As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you want to skip the slime when cooking okra, roasted okra is a great way to do it. It’s super simple, and you can take the flavors in any number of directions. I’m partial to spicy roasted okra.
While I love okra in most of its forms, it will release a certain amount of slime when it hits water, which is why it is perfect for thickening stews, like Creole gumbo or West African okra stew.
That’s the only time I want my okra in its full juicy glory. In every other case, I perform my cook’s magic to remove the slime. There are a few ways, notably fierce, searing heat, like in my okra salad. Grilling okra will do the same thing.
Another trick I’ve learned is to sprinkle any cut okra — keeping okra whole limits the slime, too — with something acidic. I use Fruit Fresh, which is citric and ascorbic acid used in home canning, but in India they use powdered unripe mangos.
My roasted okra uses both techniques: High heat and an acidic sprinkle.
You may notice from the pictures that my okra looks a little odd. That’s because it’s red okra. The variety that grows really well in my hot, dry, Sacramento summers is Yuma red. It’s variety that’s low in slime to begin with, and once you’re done with this roasted okra recipe, there’s really none.
Good luck finding seeds though. Native Seeds Search in Arizona used to sell them, but no longer. Obviously any variety of okra is fine.
It doesn’t matter whether you slice your okra or not. I keep pods the size of my pinkie finger whole, and I slice long ones into discs, regular pods lengthwise. Trim the base of the stem end, which can get woody.
Seasonings for Roasted Okra
I like to keep my roasted okra simple, so I season it with salt, ground chiles, that Fruit Fresh for the acidity — remember this kills the slime — and then a squeeze of lemon or lime at the end.
Really all you need is salt. You can skip the acidic sprinkle if you want, but you might get a little slime here and there; the high heat for roasted okra will kill most of it.
I use olive oil to toss the okra, but any oil you like will work.
You can mix and match seasonings as you will, but I feel a better option is to make up a vinaigrette and toss the roasted okra in it after they come out of the oven. With that, you’ll have oil, vinegar or citrus, and you can add herbs like thyme, parsley, savory, etc.
You can also make the roasted okra, then add it to other recipes — a great place for it would be to add it to Egyptian bamia, a meat and okra stew.
I actually like roasted okra at room temperature or even cool, so it’s a perfect make-ahead dish.
Looking for more okra recipes? I have lots. Okra stew, Lowcountry okra salad, Creole okra gumbo, pickled okra… yeah, I like okra.
Spicy Roasted Okra
Ingredients
- 1 pound okra
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Fruit Fresh citric acid powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne, or other powdered chiles
- 1 teaspoon salt (garlic salt is nice, too)
- Juice of a lemon or lime
Instructions
- Keep very small okra pods whole, slice slightly larger ones lengthwise, and large ones crosswise into discs. Preheat your oven to 425°F
- Toss the okra in the olive oil, then the remaining ingredients. Keep in mind you can use whatever spice mix makes you happy. If you use some mix that includes salt, don't add any more salt. Roast in one layer on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, turning once. You want to see some crisping along the edges.
- Serve hot or at room temperature with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The recipe is timely. I love and grow okra, and this year I’m growing Motherland okra for the first time. I will try this recipe out as soon as pods appear. Can’t wait!
Hank – Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Petaluma (aka The Seed Bank because their store is in an old bank) offers a variety of okra seeds by mail, including some red ones. https://www.rareseeds.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=okra
Great idea! Gonna try this. I would suggest a seasoning blend based on garlic & onion powder and smoked paprika, or chipotle powder if you like the heat. It does wonders for my pickled okra!
Hi hank,
This looks tasty. Do you think subbing vinegar for the fruit fresh would have similar affect on slime reduction?
Thanks,
Chad
Chad: I’ve tried it and it didn’t really work.
Thanks for another okra recipe to add to our list, as well as the technique details.
Might I suggest SeedSavers for finding this variety of okra. Their exchange currently has two people offering Yuma Red, and many other red/purple varieties as well.
D: Awesome! That’s a great tip.
Also Kitazawa Seeds (East Bay online) has red okra. Plus a lot of awesome Asian varieties of greens and roots.
This makes my want to try okra. I never have! You can find several different varieties of red okra at Baker Creek, rare seeds.com. It’s too late for me this year, but next year, I’ll plant some!
Excellent recipe Hank, I toss okra trimmed and halved, then tossed with Indian spices and Besan flour, let sit for 10 min. then onto a sheet pan @ 400f to make Okra Fries. Great with an Impossible Burger.
Looks &sounds delicious! Will have some soon. In the past, Lucy has sauteed it with olive oil slowly and eventually the slime cooks away and it browns in the pan.
Hank – Looks like another killer recipe.
Unfortunately will not be coming from my garden – the Okra – rabbits got all forty plants this year – last year got half of them.
Rabbits took out 100 percent of my Okra and Marigolds here in Cary, NC – but left my tomatoes, peppers, squash and herbs untouched.
Have a great week!
Tad
Have you tried using frozen okra with this recipe or does it only work with fresh?
Josh: You can use frozen. But don’t thaw it — toss with the oil, then the spices, then right into the hot oven. It will need a few minutes more.