Recipe: Roasted Okra
Okra was one of those random foods that I never tried until I was in college – I never had a strong dislike for it or anything like that, it just wasn’t something my mom cooked during my childhood. Things were not boding well for this veggie when a friend lovingly described it as “kinda slimy.” Seeing this as a challenge to overcome, I went ahead and bought okra seedlings to plant at my parents’ house (no way they would survive NYC apartment living!). With a proud bumper crop of no less than 3 okras, I knew I had to supplement my homegrown supply with the farmers market stock. Boy, am I glad I did – a simple roast and I was an okra convert! Here’s how I did it:
You will need:
- Okra (the tinier the better! The size of your pinky is a good gauge. Larger okra is tough and fibrous)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut okra into 1 inch pieces and scatter on foiled line baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper:
3. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes.
YUM! This was hearty and flavorful, and the slime-factor was minimal. If the sliminess really bothers you, try soaking the cut pieces in ice water with a squeeze of lime for 15 minutes before roasting – gets the slime right out. I LOVE okra!
Are you an okra fan? Can you stand the slime?
i’m always intimidated by okra because i feel like i have to come up with some great dish to cook them in, but this is a great reminder that a simple roast can do the trick!
1I do like okra in Indian curries, where the sauce masks the sliminess. Otherwise, I’m not much of a fan, though yours looks pretty good!
2I love okra! The slime doesn’t bother me, it just adds to the interesting texture. I cut them length wise & roast them. They are also awesome when deep fried in cornmeal.
3Love okra! I usually saute the okras with shrimp paste, yum!
4I love making okra “oven fried”! I think it’s awesome that you found a good way of making it that isn’t friend or breaded
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