Southern fried okra is crispy, crunchy, and just a tad peppery. Serve it with your favorite dipping sauce and make it the perfect appetizer or side dish for fish, chicken, and pork.
Get the perfect crispy fried okra with a delicious cornmeal coating with this easy-to-follow recipe. Impress your friends and family with this tasty, unique side dish or appetizer.
This is one of my favorite Southern recipes. It comes together fairly quickly and can be fried in less than one inch of oil, making it a little less messy. If you like this recipe, try fried zucchini, fried mushrooms, fried green beans, and beer-battered onion rings.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Greek yogurt: plan full-fat Greek yogurt is best
- Jalapeno: Use fresh jalapenos. Look for the younger peppers that are smooth and green all over with no striations or blemishes.
- Cilantro: Use fresh for the best flavor.
- Okra: It is in season from last spring to early fall. Use fresh okra so the breading adheres.
- Buttermilk: You can save money and make your buttermilk at home by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk and letting it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Cornmeal: either self-rising or plain. Self-rising cornmeal produces a slightly crispier finish.
- Seasoning: Cajun or Creole seasoning
How to Fry Okra
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Grab a small bowl and mix the yogurt, jalapeno, lime juice, and cilantro in a nonreactive bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate while you fry the okra.
First, soak your okra in buttermilk for about 30 minutes. Add your flour, cornmeal, and Cajun seasoning to a large bowl and stir to combine. Heat a little less than one inch of oil in a heavy stockpot, Dutch oven, or cast-iron skillet to about 350-375 degrees.
Next, remove the okra from the buttermilk using tongs or a slotted spoon. Shake off any excess and add the okra to the bowl with the flour and cornmeal mixture. Stir well to coat. Using the tongs, remove the okra from the bowl and add to the hot oil. Work in batches and fry until golden brown on the bottom, then flip and fry until the other side is golden brown. Remove to paper towels to absorb any extra oil.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Trim the stem and pointed end off the okra and discard.
- Soak the okra in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the fried okra and put it on paper towels to absorb any residual oil.
- Try other dipping sauces, like comeback sauce, boom boom sauce, and yum yum sauce.
- Store leftover fried okra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will not be as crisp upon reheating as it is best enjoyed promptly. However, you can reheat it in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes (my preferred way) or in the oven at 375 degrees for about 7-8 minutes.
How to Choose the Best Okra for Frying
Look for the smaller pods if you want less slime. The smaller the pod, the younger the pod, which means less slime. Get fresh, bright green okra that is firm to the touch and free from blemishes, mold, and soft spots. Fresh okra has a short shelf life, so plan accordingly. Store in the refrigerator and use within a few days.
How to Air-Fry It
Place the breaded okra in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spritz with cooking spray. Air-fry at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes, gently shaking the basket after 4-5 minutes. Work in batches if needed.
What to Serve with Fried Okra
- Dirty rice
- Creole jambalaya
- Cheesy grits
- Cajun shrimp pasta
- Shrimp creole
- Southern hoppin’ John
- Cajun chicken pasta
- Pastalaya
More Southern Recipes
Southern Fried Okra
Ingredients
Jalapeno Yogurt Sauce
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno finely minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro finely minced
Fried Okra
- ½ lb. fresh okra
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup self rising cornmeal
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix yogurt, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro in non reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
- Trim okra by cutting away and discarding tips and stems. Cut in 1/2 inch thick slices. Soak in buttermilk for 30 minutes. Keep chilled.
- Combine cornmeal, flour and Cajun seasoning in large ziploc bag.
- Working in small batches remove okra from buttermilk with slotted spoon. Add okra to ziploc bag and shake to coat.
- Pour oil in dutch oven or heavy pan to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Using the tongs remove the okra from the bag and add to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on the bottom then flip and fry until the other side is golden brown; approximately 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve warm with jalapeno yogurt sauce.
Notes
- Trim the stem and pointed end off the okra and discard.
- Soak the okra in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the fried okra and put it on paper towels to absorb any residual oil.
- Store leftover fried okra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will not be as crisp upon reheating as it is best enjoyed promptly. However, you can reheat it in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes (my preferred way) or in the oven at 375 degrees for about 7-8 minutes.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Melanie E
This fried okra is so yummy. It was a really lovely addition to our meal. Thanks for the slime tip!!!
May
Well, this is new and quite…exciting for me! I only know how to cook okra in two ways — Sinigang (it’s a staple Filipino dish) and well, boiled or steamed, dipped in soy sauce or bagoong and served with tomatoes.
I was actually considering on doing this tonight – but I don’ t have any yogurt in my fridge!! Bummer!
Beth Pierce
You’ll have to run out and get some. It is delicious.