Fried Okra

Is it really a Southern feast without a plate of fried okra? In the warm months, this classic dish can be found at barbecue joints, meat-and-threes, and backyard cookouts throughout the South. There are many ways to prepare okra—it can be skewered, charred, grilled, or sautéed—but the most popular and traditional Southern method to give it a quick cornmeal dredge and fry it.

The recipe is simple and straightforward. All you’ll need is fresh okra, salt, cornmeal, and canola oil to pull off this stellar side. Southerners know that fried okra doesn’t require much dressing up—when you try to get fancy, you run the risk of losing the true spirit of the dish. The process of frying okra may be simple, but the result is utter perfection—gorgeous, golden-brown nuggets of soft-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside okra. This fried favorite is also a great way to convince the kids to eat their vegetables. Don’t let the summer pass by without making this dish at least once.