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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A close up of fried okra on a spoon before serving

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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

Cornmeal, spices, flour eggs, breadcrumbs and chopped okra before preparing
  • 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.

A collage of seasoning okra with salt and pepper, dredging in dry ingredients and dipping in eggs before frying.

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.
a collage of okra after being breaded then added to a pan to fry

How to Serve this Recipe for Fried Okra

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.
A white bowl filled with fried okra

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.
A fork piercing through Southern fried okra recipe before enjoy

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best okra for frying?

If you are grabbing fresh okra, make sure you pick firm okra that isn’t too large. The smaller pods are more tender and taste better texture wise after cooking.

Can you use frozen okra to make fried okra?

Yep you can boo! Just make sure it is thawed. Then use paper towels to completely dry the pods so the breading adheres to it well. You want to make sure it isn’t too watery and that it maintains its great texture.

Why is my okra slimy?

There could be a few reasons why your okra is giving off a slimy texture. Don’t chop them too small or it can definitely increase the slime factor. When picking them, make sure they are mostly green and avoid any with black specks.

Can you make fried okra ahead?

You can definitely bread the okra ahead of time and store in the fridge before frying.  This can cut down your prep time.

Other Okra Recipes to Try

Southern Pan Fried Okra Recipe | Grandbaby Cakes

Crispy Fried Okra

This Classic Southern Fried Okra Recipe features fresh okra breaded in a cornmeal and breadcrumb mixture (the secret to extra crispy fried okra!)
4.60 from 27 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh okra cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne go up if you enjoy the spice
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Season okra with salt and pepper.
  • Add eggs to a separate small bowl and beat.
  • Combine flour, cornmeal, seasoned bread crumbs, paprika and cayenne into another small bowl and whisk together.
  • Begin by dipping okra into dry coating mixture.
  • 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. Let them all set for about 15-20 minutes until they are completely set up so the batter stays on.
  • Heat oil going up about an 1 inch in a frying pan over medium high heat. You should be looking for a temperature of around 350 F.
  • Fry okra until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
  • Serve warm.

Video

Notes

How to Store Fried Okra
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 13.3mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg
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Filed Under:  Side Dishes, Stovetop, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Comments

  1. I’m definitely going to try this recipe. Here in Greece we cook small sized okra in a tomato sauce with garlic, onions and vinegar!. The vinegar is used to make the okra less slimy. It is a dish similar to other Mediterranean countries.

  2. I have been wanting to try okra for a while and didn’t know what to do with it. I am definitely giving this a try.

  3. One of the best okra recipes I’ve tried! The texture of the okra and the crispy coating was just perfect! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

4.60 from 27 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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