16 Okra Recipes That Prove It's Not Just For Gumbo Whether fried, pickled, or grilled, okra is one of the South's signature ingredients. By Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland is a writer and editor with 17 years of experience in food, lifestyle, travel, and health content. She is an Editorial Director for Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 13, 2025 Reviewed by Brierley Horton, MS, RD Reviewed by Brierley Horton, MS, RD Brierley Horton is a registered dietitian nutritionist with 15 years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets such as Cooking Light, EatingWell, Livestrong.com, and All Recipes. She has been the editor of articles that won journalism awards from the James Beard Foundation and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. She is also co-host and co-creator of the Happy Eating Podcast, a podcast that breaks down the connection between diet and lifestyle, and mental wellness. Learn more about the Southern Living Food & Nutrition Review Board Fact checked by Elizabeth Berry Fact checked by Elizabeth Berry Elizabeth Berry is a fact checker and writer with over three years of professional experience in the field. She has fact checked lifestyle topics ranging from destination wedding venues to gift guide round-ups for a variety of publications including Brides, The Spruce, and TripSavvy. In addition to her fact checking background, she also has over six years experience of reporting, writing, and copy editing articles for digital magazines including Woman's Day and The Knot. Elizabeth also has a strong background in shopping content as both a fact checker and writer. brand's fact checking process Close Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Whether fried, pickled, or grilled, no other vegetable tastes quite like okra. Every Southerner has their favorite okra dish, and we've rounded up the best okra recipes we could find to showcase this traditional Southern veggie. From main dishes to sides, our best, crispiest okra recipes offer creative, tasty options for every day of the week. You Don't Hate Okra, You Just Haven't Made It My Mama's Way 01 of 16 Fried Pickled Okra Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Montiel Forget what you know about fried okra. This recipe uses pickled okra for tangy, briny, crunchy flavor through and through. Get The Recipe Save 02 of 16 Pan-Fried Okra With Cornmeal Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Cooking in two skillets, or two batches, will allow the okra to get extra crispy. The surprising part is that it takes less than half-an-hour to come together. get the recipe Save 03 of 16 Okra And Rice Casserole Credit: Hector Sanchez This casserole is simple to make but is still packed with an amazing amount of flavor. The secret that makes this recipe so simple is that it uses two microwaveable pouches of rice. Get The Recipe Save 04 of 16 Classic Okra And Tomatoes Credit: Monica Farber/Southern Living This essential summer side features the most Southern pairing. Steeped in centuries of history, this combo cannot be missed. Get The Recipe Save 05 of 16 Shrimp And Okra Gumbo Credit: Southern Living Even though this dinner is made in one pot, it makes 12 servings. The okra is cooked low and slow here to help alleviate its sometimes slimy texture. get the recipe Save 06 of 16 Hearty Beef And Freezer Veggie Soup Credit: Greg DuPree Okra can be enjoyed year-round in a soul-warming soup like Hearty Beef And Freezer Veggie Soup. The grocery store should have everything you need for this recipe. get the recipe Save 07 of 16 Best-Ever Succotash Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely The ultimate summer side: succotash. Need we say more? get the recipe Save 08 of 16 Cajun Chicken Cassoulet Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell Your family will love this one-pot, spiced-up version of the French meal. Your family will also appreciate that this recipe doesn't take all day like the traditional version. Dinner will be ready in a little over an hour with this recipe. get the recipe Save 09 of 16 Maque Choux With Sausage Credit: Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry This Louisiana classic comes together in just one skillet and 25 minutes. While most often served as a side dish, we've made the recipe hearty enough to be the main. get the recipe Save 10 of 16 Shrimp And Sausage Gumbo Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell Our Test Kitchen deemed this one of the best pots of gumbo they've ever put out. We make this cayenne-kissed dish with all the usual suspects. get the recipe Save 11 of 16 Cajun Shrimp Casserole This is one of our go-to ways to serve up a flavorful casserole to friends in need. An unbaked casserole can be made up to a day in advance. get the recipe Save 12 of 16 Air Fryer Okra Credit: Caitlin Bensel We've found dozens of fun ways to make Southern classics in our new Air Fryers, and this is a Test Kitchen favorite. With no oily mess, it will quickly become your favorite way to make okra. get the recipe Save 13 of 16 Simple Roasted Okra Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Instead of turning to the deep-fryer, we cook this okra on high heat in the oven. Serve as a side with garlicky shrimp. get the recipe Save 14 of 16 Grilled Okra-And-Pepper Skewers With Dijon Dipping Sauce Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Okra and peppers bring color to the grill with these veggie-forward skewers. It's like summer on a platter. get the recipe Save 15 of 16 Fried-Okra Cornbread Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Prepare the bread basket. Two Southern icons–okra and cornbread–come together in one can't-be-topped recipe. get the recipe Save 16 of 16 Smashed Oven-Fried Okra Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Fifteen minutes of hands-on time and 45 minutes total, will have these Southern veggies on the table in no time. Roasting this breaded okra in the oven cuts down on the fat without sacrificing the crispy crust. get the recipe Save Explore more: Food and Recipes Veggies Okra Was this page helpful? 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