Air Fryer Okra

Air Fryer Okra is the easiest and tastiest way to enjoy this healthy Southern veggie! Perfectly crispy air-fried okra made without oil, naturally gluten-free, keto, vegan, and paleo! With your choice of seasonings, these crunchy okra fries are a delicious side dish or low-carb snack! Quick and easy, without the slimy texture, everyone will love this "fried" vegetable recipe!

Okra, love it, hate it, maybe you just don't know how to cook with it. All of your problems will be solved with this recipe! Air fryer okra is going to be your new go-to veggie that just requires some slicing, tossing, and air frying! There's no need to worry about prepping it wrong and ending up with slimy mushy okra. The magic of the air fryer has you covered! Just chose your seasonings to match whatever else you'll be serving it with and everyone will be asking you what your okra cooking secret is!

What Is Okra?

Okra is actually a fruit but is considered a vegetable in terms of cooking and eating. Also known as "ladies' fingers" (not to be confused with the cookie!) in English-speaking countries. Okra is a flowering plant that's cultivated in tropical and subtropical warm climates like Africa and South Asia. The green seed pods of the plant are the edible portion you eat. These pods contain mucilaginous, which is a type of soluble fiber that produces a gooey, slimy substance when cooked.

Is Okra Healthy?

Okra is very nutritious and contains 33 calories per 1 cup (100g), 7g carbs, 2g protein, 0g fat, and 3g fiber. It's a rich source of Vitamin C and K1, containing 26% of your DV. It's also high in vitamins A, B6, folate, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Okra is rich in antioxidants, known as polyphenols, including flavonoids and isoquercetin, which help with inflammation and promote heart health.

Other Fast Facts

• Okra can be green or red and can be referred to by many different names including okro, ochro, gumbo, bhindi, quimbombó, or ladies’ fingers.
• Okra is commonly paired with tomatoes since the acid in the tomatoes helps reduce the sliminess of cooked okra (i.e. gumbo or okra tomato salads)
• Okra is 90% water and only contains 1g of sugar per 100g which is why it's so low in calories.
• It's safe to eat raw or cooked. By keeping it raw, you reduce the characteristic slimy texture but may notice its "peach-fuss" exterior. Using it in cooked dishes makes it a natural thickener which is why it's so popular for Southern dishes like gumbo. It's so iconic and essential to gumbo, that some refer to okra as "gumbo".
• By roasting and grinding the seeds, found in the okra pod, you can make a delicious substitute for coffee without the caffeine!

Why You'll Love This Easy Recipe

By slicing and air frying raw okra, you'll get a perfectly crispy and flavorful side dish or snack that everyone will love! Naturally healthy and delicious, without any special prep or messiness in the kitchen. This air fryer recipe is completely:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Coconut-Free, Corn-Free)
• Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo
• Oil-Free + Sugar-Free
• Kid-Friendly
• Customizable Seasonings
• A Make-Ahead & Meal Prep Essential
• Simple Side Dish or Healthy Snack
• Great For Potlucks & Summer Entertaining

Ingredients You'll Need

• Fresh Okra: Fresh whole okra is what you want for this recipe. Look for unblemished bright green and crisp pods.
• Seasonings: You can keep your choice of seasonings simple and all-purpose with some salt, pepper, onion, and garlic, or throw in some extra flavor with smoked paprika, cumin, or cajun spice!

What Flavors Go Well With Okra?

You can't go wrong with spicy and smokey flavors. If you think of these crispy okra pieces as fries, use the same seasonings you'd typically use on French fries! If you need some more yummy inspiration, look no further!

• Old Bay Seasoning
• Smoked Paprika and Cumin
• Cajun spices like paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, celery salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom
• Curry powder or garam masala
• Chili Powder or BBQ seasonings
• Your go-to All-Purpose Seasoning

No Cornmeal or Breading Needed

Another benefit of air frying the okra is that you can skip the breading, eggs, and oil, but still get a crispy, crunchy, and delicious result! It's also easier and quicker with less mess. If you do want to add a little something extra, you can drizzle the sliced okra in a teaspoon or two of oil, before tossing them in some arrowroot or cornstarch, the seasoning, and crunchy breading of choice, if desired.

Can Your Air Fry Frozen Okra?

You can if you pick up a bag of frozen okra or froze some fresh for yourself during the off-season. You can air fry the frozen pieces in your air fryer directly from frozen, without thawing. Make sure the frozen okra is already sliced or cut into coins and that there is plenty of room in your air fryer basket so the pieces don't end up steaming. It should take about the same time as fresh pieces, depending on the slice, so you can still follow the steps in the recipe.

How To Cut Okra

There are two ways you can slice your okra, but one is better than the other for this specific air fryer recipe.

• Lengthwise: This is the best method for cutting your okra. This creates nice long "fries" that easily get crispy on the inside and outside without shriveling up into tiny pieces. Just rinse and dry, before using a sharp paring knife to live the okra pod in half.
• Coins: If you cut the okra pod into rounds, the pieces will become tiny after being air-fried. This method is best for okra that is being breaded and air-fried. Similar to popcorn chicken!

How To Make Air Fryer Okra

1. Rinse, dry, and slice your fresh okra lengthwise before tossing it with your choice of seasoning.
2. Add the seasoned okra to your air fryer basket in a single layer, careful not to overcrowd.
3. Air fry the okra at 400°F for 10 minutes before giving it a shake and air frying for another 8-10 minutes until the okra fries become crispy and golden brown.

What Temperature Should You Air Fry Okra?

Since you want the okra fries to get crispy as fast as possible to avoid sogginess, set your air fryer to 400°F. If your air fryer needs to be pre-heated, do that as well.

How Long Should You Air Fry Okra?

The longer you air fry, the crispier they'll be. Starting with 10 minutes, then giving the basket a shake, and air frying for another 8-10 minutes was perfect for my level of crispiness. Note that if you are using a smaller and more crowded basket, the okra will take longer to get crispy. If you have a larger-sized air fryer, with more space, you'll end up needing to air fry them for less time.

How To Serve Crispy Air-Fried Okra

You can serve this air-fried okra in a multitude of ways!

• As a perfect healthy side dish to veggie burgers and sandwiches
• A low-carb swap for potato-based french fries
• Great appetizer with your choice of delicious dips
• An addition to salad bowls
• 100% delicious plain and eaten as a hot crispy snack

Storage & Reheating

If you plan on meal prepping or have some leftovers, you can store them in a storage container in the fridge for about 7 days. You can freeze the okra in a sealed plastic bag with as much air removed as possible for 6-8 months. To reheat the crispy roasted okra, follow these steps:

• From the fridge: Toss your okra back into the air fryer and fry at 375°F for about 4-5 minutes, until crispy.
• From the freezer: Add the okra frozen to the air fryer and fry at 375°F for 7-8 minutes, toss halfway through if they were frozen together.
• If you happen to be roasting something in the oven, throw these okra fries on a pan to roast up for a few minutes and get crispy again while the oven is still on! Works like a charm, cold or frozen!

More Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes:

• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
• Air Fryer Snow Peas

Print

If you've never tried okra, this air fryer recipe is the perfect place to start! The best and easiest way to cook it up with minimal effort and achieve the most delicious, crispy, and addicting results!

So tell me:

+ Do you like okra? What's your favorite dish to use it in?

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