Air Fried Okra Recipe (All the Taste With None of the Guilt!) (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to thaw okra before air frying? ›

Yes, you can cook frozen okra in the air fryer—and it will be delicious. But you shouldn't try to coat it in breading. It won't stick.

High-heat cooking helps reduce extreme gumminess to something merely full-bodied. Dry high heat — roasting, grilling, frying — worked even better. The okra remained juicy and tender while attaining an airy crispness, and its delicate, grassy flavor took on more depth.

Preheat an air fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place okra, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir gently to coat. Arrange okra in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 10 minutes, tossing the basket halfway.

Okra is a nutritious vegetable that can be cooked by boiling or frying. Regardless of your cooking method, wash and slice your okra first. You can boil okra in slightly salted water. You can coat okra in cornmeal and then fry it in a frying pan.

Whether picking it yourself or shopping for it at the store or farmer's market, you want the tender, young okra. Bigger is not better. The larger okra pods have tough husks and are too chewy.

I love the taste of fried okra! The vegetable itself is mild, fresh, and slightly earthy tasting - sort of like a green bean - and the crunchy cornmeal coating on the outside is such a great compliment to the taste and texture of the okra.

If you're not serving fried food immediately, you'll need to keep it warm to prevent it from getting cold and losing crispiness. One way to do this is to place the fried food on a wire rack in the oven at a low temperature, around 200°F to 250°F.

Roast okra is a healthy snack alternative to the fried version, although it does have quite a few uses in the kitchen! Turn it into a variety of other dishes like stuffed peppers, gumbo or even Spanish rice to add a nice roasted flavor. Most commonly though, they're great as a starter, side or delicious snack!

If that's not to your liking, okra can be eaten raw, pickled, fried, succotashed, roasted, grilled, crisped to shards, or cooked an infinite number of ways that celebrate all that's special about this vegetable, and it freezes gorgeously to boot.

Lemon juice, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, or a splash of wine will not only add depth to your recipe, but it will also lower your slime quotient. A vinegar bath also does wonders to reduce the slimy consistency. Before cooking, soak the pods in vinegar for 30 minutes to help break up and dissolve the slime.

What do we call okra in English? ›

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) are known in many English-speaking countries as lady's fingers or gumbo) is a flowering plant in the mallow family, related to cotton and hibiscus.

Toss frozen okra (do not thaw) with oil, freshly squeezed lemon, and seasoning of choice, coating them as best as possible. Spread them in a single layer on the rack of the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, tossing halfway through. Serve as a side dish or even a snack and enjoy!

Do you thaw frozen okra before frying? We prefer fresh okra for its texture and flavor, but if you're in a pinch, you can use frozen okra instead. Frozen okra needs to be thawed completely before cooking, but just be warned, the thawed okra will be wet (which can make it mushy).

If you are boiling, steaming, or sauteeing – you do not need to thaw the okra first. Frozen okra is available whole or cut. Choose the one that works best for your family's taste.

According to the USDA, it's perfectly safe to cook meat straight from frozen, but it's important to note that it will take a tad bit longer than if you were cooking thawed or fresh meat. On average, it should take around one and a half times as long, so plan accordingly.