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Fried Okra

See how to make crispy fried okra. See more

READY IN 30 mins

Fried Okra

Read Reviews (191)

"A simple Southern classic! Okra is dredged in seasoned cornmeal, then fried until golden." — Linda Martin

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Original recipe makes 4 servings Change Servings

10 pods okra, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

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Directions

In a small bowl, soak okra in egg for 5 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge okra in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly. Carefully place okra in hot oil; stir continuously. Reduce heat to medium when okra first starts to brown, and cook until golden. Drain on paper towels.

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PREP 15 mins
COOK 15 mins
READY IN 30 mins

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Using this recipe with some minor modifications allowed me to prepare better fried okra than my mom! Instead of plain cornmeal I used a pre-mixed cornmeal, four, salt mixture. I also added a little bit of buttermilk to the egg mixture. I'm sure the use of flour along with the cornmeal is the secret to keeping the batter on during cooking. Another secret is to make sure your oil is good and hot before adding the okra.

—JULES2JEWELS

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 01, 2009

Good ... but, people, keep in mind: This is fried okra, NOT batter-dipped okra. Some of the breading WILL fall off when you are cooking it ... that is part of the dish, however, the "crunchies" ... handle gently when frying, and it will come out yummy ... thanks for the recipe!

—DOLLCHIQUE

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245 Ratings

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Oct 16, 2003

This was good,I'm not a huge fan of cornmeal though,it's too gritty,I found that a combo of 3/4 flour and a 1/4 cup cornmeal works just fine,also I soak mine in milk instead of egg,the eggs much to thick and the okra puts off its own thickness in the milk,after its done soaking the milk mixture's as thick as an egg....with a garden full of okra,I've fried my fair share this summer

—KELLY759

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Jan 18, 2007

Oh my goodness, this was the best ever! It turned out perfectly. It was my first time making fried okra, so I paid close attention to the prior reviews and this is what I did.....I used frozen okra and let it thaw about half way. I beat an egg and mixed in equal parts milk. I poured the partially thawed okra in the bowl of egg/milk and I gently stirred to coat. I actually stirred it every 5 min or so and let it soak for about 15 min. I used half corn meal and half flour with salt and pepper, I then put it all in a large zip lock bag. I added the egg washed okra to the corn meal and gently tossed to coat. I cooked it in crisco in my 'fry daddy' until it was golden brown. I was careful not to stir, but I did dunk the okra down with the back of a spoon after about a minute of cooking. This was absolutely perfect, just like my grandpa used to make in his old cast iron skillet. After loosing him last summer at the age of 94, I thought that I would never taste this wonderful veggie again. Thanks for posting the recipe and thanks to all who gave 'tips' on how to make it with better success!

—3daisys

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Jul 30, 2003

I used Jiffy cornbread, gave the okra a touch of sweetness, my family asks for it all the time-Great hit at my house

—COOKERPERSON

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Sep 24, 2004

This is almost the way I make my okra when I have to batter it myself. I like to cook it with drippings from pork chops or bacon grease too. I always cut up peeled potatoes fairly small and fry them with the okra (with a dash of extra cornmeal if I'm using pre-breaded frozen okra) and a bit of chopped onion doesn't hurt. You can't beat okra fried with potatoes though. Also, a trick my mom taught me about frying okra, about 2 minutes before you are ready to take the skillet off the stove, carefully add in 2-3 tablespoons of water (cold is fine) then cover the skillet for two minutes. I don't know how it does it, but most all of the slime will be gone if you add water and cover at the end.

—HELLONURSE

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Aug 04, 2003

This is the first year that I have grown okra in my garden, so of course a good "fried okra recipe" was a must. I was not disappointed! Though simple, this recipe was delicious, even better than what I have had in restaurants (I am sure the freshness makes a difference). I have a piece of advice for any using freshly grown okra: pick it when it is a little smaller size than it can get, as it is more tender. Slices from larger okra can be a bit tough, and though they still taste fine fried, I didn't enjoy them quite as much. Soaking in the egg and coating with the basic cornmeal mixture was enough complexity for me - the taste was superb. (And my 3-year-old non vegetable eater loves it also!)

—AMKNIGHT

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Oct 09, 2003

Quick and easy!! I was out of cornmeal, so I used 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs in its place. Plus I added a little bit of grated parmesan cheese, it was very good and I did not notice a difference.

—BaysChick

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Nutrition

Calories
394 kcal
20%

Carbohydrates
29 g
9%

Cholesterol
53 mg
18%

Fat
29.2 g
45%

Fiber
2.2 g
9%

Protein
4.7 g
9%

Sodium
167 mg
7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Fried Okra

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 394
Calories from Fat: 263

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 29.2g 45 %
Saturated Fat 4.7g 24 %
Cholesterol 53mg 18 %
Sodium 167mg 7 %
Potassium 115mg 3 %
Total Carbohydrates 29g 9 %
Dietary Fiber 2.2g 9 %
Protein 4.7g 9 %
Sugars 1.4g
Vitamin A 5 %
Vitamin C 9 %
Calcium 4 %
Iron 19 %
Thiamin 30 %
Niacin 21 %
Vitamin B6 9 %
Magnesium 9 %
Folate 53 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.