Air fryer okra is an easy three-ingredient recipe to make as an easy side dish for meals any time of the year! Cook it whole, sliced, or cut in half with excellent results! It comes perfectly tender with nice crisp edges.
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I think my love for okra stems from my southern upbringing! It’s also one of those ingredients that you either enjoy or hate!
My mom frequently served it up fried which was my favorite while when she made stewed okra I was less enthusiastic about it.
Then a few years ago I was pleasantly surprised when my aunt showed me how to roast okra whole in the oven! I was instantly in love.
Ditching the breading and oil creates a perfect side dish that’s naturally gluten-free, vegan, and egg-free. And using the air fryer instead of the oven works perfectly!
Air fryer okra is a tasty side dish for all kinds of southern favorites! I love to serve it up with vegan red beans and rice or with crispy tofu.
If you enjoy simple vegetable sides, I think you’ll also love these lemon veggies and air fryer roasted vegetables.
You can also learn how to make beets for easy meals and how to blanch broccoli and serve them up as a second side dish.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]❤️ Why You Will Love Air Fried Okra
- Just Three Ingredients. Though there’s lots of variations of this delicious okra recipe using different flavors.
- Healthier Than Fried Okra. Okra in the air fryer is a healthier alternative than deep frying and makes a tasty side dish for meals.
- No Need to Turn on the Oven or Stove. Air fry okra makes for easy cleanup and a way to avoid heating up the entire kitchen.
- Suitable for All Kinds of Diets. Crispy okra without a breading means it’s gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free!
❤️ Love cooking in your air fryer? Try more of my delicious air fryer recipes!
What is Okra?
Okra pods are medium-length tapered green vegetables that have a ridged surface and rough fuzz on the outside. Inside are round white seeds.
In the South, where this veggie is more popular, okra is available fresh throughout the entire year. In other areas of the country, it’s available during its peak season, May through October.
When buying okra at the grocery store, choose pods that are bright green in color and less than 4 inches long. Larger-sized okra may be tough and rather stringy.
It is most commonly fried, roasted, or added to stews. When cooked, it releases a thick substance with a bit slimy texture which is why many people don’t enjoy this veggie.
Most commonly okra is an ingredient in gumbo or served up in a crispy corn meal breading. It goes well with chilies, corn, lemon, onion, sweet peppers, tomato, and vinegar.
Okra provides nutrition for the body through a good dose of magnesium, folate, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, K, and A.
🥘 Ingredients You Need
You only need a handful of simple things to make this easy air fryer recipe.
- Okra: Use fresh okra for best results. Frozen is another option if fresh isn’t available but you will need to extend the cooking time.
- Olive Oil: My preference in this recipe is olive oil but you can use your favorite oil for cooking. Coconut oil and avocado oil are two other faves.
- Salt and Pepper: Simple seasoning for flavor. I like using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.
📖 Variations
- Lemon Pepper: Swap out the regular black pepper with lemon pepper.
- Spicy: Toss in some red chili flakes, a little cayenne pepper or even fresh chilies before cooking the okra.
- Cajun: Add blackening spices or cajun seasoning before cooking.
- Garlic: Add fresh minced garlic or garlic powder along with the oil and seasonings.
- Lemon or lime: Add a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice at the end of cooking.
- Thyme or basil: If using dried add before cooking, if using fresh add at the end of cooking and just before serving.
- Dipping sauce: Serve them up like okra fries with a favorite dipping sauce such as ranch or bbq if you want!
🔪 How to Make This Air Fryer Okra Recipe
Making air fried okra is easy! Here’s a look at the main steps!
- Wash and dry the okra. You can leave it whole or slice it horizontally into half-inch slices or slice it in half lengthwise straight down the middle.
- Place the okra pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper. Use your hands or tongs to toss the okra around to coat it completely.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and transfer the okra to the basket.
- Cook at 350° F or 180° C for 8-10 minutes until hot, crispy and the edges are golden brown. Turn at least once during the cooking time.
- Serve it up and enjoy!
Storage
Air fryer roasted okra is best served and eaten immediately. It tends to get a little soft and mushy as it sits. If you have some leftover okra, here are some tips for storing it.
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freezer: If using fresh okra, freeze for up to one month. If you used frozen okra, it’s not recommended to refreeze it.
- Reheat: To reheat leftovers, return them to the air fryer and cook for 4-6 minutes or until heated through. You can also heat them in the oven at 375° F until heated through. I don’t recommend reheating them on top of the stove or in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
This healthy fried okra side dish makes a great addition to a variety of meals. Here are a few of my favorites dishes I love to serve it up with for delicious meals!
- It makes a healthy veggie side dish for a bowlful of baked macaroni and cheese!
- Drizzle it with some tahini dressing for an extra punch of flavor.
- Enjoy it with other southern favorites such as these black eyed peas with southern cornbread, or smoked tofu with BBQ sauce.
- It will also make a tasty side for baked eggplant cutlets and vegan chicken nuggets.
💭 Expert Tips
- Cook the okra in a single layer. If using a smaller air fryer, you can stack the okra 2-3 deep but don’t overfill the basket. You want to leave plenty of room so the hot air can flow around the okra.
- Shake it up! At least once halfway through cooking so it cooks more evenly.
- Buy okra close to the cook time. It’s a relatively delicate vegetable and will last for a short time (2-3) days in the refrigerator.
- Choose smaller okra which may be less slimy and more tender.
- The best way to get crispier okra, cut okra in half or into half-inch slices prior to cooking.
❓Recipe FAQs
My three tips for less slime in your okra is to start by choosing smaller sized okra when buying it. Blanch it in salt water and then shock it in cold water to reduce the amount of slime. The preparation method also affects the slimy texture. Cook roasted, air fried, or breaded okra for the least slimy outcome.
It’s not necessary but if you prefer to preheat, you can do so. In this recipe, the timing doesn’t include preheating so if you decide to preheat, you may need to increase the cooking time by 1-3 minutes.
Yes, this recipe works great in the oven too. Spread out the okra pods on a baking sheet and cook in a 400° F oven for 12-15 minutes or until they are tender and slightly browned.
More Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Easy Air Fryer Okra Recipe (No Breading)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound okra pods
- 2 teaspoons olive oil coconut, avocado or other
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry the pods. Trim off the stem ends a bit if they are too long. If you prefer to cut, you can slice it horizontally into half-inch slices or slice it in half lengthwise straight down the middle.
- Place the okra pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper. Use your hands or tongs to toss the okra around to coat it completely.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and transfer okra to the basket.
- Cook at 350° F or 180° C for 8-10 minutes until hot, crispy and the edges are golden brown. Turn at least once during the cooking time.
Notes
- Cook the okra in a single layer. If using a smaller air fryer, you can stack the okra 2-3 deep but don’t overfill the basket. You want to leave plenty of room so the hot air can flow around the okra.
- Shake it up! At least once halfway through cooking so it cooks more evenly.
- Buy okra close to the cook time. It’s a relatively delicate vegetable and will last for a short time (2-3) days in the refrigerator.
- Choose smaller okra which may be less slimy and more tender.
- The best way to get crispier okra, cut okra in half or into half-inch slices prior to cooking.
Nutrition
The post Easy Air Fryer Okra Recipe (No Breading) appeared first on Cook Eat Live Love.
