Food and Recipes Veggies Okra 3 Easy Ideas for Okra New delicious spins on the signature Southern veggie. By Virginia Willis Virginia Willis Virginia Willis is a Food Network Kitchen chef and James Beard award-winning cookbook author. Her first cookbook, Bon Appetit, Y'all premiered in 2008 and since then, she's developed a stellar reputation for chef-inspired recipes for home cooks. She is has been featured in the NY Times, Washington Post, People Magazine, and USA Today. Fans love her knack for giving classic French dishes a down-home feel and reimagining Southern favorites. Beginning in 2019 she lost 65 pounds and has kept it off for well over a year. In 2022, her health journey was documented in Eating Well magazine as a weight loss success story. Virginia has embraced her new outlook on life and has become a cheerleader for those wanting to make their own life changes, "If a French-trained Southern chef can do it, you can, too!" Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 22, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner I love okra. As I write this, a tiny silver okra pendant hangs on a necklace around my neck. This simple little pod is my talisman, a reminder of my "Southernness" and my calling as a Southern chef and food writer. This garden gem is integral to many of the rich, thick, and spicy gumbos of Louisiana. A pan of stewed okra and tomatoes screams summer from Texas to the Carolinas. Sizzling-hot fried okra has been scooped from black cast-iron skillets across the Deep South for many generations. Pickled okra, once a way to preserve the vegetable at the end of the season, now routinely bobs in martini glasses. As Southern cooking continues to evolve, that's just the beginning. WATCH: 5 Slime-Busting Tips for Okra If we're talking okra, we must acknowledge the elephant in the room: the slime. My top tips for minimizing okra's naturally mucilaginous texture? Add tomato, lemon juice, vinegar, or some other acid when cooking. Also, cook it quickly over high heat, and don't overcrowd the pan. The three delicious recipes that follow focus on this Southern jewel and these slime-busting tricks. Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Okra and Chickpeas in Fresh Tomato Sauce Southerners know that okra and tomato make a delicious pair, and this recipe adds chickpeas and plenty of seasoning for a light, flavorful side or main dish that's ready in just 30 minutes. Get the recipe for Okra and Chickpeas in Fresh Tomato Sauce here. Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Grilled Creole Chicken & Okra In the South, Cajun seasoning and hot sauce have a reserved place at many tables. This Creole dish with chicken, Andouille sausage, and charred veggies makes a filling dinner that's on the table in less than an hour. Get the recipe for Grilled Creole Chicken and Okra here. Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal Get delicious Southern fried okra in less than 30 minutes (sans deep fryer) with this easy six-ingredient recipe. Get the recipe for Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal here. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit