Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (2024)

Fried okra with a light and crispy cornmeal batter is a tasty side dish for any of your favorite Southern meals. And it’s easy to make!

Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (1)

Fried okra has become one of those trendy items that almost every restaurant features on their appetizer menu. And most of them are all the same: chunks of heavily battered okra deep fried, with oftentimes more batter than okra.

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My fried okra recipe is the way my Mama makes it and my Granny made it and pretty much anyone I encountered growing up. There’s very little flour involved. The batter is cornmeal-based and the okra is fried in the skillet.

If okra is served at home for a meal, there’s not usually a fancy dipping sauce like you get in restaurants. But if you’re into that sort of thing, I recommend my Comeback Sauce as the perfect choice.

Table of Contents

  • How to fry okra
  • More from Southern Food and Fun
  • Fried Okra Recipe

How to fry okra

Step 1. Prepare the okra

Slice okra into 1/2-inch pieces. Wash the pieces and place in strainer. You want the okra to stay moist so the cornmeal will stick.

Cook’s Note: You can dip the okra in buttermilk before dredging through the cornmeal if you want a slightly thicker batter. If you do then dip in buttermilk and then place in strainer to drain off the excess.

Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (2)

Step 2. Prepare batter

Stir together cornmeal, flour, salt, and pepper, and dredge okra, shaking off excess.

Step 3. Fry okra

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter and about 4 tablespoons oil in skillet on medium-high. You want enough oil to come up the sides of the okra a bit, but not cover it.

When the oil is hot, add the okra and cook on one side until nicely browned, then flip to the other side.

Turn the heat down a little and continue cooking and stirring around a little until okra is nicely browned on all sides.

Watch it because it will brown quickly!

Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle your fried okra generously with salt.

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4.63 from 24 votes

Fried Okra

Fried okra with a light and crispy cornmeal batter is a tasty side dish for any of your favorite Southern meals.

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Save this Recipe

Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (3)

Ingredients

  • 1-2 lbs. fresh okra
  • 1 cup corn meal
  • ¼ cup flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup buttermilk (optional)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup canola oil

Instructions

  • Wash okra and pat dry, then slice into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding the tops.

  • Mix together cornmeal, flour, salt, and pepper.

  • Optional: Dip okra in buttermilk then place in strainer before dredging in cornmeal mixture. (This is if you want a thicker batter.)

  • Dredge okra in cornmeal and shake off excess.

  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter and about 4 tablespoons oil in skillet on medium-high. When the oil is hot, add some of the okra and cook on one side until nicely browned, then flip to the other side. Don’t crowd the pan!

  • Turn the heat down a little and continue cooking and stirring around a little until okra is nicely browned on all sides. Watch it because it will brown quickly!

  • Repeat until all the okra is fried. Add oil and butter as needed.

  • Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 191kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 95mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g

Course: Sides

Cuisine: American

Calories: 191

Keyword: fried okra, how to make fried okra, skillet fried okra

Love this recipe?Mention @southernfoodandfun or tag #southernfoodandfun!

Update Notes: This Fried Okra post was originally published September 22, 2010, and on June 23, 2020, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.

For a different twist on okra, try these Crispy Oven Baked Okra Chips. They are so good!

Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (4)

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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Posted in:

How Tos, Recipes, Sides, Southern

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Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (9)
Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (10)
Fried Okra Recipe in the Skillet - A Classic Southern Favorite! (2024)

FAQs

What makes okra taste better? ›

Cooking okra over high heat is absolutely the best way to prepare it. And when it comes to heat, deep-frying is definitely hot! A deep fryer is ideal for frying okra because it allows you to set and regulate an exact frying temperature.

Should I boil okra before frying it? ›

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.

Is fried okra a Southern thing? ›

Okra is a staple of the cuisine of the Southern United States, with fried okra being the most popular method of preparation. Okra was first transported to the Americas by slave ships during the Atlantic slave trade.

What is the secret of okra? ›

🤩 Okra is Rich in Nutrients: Okra is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, and folate. By soaking okra in water, many of these nutrients leach out into the liquid, making them easily absorbable when you drink it.

Why do you put vinegar in okra? ›

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.

Why do you put baking soda in okra? ›

Pro tip: add a little baking soda to your okra if you want it to “draw” more.

How to put up okra for frying? ›

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.

Why is my fried okra chewy? ›

Bigger is not better. The larger okra pods have tough husks and are too chewy. Growing up, fried okra was always a real treat.

How healthy is fried okra? ›

But since it's often fried in bacon drippings, frying oil and Crisco, fried okra definitely isn't healthy. It's loaded with saturated fats and trans fats, which raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels.

When should you not eat okra? ›

Gastrointestinal problems: Okra contains fructans, which is a type of carbohydrate. Fructans can cause diarrhea, gas, cramping, and bloating in people with existing bowel problems. Kidney stones: Okra is high in oxalates. The most common type of kidney stone consists of calcium oxalate.

Why do Southerners eat okra? ›

Because of its slimy nature, okra was first used by white slave owners in the South to thicken soups. Thus, Créole gumbo, which itself is another name for okra, developed in Louisiana. Okra is also absolutely delicious fried— the crisp, battered exterior balances out the sliminess.

What happens to your body when you eat okra? ›

Okra is low in calories but packed full of nutrients. The vitamin C in okra helps support healthy immune function. Okra is also rich in vitamin K, which helps your body clot blood. Antioxidants are natural compounds that help your body fight off molecules called free radicals that can damage cells.

What does okra do to your stomach? ›

Eating too much okra can adversely affect some people. Gastrointestinal problems: Okra contains fructans, which is a type of carbohydrate. Fructans can cause diarrhea, gas, cramping, and bloating in people with existing bowel problems. Kidney stones: Okra is high in oxalates.

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