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The crunchy coating comes from a mix of Panko bread crumbs, corn meal, and parmesan cheese.

Make this delicious and crunchy Oven-Fried Okra just one time and you may never go back to cooking fried okra on the stove! My “fried” okra recipe uses a fraction of the oil used when pan frying which is an added health benefit!

This okra recipe has quickly become one of our favorite summer side dishes to make when okra is in season, but it works equally well with frozen okra. Just thaw before breading and cook as directed in the recipe notes below.

Need suggestions to complete your menu? Check out my veggie pizza appetizer, this popular grilled salmon — it’s so easy and so good! — and these dreamy ricotta-herb scones in place of dinner rolls. Yum!!

Crunchy Oven Fried Okra

What I think is one of the absolutely best summer foods? FRIED OKRA!

Lucky for you, today I’m sharing a recipe I recently discovered at Sing for Your Supper Blog for a healthier, Crunchy Oven-Fried Okra. 

Thanks to my father-in-law and his garden, we feasted on this “farm-to-table” delicacy at supper the other night.

Just so you understand… this…just this…WAS our entire supper. Yep, just this beautiful bowl of okra. It was delicious!

sliced okra with eggs in a mixing bowl

Tips for making the BEST okra in the oven:

  • Toss sliced okra with raw eggs to coat all the pieces before breading
  • Use a resealable plastic bag to shake the okra with the breading (see the video below for a demo)
  • Putting the breaded okra in the refrigerator for a few minutes before adding to the pan will help keep the breading on the okra — more breading, more crunch!
  • Always preheat the baking sheet with oil before adding the okra.

How can you tell if fresh okra is good?

When choosing okra at the market, avoid any pods that have brown spots or that are shriveled. The larger okra pods can tend to be tough, so stick with small or medium size pods.

Fresh okra will have white seeds when you cut into the pods. Brown seeds indicate the okra is old and will probably be tough.

whole pods of fresh okra on a wooden cutting board

How do you reheat fried okra in the oven?

To reheat oven-fried okra in the oven, place it on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. To reheat pan-fried okra, follow the same method. Some oil may release from the warmed up okra, so be sure to drain it well on paper towels before serving.

“Someone gave us okra the other night and I fixed your recipe. Tom has said how good it was TWICE, so I am making it again tonight. It definitely deserves five stars!” — CAROL

More veggie side dish recipes

  • Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a delicious Southern side dish made with yellow squash, zucchini, and corn with a crunchy breadcrumb and Parmesan topping.
  • Roasted Okra with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette cooks in a cast-iron skillet on top of the stove until it is tender and slightly charred, then gets topped with an amazing honey-mustard-bacon dressing and more crumbled bacon. Delish!
  • Crispy Oven-Baked Onion Rings — Healthier onion rings that are tender on the inside and nicely crisp on the outside without frying!
  • Browned Butter Roasted Asparagus — Perfectly roasted asparagus drizzled with a nutty browned butter sauce is an elegant side dish for steak or seafood and requires only 12 minutes baking time!
  • Asiago Potato Stacks – These fancy little Asiago Potato Stacks, seasoned with fresh rosemary and sea salt, are cheesy, crispy, and perfectly elegant!
  • Hattie B’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad — Hattie B’s Black Eyed Pea Salad is dressed with a bright and perfectly balanced vinaigrette.
  • Fresh Herb Potato Salad — The flavor of this classic, creamy potato salad is enhanced by using fresh herbs—tarragon and parsley—in the dressing. You’ll make Grandma proud with this recipe!

Special equipment

  • My new favorite cookie sheet is the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Half Sheet (with a bonus silicone baking mat). One thing I like about this baking sheet is the textured surface that allows the air to flow for more even baking. It also is made with heavy-gauge aluminized steel which promotes even heat distribution.
  • Also, I use my glass batter bowl ALL. the. time. It has a wide base for easy mixing and comes with a handy lid. Plus, the bowl and lid are both dishwasher, microwave, and freezer-safe.
Crunchy Oven Fried Okra | Life, Love, and Good Food

Let’s cook!

An added benefit to this oven-fried okra recipe is that there’s no greasy mess to clean up. Placing the okra under a broiler at the end of cooking  and stirring frequently will result in extra golden brown crispiness!

Crunchy Oven Fried Okra | Life, Love, and Good Food

Crunchy Oven-Fried Okra

Crunchy Oven-Fried Okra — this recipe is a bit healthier and easier to prepare.
4.39 from 259 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Vegetables & Sides
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 266 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups fresh-cut okra
  • 4 tablespoons cornmeal
  • 6 tablespoons Italian-style panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 3-4 tablespoons canola oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the cornmeal, panko, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese in a gallon-size ziplock bag.
  • In a separate bowl, gently toss the okra with the beaten eggs until evenly coated.
  • Pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet (15x10x1) and place in the preheated oven for just a few minutes to warm up the oil–be careful to not let it start to smoke.
  • In the meantime, add the wet okra a little at a time to the bag and shake until coated. If needed, you may add additional cornmeal and panko breadcrumbs — if the okra isn’t coated as much as you like. Carefully add the okra to the hot baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tender, turning the okra halfway through baking. To get a nice golden brown, increase oven heat to broil and watch carefully, stirring as needed.

Video

Notes

Recipe adapted from Sing for Your Supper Blog.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 9gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 412mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword okra, vegetable
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was.
Sheila Thigpen, blogger

About Sheila Thigpen

Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer

Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.

41 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    First time I have cooked Okra in the oven, It was a delicious and will try again using the Air Fryer included in my new oven next time.

  2. 1 star
    At first I was upset because the coating wouldn’t stick to the okra. But in the end I was glad it didn’t. I thought the flavor was lacking and the texture was awful. I definitely won’t be making this recipe again.

  3. Excellent… I’m from the south so fried okra has been a favorite of mine forever but hated the mess of deep frying. This recipe is pretty darned close without the mess. Thanks.

  4. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and it was so good. It’s not like the pan fried but crispy, healthier and less mess alternative. It will be a regular on the menu!

  5. I love okra! I used 4 T cornmeal and 2 T flour, then added the breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. I put foil on a cooking sheet and sprayed with Pam, and sprinkled a little olive oil. I also sprinkled olive oil on the top before baking. It was really crunchy and delicious!

  6. Hello,
    Question… how about frozen okra? I live in Colorado and we rarely see fresh. What do you advise?
    Thank you!

    1. Hi, Morgan. I’m curious if you are able to get frozen okra that is NOT breaded? If so, then I’d suggest that you thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then drain off any liquid and pat dry with paper towels before proceeding with the recipe instructions. Removing the excess moisture first should help. Please let me know if you try this method. Thanks!

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