Southern Fried Okra is a summer staple, especially in areas where the okra plant is abundant. This deliciously crisp dish is made by coating the sliced okras with buttermilk, then dredging with a dry mix of cornmeal, garlic seasoning, all purpose flour, and pepper. Fried into a pot of oil till golden and crisp. The perfect combination of crispy outer shell and a gooey inside. Great for veggie hating kids and adults alike. Try out the Yummy Kitchen version of the classic Southern fried okra made simple and easy.

Southern Fried Okra Recipe:

Ingredients :

2 bunches of okra
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons garlic herb seasoning
Pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Steps :

Prepare the okra by giving it a good wash before slicing these into bite sized pieces. Place these in a bowl and soak in buttermilk for at least 10 minutes.
While waiting, in another bowl, mix together cornmeal, all purpose flour, seasoning and pepper. Mix until well combined.
Place the soaked okras into the cornmeal mixture. Coat the okras evenly.
In a deep pan with hot oil, carefully add the okras and deep fry until golden and crispy.
Take these out when slightly golden, place in a strainer to remove any excess oil
Serve hot with a side of honey mustard dip or any sauces or dip you like. Enjoy!

What does Fried Okra taste like?

This simply seasoned cornmeal and okra recipe or ‘Crispy Fried Okra’, is a great combination to add a nice crust around the okra and hide these from kids who have a hard time eating vegetables. The Okra itself has a subtle sweet and grassy mild taste and is more so known for its slimy texture. Frying this vegetable will help hide its taste with the seasoning fully covering most of the flavor profile.

How do you cook Southern Fried Okra?

A 6 – 7 ingredient dish that uses simple ingredients you can find at home. This recipe is also a great alternative to those who don’t want to waste any eggs. How to fry okra without an egg? This old fashioned southern fried okra recipe starts with the okra chopped into bite-sized pieces or kept whole to make a “whole fried okra”, these are soaked in buttermilk before being tossed and coated with a cornmeal breading mixture made of cornmeal, flour, seasonings, and pepper for added flavor. Deep fried in a bottom heavy pan till golden, strained for a bit to remove some of the excess oil, before serving with your choice of sauce.

Questions:

Can you make fried okra without cornmeal?

Yes, you can also make fried okra with bread crumbs, just flour, or you can remove the cornmeal and flour just keeping the seasonings to deep fry, or make beer battered okra by adding beer into the batter instead of buttermilk to make it puffier and smoother.

Buttermilk substitute

Pour 1 cup of milk and mix these with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon. Leave these at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and these will thicken slightly. Wait for more time if you need these thickened more or use them immediately.

Fried okra dipping sauce options?

You can use sauces as simple as hot sauce, ketchup, sriracha, mayo, or a mix of sauces like honey mustard mayo, garlic mayo, barbecue sauce, ranch, any sauce of choice.

Cooking methods?
- Pan fried okra – has less oil and is a good alternative to those interested in a ‘healthier’ version of the fried okra.
- How to cook okra on the stove? Fry these in a deep pot filled with enough oil to avoid spilling. These should bubble before at the bottom or bubble when you drizzle leftover flour to check if the temperature is high enough. Deep fry till golden.
- Fried okra recipe using an air fryer? Healthy, and turns up better than the pan fried version as these come out crispier. After the okras have been battered and coated, place these in the air fryer with or without parchment at 356°F or 185°C for 5 to 8 minutes or until crispy.