Fried Okra

True Southerners know that Fried Okra is just as much of a Southern staple as collards and cornbread. And let me tell you, my fried okra recipe is the one you’ve been waiting for! Fresh okra is breaded in a well seasoned coating of breadcrumbs and corn meal then fried until crisp and golden brown creating the perfect crunchy texture! This okra ain’t playing y’all! It’s legit the best recipe you will find.

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This fried okra recipe is dedicated to my daddy.  My daddy loved frying up okra and ordering it whenever he saw it on a menu. I grew up eating quick pickled okra, okra with stewed tomatoes, and crispy fried okra like this. He is an okra addict! This recipe gives him everything he loves about his beloved food and more!

What is Fried Okra?

Fried okra is a very popular dish in the South. Basically whole pods of okra are coated in cornmeal or flour then fried until crispy. The texture of the okra, which starts out lengthier, green and stable with edible seeds inside, softens until tender while the outside becomes beyond crunchy. The okra has an earthy flavor. It can be served as a side dish or even an appetizer.

The Lowdown on this Fried Okra Recipe

• Cuisine Inspiration: Southern y’all
• Primary Cooking Method: Frying
• Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free with some tweaks
• Key Flavor: Savory & Crispy
• Skill Level: Pretty Easy

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make My Breaded Fried Okra

• Fresh okra: Cut into small pieces, okra brings a unique texture that crisps up perfectly when fried. Go for fresh okra pods that are smaller in size if you but if you can’t find it, frozen okra is perfectly fine. Just make sure its dried super well before starting your recipe.
• Flavor fiesta: Salt and pepper it up y’all – gotta have that classic combo!
• Egg wash: Two large eggs will give your okra something to stick to.
• Okra Breading: The mix of flour, yellow cornmeal and pre-seasoned breadcrumbs (for convenience) provides different textures from gritty to crunchy that creates a batter that adheres well.
• Spice it up: Paprika adds a touch of smokiness. To kick up the spice, cayenne is great.
• Frying oil: You’ll need enough oil to fill your pan for frying.

How to Make Fried Okra

Step 1: Season and Begin Breading

1. Cut up the okra into smaller sizes. Start by seasoning up your okra with salt and pepper.
2. Add eggs to a small bowl and beat them a bit.
3. Then add flour, cornmeal, bread crumbs, paprika and cayenne, if you are using, to another smaller bowl and whisk together until combined.
4. Now let’s get dredging! Dip okra in the dry ingredients making sure to coat well then into the eggs then finally back into the okra breading.

PRO TIP: When cutting your okra, make sure you don’t cut the pieces too small. That will make the texture and taste more slimy in the end.

Step 2: Rest and Fry Up!

1. Once finished dredging all of your okra, let it set for about 15-20 minutes. This will help that coating stick.
2. Add your oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the okra until golden brown on both sides and drain on paper towels. This is best served up warm.

How to Serve this Recipe for Fried Okra

• Dips: While these are amazing on their own, make a few dips to really up that flavor! Serve along with remoulade for a kick or a creamy tartar.
• Other Fried Veggies: Drop these on the Sunday supper table alongside some fried zucchini, fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, onion rings, and buffalo fried cauliflower.
• Go Super Southern: Nothing says Southern eatin like fried okra. Go all out and serve up some collard greens, fried corn, hush puppies , fried catfish, fried shrimp and fried chicken.

Recipe Substitutions

• No Eggs?: Replace with buttermilk. It will make sure your breading sticks and will add a bit of Southern tang.
• Breading: You can easily leave out the flour and go for more cornmeal or vice versa. If you decide to replace the bread crumbs with more cornmeal or flour, remember that they are seasoned so you will be getting rid of some flavor. You might need to season up the breading mix a bit to compensate.
• Spices: Switch out the paprika and cayenne for some cajun seasoning instead or a bit of chili pepper.

Recipe Variations and Additions

• Garlic: Garlic makes everything taste better in my opinion. A lil’ garlic powder ain’t never hurt a thing! It can add a bit of a savory nuance to this.
• Cheese: Throwing some parmesan in the breading adds more salty flavor and cheesy goodness.
• Fry them pickled: Want to have your tastebuds go crazy? Try frying up this pickled okra the same way boos.
• Crunch Variation: Swap out some of the breading ingredients for crushed up corn flakes. Y’all the crunch is unreal.

Expert Tips and Tricks on How to Fry Okra

1. Oil: Every oil ain’t made for frying. I like to use vegetable, canola or even peanut for frying up stuff because it has a high smoke point and won’t burn. It also tastes neutral so it doesn’t distract from the breaded okra flavor.
2. Frying Temperature: Make sure your oil is at around 350 F before you start frying. If not, the okra will just get soggy because the oil isn’t hot enough to crisp it up.
3. Overcrowding: Don’t let all the okra party in the pan boos. Basically don’t put too many in the pan at once. Make sure you take your time and fry it all up in batches so it fries up crisp and doesn’t steam instead.
4. Want more crunch?: If I want even more crunch factor, I love a good ole’ double dredge. That means you just repeat the dredging process of adding into the eggs and back into the flour again.

How to Store Fried Okra Recipes

• Refrigerate: Make sure you cool down your breaded okra to room temperature before you store it up. Add in a single layer to an airtight container lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. It will last about 3 days.
• Freeze: The best way to freeze these up is to flash freeze them. Spread the leftovers on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour until solid them drop the individual pieces in a freezer safe bag or container removing as much air as possible. They won’t stick this way, and they should keep for about 6 months.
• Reheat: If you have an air fryer, that’s the way to go boos! It will crisp these babies back up perfectly. Heat at 350 until crispy and hot (about 4-5 minutes. You can also do this with an oven but crank the heat up to about 375 or 400 and bake for 10-15 turning halfway. I don’t recommend using a microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Okra Recipes to Try

• Okra and Tomatoes
• Succotash
• Seafood Gumbo
• Black Eyed Peas
• Vegetarian Hoppin John