you learned to make your daddy’s favorites so young! Can you believe I love okra but have never had it fried? I could eat this entire bowl it looks so good!
Aww thanks so much Marcie! Yep fried okra is definitely a must try!
I don’t think I would be able to stop eating these, they look amazing!!
Oh gosh Matt it was seriously so hard to stop eating them!!
This looks so good! I really like fried okra but have never made it myself. I also love that this is dedicated to your dad!
Thanks so much Bianca! I love trying to recreate things I eat out at home. It is kinda fun to see how close I can get the renditions.
Would you believe I just had fried okra for the first time a few weeks ago?!!?! It’s amazing…obvi. Totally trying your version asap 🙂
Aww thanks Kelli! Girl I am so glad you finally found it and came over to the dark side lol.
We eat a lot of okra in African dishes but never fried!! I need to try your daddy’s favorite way 🙂
Girl yes, I know okra is an African cooking staple. The fried version is definitely more a soul food mainstay.
Okra is very popular in Greece where I lived for aaages, Jocelyn, but I’ve never seen it made as nicely as this! Sounds absolutely delicious!
Oh gosh Helen, I had no idea that okra was so popular in Greece! You seriously learn something new everyday!
I need a big bowl of this just for myself. I am not even kidding I am making them today! Love it!
Hooray! Girl it sounds like you are a big fan of okra my dear!
I’m so glad it’s okra season! I love the stuff! Especially love it fried (I mean, who doesn’t?), but I also love it stewed in tomatoes. Mmm!
Same here girl! Okra season reigns!
Jocelyn,
love me some fried okra! I love that the first foods you learned to cook were the ones your father loved. You are totally daddy’s little girl and I love this! Those Fridays with your dad sound so sweet!! I hope my girls have sweet memories like this one with Paul. . 🙂 love this!
Girl I am totally a daddy’s girl! Hahaha!
This recipe is right up my alley with good ole fried okra.Here being just me I can fry some up and dig in.Now having it with some summer squash and onions and even along maybe even some corn on the cob.All this talk is making me hungry! Being southern let’s add a big glass of ice tea.I do love your recipes.Thank you for your shares.