Fried Okra

5 from 6 votes

Savory Southern Fried Okra has a perfectly seasoned crisp cornmeal coating on the outside of each poppable bite of one of nature's most unusual vegetables. Fried in hot oil until golden brown and crispy, this Southern staple makes a great snack, appetizer, or side dish!

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time18

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

1 pound fresh okra pods or frozen okra, thawed
2 large eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons milk
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large skillet to between 350 and 375°F.
Cut off the stem end and tip of each okra pod. Slice each pod into½-inch pieces. Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl.
Soak the okra in the egg mixture while gathering remaining ingredients.
Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a large resealable bag or shallow dish. Shake or stir well to combine.
Drain the okra from the egg mixture and add to the flour and cornmeal mixture. Shake well to coat or toss to dredge the okra pieces in the mixture. Transfer to a baking sheet or plate.
Fry the okra in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes until golden.

Notes

Buttermilk: Some people prefer to soak their okra in buttermilk instead of using eggs and milk for extra tang. If you want, you can replace the eggs and milk with 1 cup of buttermilk instead in this recipe.
Storage: Store any leftover okra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat leftover fried okra in an air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3 to 4 minutes or in a 350 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The air fryer is my preferred method because it crisps up the exterior a bit better than the oven, but both work well.
Freezing: You can freeze the fried okra before or after frying. Just space out the breaded pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour before transferring to an airtight container. This helps prevent the breaded okra from freezing together in a big lump. To cook, either fry in the hot oil like normal or you can use an air fryer and cook them for 12-14 minutes at 400 degrees F, shaking the basket partway through so they air fry evenly.
Air Fryer Fried Okra Instructions: Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F. Bread the okra like you normally would, then transfer them to the basket of your air fryer so they are in a single layer (you will definitely need to work in batches). Spray with cooking spray, then cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
Nutrition: The nutrition info is calculated without an oil amount using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information, you might want to consult a nutitritionist.

Nutrition