Southern Fried Okra
Learn how to cook fried okra perfectly every time with this easy side dish recipe! Never worry about the breading falling off or a slimy texture with this easy fried okra recipe.
Living near my parents means I know I’ll never run out of okra in the summer! My dad always grows a ton, so it seemed like a classic fried okra recipe was past due. It took me a few tries to strike the perfect balance, but we nailed it… You get a crunchy, flavorful breading that sticks well without overpowering or drowning out the okra. Don’t be intimidated; with these easy tricks, you can crank out hot, crispy fried okra in no time with no fancy kitchen equipment or difficult ingredients!
Why You Will Love Southern Fried Okra
- Perfect Texture – Okra can often come off slimy, but this recipe is perfect crispy and crunchy every time. The breading sticks well, too.
- Super Quick – Each batch takes just 2-3 minutes of cooking, so even a few batches will take you less than 10 minutes to cook! You don’t even have to measure out individual seasonings because of the fish breading.
- Easy Enough for Beginners – You only need a bowl and a skillet, great for those with minimal kitchens! You don’t even have to measure out seasonings because they’re included in the breading.
Fried Okra Ingredients
- Okra – Fresh, washed, trimmed, sliced, and patted dry. You probably can use frozen okra if you thaw it and press as much liquid out of them as possible. You just want them super dry so that the breading will stick.
- Mayonnaise and Egg White – These work as a light-yet-strong glue to hold the breading to our okra.
- Fish Fry Breading – This tasty little hack is just a store-bought mixture of cornmeal and seasoning. Most are gluten-free, but check to make sure yours doesn’t include flour if that’s important to you.
- Neutral Oil for Frying – Peanut oil, vegetable, canola oil, etc. will all work great.
How to Fry Okra
- Pat your sliced okra dry and add to a bowl. Stir in your mayonnaise and egg white, then toss in the fish fry breading. Lightly toss until each piece is well coated.
- Grab a deep, heavy skillet and warm it over medium heat. Add in 1-inch of oil and let it heat up to 350 degrees.
- Carefully add the breaded okra to the hot oil (work in batches to not overcrowd the pan). Cook about 1 minute, then turn and continue cooking another 1-2 minutes. Okra breading should be a beautiful light golden brown.
- Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
What to Serve with Fried Okra
- Fried Pork Tenderloin
- Squash Casserole
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Hush Puppies Recipe
- Mom’s Mashed Potatoes
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: Store cooled okra in a paper towel lined, airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: You technically can freeze and reheat fried okra, but it’s likely to end up quite mushy. For meal prepping, I recommend first blanching the whole okra, then slicing, breading, and freezing. Then cook fresh when you’re ready to eat (it’ll be 3-5 minutes of frying straight from the freezer).
- Reheating: Air fry (350 degrees F) for 2-3 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice. You could also bake (350 degrees F) for 5-10 minutes, flipping once halfway through. I do not recommend microwaving as the okra will get very mushy.
FAQs for the Best Fried Okra Recipe
Fried okra is a classic summer side dish that consists of sliced okra and a crunchy cornmeal breading! It’s often served with fried catfish, chicken fried steak, and BBQ pulled pork. The seasoned breading helps soak up the natural “slimy” texture of okra, making it a great choice for those who usually don’t like okra.
Some people choose to leave the egg white out, but I find it to be essential for the breading to really stick on well! I have not tried any commercial egg substitutes.
If you have frozen, unbreaded okra, you can thaw this and pat it very dry (as dry as possible) before using in this recipe. It will be a little softer (frozen okra has been blanched and partially cooked), but it still tastes great. If you have frozen breaded okra, you can cook according to the directions, but you will need 3-5 minutes of frying time total.
More Great Recipes
Get the Recipe: Fried Okra Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound okra, washed, ends trimmed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup fish fry breading
- Any neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- Gently mix your sliced, dry okra with mayonnaise and egg white in a mixing bowl.
- Once the okra is covered, sprinkle in the fish breading mixture and toss to coat.
- Heat a deep skillet over medium heat and add 1 inch of oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees.
- Working in batches carefully add the okra to the hot oil, cook about 1 minute, turn and cook another 1-2 minutes or as needed for the okra to become golden brown.
- Carefully remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Notes
- Nutrition value does not include the oil because different oils and temperatures lead to different amounts of fat being absorbed by the breading.Â
