If you’ve ever been to a farmers market in the South, you know you’d better arrive before 9 a.m. or the okra will be gone. This Fried Okra recipe turns fresh okra into crisp, golden bites that are anything but slimy. Coated in seasoned cornmeal and fried until crunchy, it’s a side dish that disappears fast. Serve it hot with Alabama white BBQ sauce for true Southern cooking.

A plate of crispy fried okra pieces surrounding a bowl of creamy dipping sauce with cracked black pepper on top. One okra piece is dipped in the sauce.

A True Taste of the South

Skillet Fried okra is about as Southern as it gets, but you’ve got to do it right. First, that cornmeal and flour coating gives you the crunch we all love, but it won’t stick unless you dip the okra in buttermilk and egg first.

You’ll fry just a few pieces in the hot oil at a time until golden brown and crispy. Cast-iron is my skillet of choice because it holds heat like nothing else.

As for seasoning, I like Old Bay with a pinch of cayenne for a little kick. You can make it spicier if you like. And don’t forget a sprinkle of salt the moment it comes out of the fryer. That’s what locks in the flavor.

Serve it hot, right out of the pan, and don’t be surprised when the plate disappears before supper’s even on the table. Fried okra has a way of turning into a snack while you’re still cooking the rest of the meal. Which means it’s great for a game day snack next to some bold cereal mix.

If you’ve never had okra before, you should give it a try. Some turn their nose at ti because it can be slimy, but you don’t have to worry about that with these fried okra slices. It might look like fried pickles but there’s not sour briny taste so it’s great to dip in your favorite sauce whether it’s a come back sauce, bbq sauce or creamy white queso.

A hand dips a piece of fried okra into a bowl of creamy dipping sauce on a plate filled with crispy okra bites. The sauce is sprinkled with black pepper.

The Southern Pantry at Work

This Southern snack is super easy to make and requires a few basic ingredients. You can find the full list in the recipe card.

A flat lay of cooking ingredients: a bag of cornmeal, a bag of all-purpose flour, fresh okra pods, a container of Old Bay seasoning, a bottle of cayenne pepper, a carton of buttermilk, and a brown egg on a gray surface.

Okra: Look for small, firm pods at the farmers’ market or grocery store. Smaller okra is less fibrous and cooks up tender without being tough.
Egg + Buttermilk: This wet mixture helps the breading stick. Buttermilk also adds a slight tang that balances the cornmeal coating. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own.
Cornmeal: The secret to that Southern-style crunch. Fine or medium grind works best.
Neutral oil for frying: Use vegetable or canola oil for a clean fry. Avoid olive oil since it burns at a higher temperature.

From Market Basket to Skillet

Step One: Slice the Okra

Tip: Pat dry before coating to prevent sogginess.

Sliced fresh okra pieces on a black cutting board with a serrated knife nearby. The okra slices reveal a star-shaped interior pattern and some seeds are scattered around. — Wash and cut into ¼-inch slices.

Step Two: Coat the Okra

Tip: Don’t skip the resting part. Letting those little slices sit for a bit helps the breading cling, so it won’t fall off in the hot oil.

A bowl filled with a light yellow batter, with a fork resting inside. The bowl sits on a gray mottled surface. — Make the buttermilk and egg mixture.

A bowl filled with a creamy yellow batter and slices of fresh green okra on top, placed on a light gray textured surface. — Add the okra slices to the buttermilk mixture.

A bowl filled with a light yellow, fine powder mixture and a fork resting inside; next to the bowl is a rectangular metal tin labeled “Seasoned Flour.”. — Prep the cornmeal, flour, and spice mixture.

A baking sheet lined with parchment paper, covered with evenly spaced pieces of sliced okra coated in a light layer of flour and breading, ready to be baked or fried. — Coat the okra slices in the cornmeal mixture and let them rest.

Step Three: Fry Until Golden

Tip: Don’t crowd the pan. This keeps the oil hot.

Small, round pieces of battered food are being deep fried in hot oil in a black cast iron skillet, with bubbles forming around each piece as they cook. — Heat oil to 350ºF and fry okra in batches.

Golden brown pieces of fried okra are scattered on a white paper towel, which is absorbing excess oil from the fried food. — Remove to a paper towel–lined sheet pan and sprinkle with extra salt.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

A plate of crispy fried okra pieces served with a bowl of creamy dipping sauce topped with cracked black pepper.

Crispy Cornmeal Coated Southern Fried Okra

Author: Barbara Curry

If you’ve ever been to a farmers market in the South, you know you’d better arrive before 9 a.m. or the okra will be gone. This Fried Okra recipe turns fresh okra into crisp, golden bites that are anything but slimy. Coated in seasoned cornmeal and fried until crunchy, it’s a side dish that disappears fast. Serve it hot with Alabama white BBQ sauce for true Southern cooking.

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PREP: 30

TOTAL: 30

Servings:

Ingredients

Instructions

Wash and slice okra into ¼ inch slices.
In a bowl, mix together the egg and buttermilk.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, salt, Old Bay and cayenne.
Coat the okra in the egg mixture, then coat in the flour mixture and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Place paper towels on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat 2 inches of oil in an iron-skillet or Dutch oven until it reaches 350º. Try to maintain the temperature of the oil at 350º. Add a few of the okra slices to the oil and cook for about 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon onto the paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with additional salt if needed. Repeat with the remaining okra slices.

Barbara’s Tips + Notes

If you want the coating to be smoother, use a fine ground cornmeal instead of a medium ground.

Nutrition

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