Air Fryer Okra

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Crunchy and golden, this crispy Air Fryer Okra and creamy dipping sauce recipe is THE perfect southern staple! Making roasted okra in an air fryer is the difference-maker in its delicious goodness, not to mention a great healthy alternative to traditional frying.

Equipment

Air Fryer — This NuWave 8-quart Air Fryer is what I have and I love it! If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon of air frying yet, there’s no time like the present!

Ingredient notes

• Okra — Choose fresh okra with bright green pods that are smooth, tender, and blemish-free.
• Egg — Do a quick whisk before dipping to make sure it’s mixed well.
• Cornmeal — Make this dish gluten-free by simply using all cornmeal and omitting the flour from the breading mixture. 
• Flour — All-purpose is what the recipe calls for but alternatives like wheat or almond will work also. 

• Kosher salt — Coarse sea salt or Himalayan is the best substitute if you don’t have this on hand.
• Black pepper — Papaya seeds can be used for those with a pepper allergy.
• Air fryer safe cooking spray — I personally haven’t had issues with a build-up in my air fryer from using regular Pam cooking spray; however, some manufacturers recommend not using a spray that includes propellants. A good alternative is this propellant-free olive oil cooking spray by Bertolli OR try using a refillable oil mister. The bottom line, though, is the okra needs to be well coated for crispy results.

Ole Bay Dipping Sauce ingredients

• Mayonnaise — Mayo adds creamy deliciousness to the dip base.
• Sour cream — Use yogurt as your best option for a sub here. Look for Greek or natural yogurts. 
• Lemon juice — Keep the flavor bright with lemon juice.
• Dijon mustard — If you don’t have Dijon, stone ground mustard or even yellow mustard is okay but yellow mustard isn’t quite as spicy though.
• Old Bay seasoning — The two main ingredients are celery salt and paprika.
• Red cayenne pepper — Hot paprika is a good alternative. Want to turn the spice up? Season the dip to taste!

How to make crispy Air Fried Okra

I guess technically it’s not frying as we know it, but it’s more like a convection oven. Air fryers work by blowing hot air around the food that’s placed inside a perforated basket.

The temperature, though, has to reach at least 320 degrees to allow foods to form that crispy and golden outer layer. 

STEP 1 | Preheat the fryer

Before prepping the okra, preheat the air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees. The recipe does not take long to prepare, so it should be ready right in time.

STEP 2 | Prep the okra

First, cut the crown and tip from the okra and slice into about ½-inch pieces, and place them in a large bowl.

Then beat the egg and pour it into the bowl with the okra and gently stir them together until all the okra is coated nicely. 

STEP 3 | Add dry ingredients

Now, take the cornmeal, flour, salt, and pepper and throw them in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. You’ll want to use a slotted spoon to move the okra to the bag.

Make sure to allow any excess egg to drip back into the bowl so it does not cake up your dry ingredient mixture.

STEP 4 | Bag and shake

Take the sealed bag and gently shake it until you see all the pieces are completely coated. Then use the slotted spoon again to move the okra from the bag to a plate.

STEP 5 | Placing fried okra in air fryer

The air fryer should be ready, so go ahead and spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with the cooking spray. You’ve got about 4 cups of okra which means you will be working in batches to get optical crispiness.

First, add a single layer of the breaded okra and spray generously with the cooking spray. That way, each piece gets exposure to the air flow.

STEP 6 | Cook until crispy

Fry okra for 5 minutes. Then shake the basket and spray the okra again and cook for another 5 minutes or until you see the breaded okra form a nice crisp and golden layer.

Air fryers may vary a little, so continue cooking at 3 to 5-minute intervals spraying each time until the okra has reached a golden brown and crunchy perfection! Repeat the same with the remaining breaded okra batches.

STEP 7 | Make the dipping sauce

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Old Bay seasoning, and whisk together until fully mixed and scrumptious. This is where you can turn up the heat, or add any additional ingredients you like to the sauce. 

And there you have it: the perfect dipping sauce to go with your air-fried okra. It’s also a delicious alternative to tartar sauce when you’re making fried catfish.

Now you’re ready to enjoy! For the best results, serve right away while it’s nice and warm and that extra crispy. 

Variations and substitutions

• For the sauce, lime or orange juice will work or even vinegar in place of the lemon juice. All are one-to-one substitutes.
• In a pinch, you can use ¼ teaspoon of each for 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning. 
• A great vegan option is avocado mayo.

Storage and reheating tips

• Store the leftover dipping sauce and okra in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.
• To reheat the okra, place in a preheated air fryer for 5 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

Serve on a nice platter with the side dipping sauce for an eye-popping grab. To give your munchers options drizzle a little over half the okra and leave the other half without. 

You can also add some bright orange carrots and beautiful green celery to the platter for another option to dip in the sauce!

My Grilled Balsamic Chicken lines up perfectly with this fried okra for a summer cookout and you might want to add a touch of spice with Spicy Grilled Corn on the Cob. When you’re having guests over, Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers is another great one to add to your air fryer recipes.   

Beyond the recipe

Did you know okra is classified as a fruit? The pods come from a flowering plant and they contain seeds that make it a fruit. Fresh okra has a wealth of benefits too: they’re rich in nutrients, contain several antioxidants, and may lower heart disease risk. 

Tasty goodness and healthy! I’ll take it!