Okra was not that much of a thing when I lived in West Virginia and Ohio. However, my parents raised okra in our garden because my mom thought it would be fun and she LOVED okra and tomatoes. I don’t remember okra being a popular item with anyone outside of my immediate and extended family.
Having never eaten any okra that was not a slimy mess mixed with other ingredients, like tomatoes, I really disliked okra. Well, I disliked okra until I moved to the southeastern United States where okra is a big deal and often served deep fried. After enjoying some of the deep fried okra, I found myself willing to try okra pickled, grilled, or roasted…just not boiled in any fashion.
My favorite way to eat okra is either grilled or roasted. While I’m content just to eat them lightly salted kind of like french fries, I like a good dip or spread with them. In fact my favorite appetizer at a local restaurant is fried okra served with pimento cheese spread and pita wedges…yum. So, I have made my own twist on their appetizer by roasting okra and serving it with my pimento cheese spread.
I like my okra really crispy, so I often split the pods in half to roast them, but they can also be roasted whole or in round chunks depending on the size of the okra. If they are small, you probably do not want to split them. Many people do not split an okra pod lengthwise because they say the long cut allows for too much of the mucilage to seep out. However, I find that the long slice also allows any moister to escape better and that the cut doesn’t generate too much mucilage if it is quickly cooked on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet.
Here is how I roast okra:
Roasted Okra (with Pimento Cheese Spread)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 +/- lbs. okra pods
- 2 +/- Tbsp. oil (pecan, avocado, olive, or any oil that will do well at higher temp.)
- Kosher or Himalayan salt, to taste
- OPTIONAL: Spice or spice mixture (smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, Za'atar, Berbere, Old Bay etc.), to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
- Prep okra by washing, drying, and cutting them. If leaving whole, cut off top and/or tip to allow moister to escape in the roasting. Split okra in half especially if okra is larger, if desired.
- Place prepared okra in a bowl and coat okra with oil.
- Spread into an even layer on baking sheet cut side down. Allow at least a 1/4 of an inch between each piece to prevent them from steaming instead of roasting. Remember Steam = Slime
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes* until they are browned enough to suit your taste.
- Sprinkle with salt (and/or additional seasoning) IMMEDIATELY after removing the baking sheet from oven. Toss to coat evenly.
- Serve warm either plain, with pimento cheese spread, or a dipping sauce.
Notes
* Cook TIME does VARY depending on size of okra and how well done you like them.
*If you are very concerned about possible slime, preheat the baking sheet in the oven before adding the okra. Or, use a preheated cast iron skillet instead of a baking sheet.
You do NOT have to serve the okra with anything. You can eat them with just salt or add other spices. You can also serve roasted okra with a variety of dipping spice including: Alabama white sauce, barbecue sauce, shrimp sauce (a Japanese steakhouse white sauce), a Louisiana remoulade (or any remoulade sauce), and so forth.
If you are serving the roasted okra with pimento cheese spread, you can spread the cheese mixture directly on the okra or spread it on a cracker, pita, etc. and place the okra on it. Yum!
ONE NOTE ABOUT OKRA: There are many varieties of okra