This fried okra recipe is fresh sliced okra coated in buttermilk and a seasoned cornmeal mixture, then deep fried to golden brown perfection. A classic side dish or appetizer option that’s easy to make and totally delicious!
When I’m looking to serve up some traditional Southern recipes, I make Hoppin’ John, Southern cornbread dressing, fried cabbage and this ultra crispy fried okra.
In my opinion, okra is an underutilized ingredient. My favorite way to enjoy this vegetable is to serve it as fried okra. I love the crispy coating with the tender interior and that delicious flavor!
Fried okra is one of my favorite fried appetizer recipes along with fried pickles, fried zucchini and fried shrimp.
Fried Okra Ingredients
To make fried okra you will need okra, buttermilk, flour, cornmeal, salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, vegetable oil and parsley.
How Do You Make Fried Okra?
The first step to make fried okra is to prepare the okra by cutting off the stem ends and slicing it up. Next toss the sliced okra in a bowl of buttermilk until the slices are completely coated. The buttermilk coated slices get dredged in a bowl of flour, yellow cornmeal, salt and spices. Batches of the okra slices go into hot oil for a few minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Set the cooked okra on paper towels to drain. Serve them hot and add a sprinkle of parsley for garnish.
Tips For The Perfect Fried Okra
- Be sure to stir the okra occasionally as it fries to make sure that the okra cooks evenly and doesn’t stick together.
- Look for similar sized okra pods so that all the okra slices take about the same time to cook. I use okra pods that are about 3 inches long.
- Use a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to remove the cooked okra while letting the oil drain.
- Be sure to use a frying thermometer to make sure that your oil is at the correct temperature. If the oil is too hot, the okra can burn. If it’s too cold, the okra will absorb excess grease and have a heavy texture.
Quick Tip
Fresh okra works best in this recipe. Frozen okra is typically mushy when thawed and will not hold up well when fried.
Recipe FAQs
Fried okra consists of sliced okra pods coated in buttermilk and dredged in a flour, cornmeal and seasoning mixture. After a quick dip in hot oil, it is ready to eat.
People grow okra in warm, wet climates for the edible seed pods. It is popular food in the southern region of the United States. People use okra in stews and gumbo not only as a vegetable, but as a thickener. It is also popular to pickle this vegetable.
Okra can be slimy after you cut it. However, with fried okra a slimy texture is not an issue. The okra in this recipe goes into a buttermilk bath and you coat it with flour and cornmeal which minimizes the slime. The veggie fries up golden and crispy.
For other recipes involving okra, you can reduce the sliminess by drying okra before slicing and cooking it or cooking the okra with lemon juice, vinegar or other acidic ingredients.
Okra is full of vitamins such as vitamins C, K and A. Okra also contains magnesium and folate. Plain okra is a low calorie food and is low in carbs. Frying of course increases the calories and carbs. Okra also contains antioxidants which may help with with cancer prevention.
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Fried Okra Variations
This recipe makes delicious, crispy fried okra, however you can change the flavor to suit your own taste.
- Spicy: If you want spicier okra, add some cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- Cajun: For a Cajun style flavor mix some of my Cajun seasoning into the flour.
- Mexican: For a Mexican flavor stir in some taco seasoning into the flour.
- Sauce: Try some great dipping sauces like homemade BBQ sauce, fry sauce or homemade ranch dip!
Fried okra is a delicious Southern dish that is great as a side dish or as an appetizer. Once you try it, you won’t be able to stop eating it!
More Side Dish Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Crock Pot Baked Beans
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Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Fried Okra
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh okra pods
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pot to 375 degrees F.
- Remove the stem ends of the okra. Slice each okra pod into 3/4 inch thick pieces.
- Place the okra slices in a bowl along with the buttermilk; toss to coat evenly.
- Place the flour, cornmeal, salt, paprika garlic powder and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine.
- Dredge each piece of okra in the flour mixture, making sure it's coated evenly. Repeat the process with the remaining okra pieces.
- Fry 10 pieces of okra at a time for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Sprinkle with parsley if desired, then serve.
Notes
- Be sure to stir the okra occasionally as it fries to make sure that the okra cooks evenly and doesn’t stick together.
- Look for similar sized okra pods so that all the okra slices take about the same time to cook. I use okra pods that are about 3 inches long.
- Be sure to use a frying thermometer to make sure that your oil is at the correct temperature. If the oil is too hot, the okra can burn. If it’s too cold, the okra will absorb excess grease and have a heavy texture.
- Fresh okra works best in this recipe. Frozen okra is typically mushy when thawed and will not hold up well when fried.
Outstanding! This one really sings, and it’s going in the Master File. Followed the recipe exactly as written.. Went for the deep golden brown.. Had to use a spatula to keep ‘busy hands’ away until it was time to serve!
Where in Canada are you that you can’t find buttermilk? Just curious. I live in Ontario and it’s in every grocery store I’ve ever shopped in.
You can make buttermilk with 3/4 cup of whole milk and 2 tbs of white vinegar. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes
This recipe was fabulous and made me feel like a teenager back in Florida. It was also very easy to make- I used frozen precut okra. I will definitely make this one again! Thanks!