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One summer, when my kids were helping their grandparents harvest and preserve vegetables from their garden, the okra were producing like crazy. They kept coming home with bags and bags of okra. And we can only eat so much jumbolaya! Since we weren’t doing grains, eggs, or even grain-free batter at the time, I couldn’t make fried okra.
So the kids created this simple okra recipe. I’m much more likely to make sides if it’s a fast and easy recipe, so this one’s a win.
Simple Roasted Okra
I love roasted veggies. The rest of my family does too, so we make them that way a lot. You get a nice bit of crisp around the edges and a little bit of intense, toasty flavor. Roasting okra is just like roasting any other vegetable. Toss it in a little bit of oil, sprinkle on some spices, and throw it in the oven. If I prepare it, I just cut the tops off the okra and roast them whole. If the kids are helping, I let them use a crinkle cutter to cut the okra into chunks.
The kids love eating it because it is simple enough for them to make. Sometimes we’ll roast a pan of it early in the day. I’ll set it on the stovetop then watch as it slowly disappears throughout the day. The kids figure it’s the perfect finger food and grab one to snack on as they walk by.
Air Fryer Okra
Since originally publishing this recipe I’ve acquired an air fryer. The one I have is a larger, stainless steel, multi-functional one resembling a toaster oven. I’ve recently discovered that it’s super easy to roast vegetables in an air fryer. It’s faster and doesn’t heat up the whole house.
I decided to try the air fryer on this okra recipe and it did not disappoint. I cooked it at a slightly lower temperature for the same length of time and it turned out perfect. This post gives a good overview on air frying different types of vegetables.
Whether I roast it in the oven or in the air fryer, this okra recipe takes less than a half-hour from start to finish and is a great side to almost any meal. I’ve even made this and added it to breakfast scrambles.
More Roasted Vegetables to Try
Have I inspired you to try roasted vegetables or are you already a roasted veggie lover? Here are some more recipes to consider. And I’d love to hear about your favorites!
- Asparagus with Parmesan
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage Slices
- Crispy Kale Chips
- Garlic
- Garlic Roasted Romanesco
- Mushrooms
I don’t have posts for all the vegetables we roast, but I also really like roasted beets, cauliflower, and carrots.
Roasted Okra Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb okra (about 30 pods)
- 2 TBSP olive oil (or coconut oil)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut the tops off okra and leave whole or cut into chunks.
- Place them on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or coconut oil.
- Sprinkle them with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Toss to coat.
- Roast for 18-22 minutes or until soft and just starting to brown on the ends.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Does your family eat okra? How do you prepare it? Share below!
Nutrition for Teens: A Parent’s Guide to Diet & Supplements for Puberty
I cut mine in slices then dehydrate them and eat them as chips. kids love them.
I, too, am a southern gal and have grown up with fried okra. I, however, love to add diced green tomatoes (not tomatillos) to the batter then i fry it.
My son-in-law had a beautiful garden this year and I got lots of okra. I usually batter with cornmeal and fry in frying pan. I cut up okra crossways and froze in pint bags. Can I use these to do the roasted recipe?
Yes!
I LOVE OKRA!!! However, having a southern background meant that the only way I’ve ever known it to be prepared is battered and deep fried. I tried this recipe and LOVED IT!! THANK YOU!!! I am a born again okra lover!!
Put water in a pot, add fish,shrimps,pepper,salt to taste and then slice okra in circles and add,wait for one minute and turn off heat and serve
We microwave our okra. Rinse med size okra (don’t dry), put all the stems together on a large plate with the tips sticking out to form a star. Vent with plastic wrap and cook for 2 min. Salt immediately. Yum Yum.. Soft, but not mushy..
Thank you for the scrumptious ideas. We have one query, if we are not imposing…My young son and I bought a large bag of okra, and because we were going to be gone, we just put the whole bag in the freezer. Any thoughts as to how prepare at this point….do we thaw first or proceed frozen?
You may be able to slice it frozen or just let it defrost slightly and then slice.
We’ve been doing it whole in a skillet like this for a long time. Tastes GREAT!
Is the okra crispy?
I LOVE okra! This looks so easy and delicious. Thanks!!!
I lived in India for a couple of years and a good friend that i made there taught me her favorite okra dish.
Slit the okra down the middle and pull out the seeds (insides) and put them in a small bowl. then grate 1/4th of an onion, smash 1 clove of garlic, chop very small part of a tomato or a roma tomato (you can just throw it all in a food processor). Add onion, tomato, and garlic to bowl with okra insides and add dried pomegranate seeds, salt, pepper, tumeric, ground cumin powder, and lemon juice from 1-2 wedges. mix together with your fingers and stuff inside the okra as best as you can. I had to use a piece of thread to loosely wrap around each one to keep it together but she could do it without it. Then heat up some coconut oil to med high in a skillet and set each one in the pan to cook and pan fry. 5-10 min?
Easy recipe to tweak i.e. if you don’t have dried pomegranate seeds on hand 🙂 like me. or you could adjust the seasonings to your liking.