Fried Okra

Fried okra is a classic southern dish. It is a crispy and addicting easy snack or appetizer recipe. A cajun dipping sauce gives it the perfect amount of kick!

I think Okra kind of gets a bad rap. Sometimes when I ask if people like it, I get funny faces and then responses like “But it’s slimy”. And slimy is not really something that you want associated with food. And while Okra can be kind of slimy if it’s not cooked right, fried okra, in all of it’s crispy fried goodness, is down right addicting.

We’re talking “popping it in your mouth like it’s popcorn” addicting. It’s right up there in the “can’t stop eating this” category with my crunchy jalapeno bites.

So how do you make fried okra?  For this fried okra recipe, I used frozen okra. Frozen okra seems to be a little bit easier to find in my neck of the woods. My grocery store carries the fresh stuff every once in a blue moon, but for the most part, frozen is where I have to turn. If you have to use frozen okra too, just make sure that you thaw it first. After you have thawed the okra you simply dredge the okra in flour, dip it in buttermilk and finally in a seasoned panko bread crumb mixture.

Next comes the breading. Traditionally fried okra is made with a cornmeal breading. And while it was good, when it comes to frying things, I am always a huge fan of panko bread crumbs. Panko gives everything just the right amount of crunch.

Finally the dipping sauce. Fried Okra is pretty great on it’s own but for this recipe, I made a creamy cajun dipping sauce to serve along side.

Talk about addicting. It’s creamy, spicy and perfect for the fried okra. You can use any cajun seasoning that you like. Just keep in mind that some of them have salt and some don’t. I am currently in love with this cajun blend (affiliate link). This blend does have salt so you may not need any additional salt for seasoning.

Also, I’ve made this dip a few times now and while this recipe calls for sour cream, I have actually also made it with a greek yogurt base. If you are looking for a little bit of a lighter dip then I suggest using that. It is a great substitute!