Summertime in the south means okra season is in full swing, and while frying okra is certainly a delicious way to serve up this green vegetable, this best roasted okra recipe is easier and healthier all around. Yet, it still gives you all of the delicious flavor of okra without all the clean up from frying.
Okra lovers, whether you're growing okra in the home garden or buying it from grocery stores or a farmer's market, okra can be fried, pickled, stewed, roasted, grilled, or eaten raw. I've also recently used frozen pods in smoothies as a thickener. Who would have thought?? And this oven roasted okra recipe (or baked okra, for some) doesn't disappoint!
For any recipe, or raw okra eating, you want to make sure you pick them at the right size. You'll find great info on picking (or choosing at the farmers' market) here. (Here's a hint: pointer-finger sized is just about perfect!)Â
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Why roast okra in the oven
While fried okra is a southern staple, it's not always the fastest way to get this veggie on your weeknight dinner table (not to mention the clean-up and "fried" smell left lingering in the house). So what's an easy way to get this veggie prepped and cooked with hardly any fuss and no constant monitoring? Oven roasting.
I didn't always think this was an option for cooking okra. What about the slimy texture? Will it get crisp? But as it turns out, my family loves oven roasted okra as a perfect side dish and it's our new favorite way to eat okra. In this version, the cumin provides a smoky flavor while the light seasoning of salt and pepper let this green jewel's flavor shine through, and it's a healthy side dish you can whip up all summer long.
While oven roasted okra doesn't have the same "crunch" as the fried variety, the true okra taste also isn't overpowered by a thick coating. Using high heat in the oven is the best way to dry up that excess moisture and create crispy edges around each cut piece. I hope to have an air fryer version of this okra recipe coming soon. Until then, here's what you'll need for this oven roasted okra:
Oven Roasted Okra Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to create this easy recipe. Use a rimmed baking sheet for this oven-roasted okra and a bowl or paper bag for coating the okra in the seasonings.
- Fresh okra, cut into pieces (small okra are more tender and delicious)
- 2-3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (avocado oil also works well)
- 1 teaspoon salt (I love using mineral salt or kosher salt, but sea salt also works)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- â…› teaspoon cumin
- Optional: â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you want a bit of heat)
Easy Baked Okra Recipe
Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe card!
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash your fresh okra pods and using a sharp knife, slice into ½ to ¾ inch pieces. Spread sliced okra pieces onto a sheet pan in a single layer (use parchment paper for easier clean up). Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat.Â
- In a small dish, mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin (I love the hint of "smokiness" that this adds). Mix. Coat the okra pieces to make sure all pieces have seasoning mix on them.
- Place pan in preheated oven and roast for 15-20 minutes. You want the edges of the okra to be golden brown.Â
- Remove pan from oven and serve immediately.
How to Store Leftover Okra
Leftover okra, if there is any, can be stored in an airtight container and place in the fridge. Use within 5 days or so.
For low-maintenance or busy cooks, this okra recipe is a winner with its flavorful seasonings and quick cooking process. Our girly gardener, who loves all things fried and buttered, ate three helpings of this last week. I'm not going to complain... even though I would have liked to have had a few more myself. If you'd like to learn how to skip the grocery store and grow your own okra, check out my post How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Okra. It may be one of the easiest vegetables to grow!
I'd love to know about your favorite way to eat okra or what veggie you think tastes best roasted. See the nutrition information for this recipe in the card below, and feel free to modify the seasonings as desired including adding onion powder or your favorite savory spice to the mixture. Here's to eating all of those garden goodies and getting your family to try new things! Happy Gardening!
Easy Oven Roasted Okra
Crispy, oven roasted okra is just 20 minutes away with this easy and delicious baked okra recipe!
Ingredients
- 4 cups okra, cut
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- â…› teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While oven is heating, slice okra into ½-3/4 inch pieces.
- Spread cut okra in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and stir okra to coat.
- Mix salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cumin in small dish and stir well. Sprinkle on top of okra.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until okra is lightly browned on edges. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Notes
Have a favorite spice that you enjoy? Add it into the mix!
For a bit of heat with your oven-roasted okra, add in a few dashes of cayenne pepper.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 64Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 394mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g
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Our favorite way (other than fried, of course) is grilled okra. We just snip off the tops and skewer the okra. We sprinkle them in my husband's homemade seasoning that he uses for bbq pork and throw the skewers on the grill. Easy, delicious, and the husband does the cooking. 😉
It is so nice when someone else does the cooking. Thanks for the great grilling tip too, Stacey!
Hi Courtney, I'm not from the south but happen to love okra. Thanks for reminding me how much.
I'm so glad you love it! Even down here it's pretty unappreciated. 🙂
This was delicious!! Thanks! I didn't even miss the breading usually found in the "fried" okra common here in the south 😉
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Kristi! Thanks for stopping by!
Can you use frozen okra?
Great question, Joyce. I have not used frozen okra for roasting. I'm afraid of a mushy consistency, but it might be worth trying. I generally use frozen for smoothies and stews. Thanks for stopping by!
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I adore okra, and I love this easy way to cook it. It ca be easy to screw up otherwise!
Thank you so much!