Okra Recipes

April 09, 2013
Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Okra polarizes. Some love it, serving it up in all forms: pickled, roasted, stewed, grilled, and fried. And others, well, not so much. When handled by an expert, okra can be crunchy, crisp, and far from slimy. The key is to highlight in recipes that you can trust are going to work. We put together our favorite okra recipes, tried and tested by our editors and test kitchen professionals again and again to ensure it won't fail you. Pick one, and make an okra fan out of the pickiest eaters.
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Charred Shrimp and Okra Bowl

Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Charred Shrimp and Okra Bowl

We love a great gumbo, but the dish can feel a little too hearty for warm summer days. This dish keeps the classic elements of gumbo but with a fresh identity. Traditional? No. Completely delicious? Yes!

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Heirloom Tomatoes with Charred Okra, Vidalias, and Malt Mayo

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Heirloom Tomatoes with Charred Okra, Vidalias, and Malt Mayo

"Okra doesn't have to be fried. Charring the pods is really fun—it shuts down the sliminess and gets beautifully crisp. Tomatoes just need a little salt, pure and simple," Christensen says.

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Creole Shrimp and Okra

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Creole Shrimp and Okra

Think of this main as shrimp and grits with a distinctly Cajun attitude. Halved okra not only looks gorgeous, but it'll also give off less "slime" than chopped okra. Let the vegetables caramelize a bit in the pan for a richer base. Just need sauce for this meal? Simmer 1 pound pureed fresh tomatoes for 15 minutes. Add to pan in step 2.

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Charred Okra with Tomatoes

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Charred Okra with Tomatoes

Even folks who aren't okra fans will be swayed by this dish. The key is in the high-heat sear, which cooks off much of the mucilage that makes okra unappealingly slippery for some. A screaming-hot pan (use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet if you can) puts a delectable char on the pods, lending smoky flavor and crisp texture. With sweet-tart tomato, fragrant garlic and onion, and just enough butter to amp up flavor and lend a touch of richness, this dish becomes a crowd-pleaser that may just make an okra lover out of you.

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Grilled Shrimp and Summer Vegetables with Buttermilk Dressing

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez
View Recipe: Grilled Shrimp and Summer Vegetables with Buttermilk Dressing

The grill is the healthy cook’s tool of choice for low-fat, high-flavor food. With this super simple recipe, you get a full meal from the grill—shrimp, okra, corn, and tomatoes—in half an hour.

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Charred Okra with Tomatillos

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Charred Okra with Tomatillos

Fresh green tomatillos offer a tangy variation on our classic Charred Okra with Tomatoes. The high-heat sear is vital for cooking out the mucilage that makes okra unappealing and slippery for some. It also adds a delicious smoky char that heightens the flavor of the humble okra pod.

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West African Beef, Plantain, and Okra Stew

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: West African Beef, Plantain, and Okra Stew

While not nearly as sweet as bananas, plantains do have a sweet flavor. In this African-inspired stew, we keep that sweetness at bay by using firm plantains with green skins rather than ripe brown-skinned ones—the sugars will have not yet developed, so the fruit will add starchy body to the soup without too much sweetness.

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Prosciutto-Wrapped Grilled Okra

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Grilled Okra

A sweet-tangy balsamic glaze makes this summertime appetizer irresistible. Using two skewers for the wrapped okra makes it easier to flip on the grill.

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Turkey and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Turkey and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

This gumbo is a great use for leftover roasted turkey, though cooked chicken will also work. We skip the long-stirred roux here in favor of filé powder, a thickener made from the sassafras plant; look for it on the spice aisle. For the best results, stir in the filé powder off the heat.

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Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo

Credit: Photo: Christopher Testani
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shrimp-chicken-gumbo

The enamel-coated cast iron of a Dutch oven maintains an even heat at any temperature, so foods won't suddenly scorch or boil over. Great for the low and slow simmer of this flavorful gumbo.

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Louisiana-Style Chicken Soup

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Louisiana-Style Chicken Soup

Our gumbo-style soup removes the roux step (saving as much as an hour) and instead uses aromatics sautéed with tomato paste for a toasty flavor foundation. Serve with a crusty baguette for mopping up every last delicious drop.

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Warm-Spiced Okra

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Warm-Spiced Okra

This okra gets its kick from curry powder and crushed red pepper. It's hard to believe something so yummy could only contain 41 calories per serving.

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Indian-Spiced Grilled Shrimp and Okra

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Indian-Spiced Grilled Shrimp and Okra

Here's a fun way to cook okra; it retains some crunch and doesn't even think of getting slimy. The fresh serrano chile and curry powder offer a good bit of heat; seed the chile or omit it for a milder dish.

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Hot and Hot Tomato Salad

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Hot and Hot Tomato Salad

This recipe is a lightened interpretation of a Southern summer staple. Use whatever varieties of colorful tomatoes you find at your local market. Cherokee purple tomatoes add unique flavor and color to the plate, if you can find them. Outside of the South, black-eyed peas are a fine sub for lady peas, and okra is a regional delicacy that's optional in this dish.

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Oven-Fried Shrimp and Okra Louisiana Po'boys

Credit: Photo: Line T. Klein
View Recipe: Oven-Fried Shrimp and Okra Louisiana Po'boys

We buttermilk-battered shrimp and baked it in a hot oven to golden crispiness, adding fresh okra to the mix for some extra Gulf state color. Creamy caper-spiked remoulade keeps things moist, and hot dog buns make this Cajun country treat right-sized.

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

To some, gumbo isn’t gumbo without okra. If you have a lot of fresh okra from your summer harvest and want to freeze some for steaming bowls of spicy gumbo during the winter, choose 3- to 4-inch pods to destem—without cutting into the seed pod—and quickly blanch, drain, and freeze whole. Slice into bite-sized pieces after defrosting slightly, and it’s ready to use in this recipe when you’re sporting sweaters.

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Spicy Pickled Okra

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Spicy Pickled Okra

It's easier than you think to pickle your own okra, and pickling is a great way to make use of an abundant garden harvest. Serve these spicy and crunchy pods as a side dish or part of a relish tray. They're also an unusual garnish for a martini.

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Stewed Okra with Tomatoes and Bacon

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Stewed Okra with Tomatoes and Bacon

This Creole favorite makes the most of fresh produce. Stewing okra with tomatoes produces a saucy side that highlights okra's unique flavor and texture. The dish is tasty as is or ladled over white rice.

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Oven-Fried Okra

View Recipe: Oven-Fried Okra

Fried okra is a southern treat. Use your oven to produce a crisp coating without frying.

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Chicken and Okra Stew

Credit: Photo: Kwaku Alston
View Recipe: Chicken and Okra Stew

This hearty dish is something like Brunswick stew, that old-fashioned Southern favorite—only the Haitian version is certainly fierier, thanks to the habanero. If you don't like it quite so spicy, use a seeded, minced jalapeño, which is somewhat fruitier and not as powerful.

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Indian-Spiced Okra

Credit: Photo: Gentl & Hyers
View Recipe: Indian-Spiced Okra

Even folks who usually don't like okra enjoy the taste and texture of this highly seasoned dish. We left the seeds in the chile for moderate spice. Serve with grilled chicken or lamb.

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Grilled Okra and Tomato Skewers

Credit: Photo: Howard L. Puckett
View Recipe: Grilled Okra and Tomato Skewers

Assemble skewers the night before; brush them with the oil mixture before grilling. Flavor oil mixture with dried ground herbs to suit your taste. Look for okra pods of similar size to assure even grilling.

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Okra, Corn, and Jalapeño Skillet Salsa

View Recipe: Okra, Corn, and Jalapeño Skillet Salsa

Blending prime summer produce, this salsa is great over grilled chicken or pork or with baked tortilla chips. This recipe doubles easily for a crowd.

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Lemon-Macerated Okra and Olives

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Lemon-Macerated Okra and Olives

Try these zesty tidbits in place of peanuts or pretzels at your next party. Or combine with bread, cheese, artichokes, and cold shrimp for an antipasto platter.

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Corn and Summer Vegetable Sauté

Credit: Photo: Jeff Kauck
View Recipe: Corn and Summer Vegetable Sauté

Enjoy the best of summer with this seasonal vegetable sauté. Use parsley or chives in place of cilantro, if you prefer. Garnish with chives.

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Stewed Okra & Tomatoes

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Stewed Okra & Tomatoes

Okra is a Southern classic that people tend to love or hate. Here, the acidity of the tomatoes helps thin the vegetable’s viscous juices and preserves its crunchiness. Be sure to pick small pods, as they are more tender.

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