Learn How To Saute Okra without the slimy consistency with this easy recipe. This summer vegetable is considered a superfood with plenty of health benefits. Enjoy this Simple Pan Fried Okra Sauteed With Garlic is a delicious side dish you'd want to make on repeat!
The simplicity of this dish is that it only requires a few ingredients and 2-3 minutes on a large skillet. Join us and meal prep clean eating for the week, and you will feel energized!
> In This Post: Everything You'll Need For Best Sauteed Okra Recipe
Suppose you are an okra lover like me and want to add tender okra pods to everything yet are afraid of it being wet, soggy, sticky and slimy. In that case, leaving the whole okra unchopped is a good alternative.
Pan-fried okra with garlic is a perfect side dish for juicy chicken thighs, pork chops or Chinese fried rice.
Check out this quick story summary of our recipe!
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What is Okra?
Okra is the immature seed pod of the Abelmoschus esculentus plant native to Ethiopia, East Africa. These fuzzy green vegetables are
While we refer to these fuzzy green plants as vegetables, botanically, they are fruits because they are seed-bearing.
Okras are often called Lady's Finger because of their long, slender, tubelike shape.
What Does Okra Taste Like?
The taste of okra has a mild flavour that is sweet and grassy. Depending on how Okras are cooked, the texture can be crispy or chewy with a creamy undertone.
Health Benefits of Okra
There is no wrong way of cooking okra for your family because of its many health benefits.
Okra is considered a superfood. This low-calorie plant is rich in fibre, Vitamins C, B6 and K, Manganese, Potassium and antioxidants. Okras are especially great for people who are diabetic because it helps lowers cholesterol and blood sugar. Those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome will find benefits from the soluble fibre.
Okra is alkaline and has a 7.5 pH level once digested.
Is Okra Keto Friendly?
You can eat okra on a keto diet because of its low-carb and high-fibre profile.
There are just 3.8 grams of net carbs per 100g in okra, making it an excellent vegetable for a keto diet.
Here is an okra-forward dish I am genuinely obsessed with from the blog! Both these recipes are plant-based and vegan!
How To Save Okra Seeds?
Have you considered saving okra seeds to plant in your garden?
Okra seeds can be dried in the open air for a few days. Since no fleshy vegetable substance clings to the seeds, washing is unnecessary. Store them in an airtight jar in a cool dark place.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Fresh Okra - Okra should be firm to the touch and vibrantly green. How to tell if okra is bad? Inspect your okra and make sure that it is not mushy. Okra that has gone bad will be dark green or brown and will be slimy to the touch.
Garlic Cloves
Ginger - Minced ging
Red Chili Peppers
Dash of Salt to taste
Brown Sugar to balance out the
Vegetable Oil
Most dry goods ingredients, tools and supplies can be purchased at your local Asian grocery store or online at my Amazon Store. I have linked the products for your convenience!
Best Okra Substitutes
These edible seed pod green vegetables have a unique flavour and nutrient profile that is hard to replace.
However, if you are unable to find fresh okra, the following are excellent substitutes for this slightly sweet flavour healthy vegetable side dish:
- Zucchini
- Green Beans
- Broccoli Florets
- Summer Squash
Instructions
Perfect okra starts by choosing the right large nonstick pan. We love using this Le Creuset frying pan!
Sauteed okra is a great side dish because it is delicious and requires only a few ingredients.
Wash okras and completely dry them with kitchen paper towels. The okras must be dry before sauteing.
Next, decide whether or not to cut okra. Do you want to saute whole okra or slice it into smaller pods?
If this is your first time cooking these little pods and the slime factor is a concern, I suggest leaving them whole.
Alternatively, I prefer to cut off the okra stems and leave the tips.
Add vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high heat.
Pro Tip: Ensure enough oil to coat each edible seed pod.
Once the oil is hot, add minced cloves of garlic, ginger and red chilli peppers and sauté until fragrant.
Pro Tip: If the wet aromatics are burning too quickly, reduce to medium heat.
Add chopped okra to the pan and a bit of brown sugar. Add a dash of salt to taste and garlic powder, chicken essence powder or MSG powder to add extra flavour.
Okras cook quickly. Give it a quick toss in the saute pan. Stir fry until golden brown. I love a few being blistered okras too. Approximately 3-4 minutes.
Okra has mucilage, a thick, gel-like substance that makes okra an excellent thickening agent, so we do not need to add a cornstarch slurry (the Chinese equivalent to a simple roux) to tighten the sauce.
A common mistake when cooking okra is adding too much liquid. The pan-fried okra becomes mushy-like stewed okra.
Garnish with fresh cilantro or finely chopped green onions.
This sauteed pan-fried okra recipe is best served with white jasmine rice.
Meal-Prep Tips
You can efficiently work this Okra Sauteed With Garlic recipe into your family meal prep ideas for the week.
We recommend prepping okra only 24 hours in advance or when you are ready to cook!
How long does okra last in the fridge? How to store okra?
Store okra in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Or place whole okra into reusable vacuum sealer bags and a handy vacuum seal tool.
What To Serve With The Best Pan-Fried Okra Recipe
This yummy dish compliments a low-calorie diet. It is a delicious way to complete meal prepping for a healthy week ahead.
What to eat with fried okra?
Add this traditional plate of alkaline ingredients to help build gut health and check off our daily vegetable intake values.
Other Stir Fry Meals We Love
- Best Chinese Spicy Celtuce Stem Salad Recipe 酸辣涼拌萵筍
- 5 Minute Air Fryer Bean Curd Sheets with Baby Bok Choy 氣炸鍋腐皮蒜蓉炒白菜
- Chinese Tomato Egg Stir-fry 番茄炒蛋
- Vegan Tofu Stir Fry 五彩金銀滿屋豆乾小炒王
After eating lots of spicy and deep-fried foods, a great way to reduce heat is with a bowl of this liver-detoxing Chinese Sweet Mung Bean Soup 綠豆沙!
I'd love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS.
> Recipe
PrintSimple Pan Fried Okra Sauteed With Garlic (No Slime)
Learn how to saute okra without the slimy consistency with this easy recipe. This summer vegetable is considered a superfood with plenty of health benefits. Enjoy this Simple Pan Fried Okra Sauteed With Garlic is a delicious side dish you'd want to make on repeat! The simplicity of this dish is that it only requires a few ingredients and 2-3 minutes on a large skillet. Join us and meal prep clean eating for the week, and you will feel energized!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fresh Okra
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch Fresh Ginger knob, julienne or grated
- 1 Birds Eye Chili, diced and seeds removed
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt to taste
- Ground White Pepper to taste
- Finely Chopped Green Onions, for garnish
- Fresh Cilantro, rough chop for garnish
Instructions
- Wash okras and completely dry them with kitchen paper towels. The okras must be dry before sautéing.
- Cut off the okra stems and leave the tips.
- Add vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Ensure enough oil to coat each edible seed pod.
- Once the oil is hot, add minced cloves of garlic, ginger and red chilli peppers and sauté until fragrant. If the wet aromatics are burning too quickly, reduce to medium heat.
- Add chopped okra to the pan and a bit of brown sugar. Add a dash of salt to taste and garlic powder, chicken essence powder or MSG powder to add extra flavour.
- Okras cook quickly. Stir fry until golden brown. Approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Okra has mucilage, a thick, gel-like substance that makes okra an excellent thickening agent, so we do not need to add a cornstarch slurry (the Chinese equivalent to a simple roux) to tighten the sauce.
- A common mistake when cooking okra is adding too much liquid. The pan-fried okra becomes mushy-like stewed okra.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro or finely chopped green onions.
- This sautéed pan-fried okra recipe is best served with white jasmine rice.
Notes
Perfect okra starts by choosing the right large nonstick pan. We love using this Le Creuset frying pan!
Pin the above image to your Vegan Recipe Pinterest Board to bookmark this page. We are so excited to share our recipes with you!
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Braised Beef Brisket & Tendon 柱侯蘿蔔炆牛筋腩
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Cindy says
Perfect! I have lots of okra from my garden and I love how easy this recipe is.
★★★★★
Erin says
This pan-fried okra method is so simple and delicious ... thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Sean says
Hooray for okra - and double-hooray for no slime! Love the char you've got on the okra in the photos - that's definitely my style. I'm intrigued by the idea of using okra to thicken Chinese-style dishes too. I've done that plenty of times with cajun dishes, but never thought to try it with anything Asian. Very cool.
★★★★★
Vanessa says
I'm not normally a fan of the texture of okra but this method of cooking was fabulous!
★★★★★
Raia says
I've never been a huge okra fan, but pan frying anything with garlic is always delicious! Great recipe!
★★★★★
Lily says
Your method of cooking is amazing, no slime at all and that touch of brown sugar really balances all the flavors - yum!
★★★★★
Marie-Pierre Breton says
I realized reading this post, I need to get to know better this veggie (oops, fruit)! It's not a common one for me yet it looks and sounds delicious if well prepared. Going to keep an eye on to get some! Thanks for the eye-opening post!
★★★★★
swathi says
Pan fried okra looks delicious my favorite veggie.
★★★★★
Mina says
I'm not really a fan of okra but this recipe is like telling to give it a try! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Amy says
No slime okra! It really was such a good recipe.
★★★★★
Helen Fern says
Love this okra recipe. Different than fried and delicious.
★★★★★
Nicole NK says
We love fried okra, and this was one of the best recipes we’ve ever had.
★★★★★
Bernice says
This is one vegetable I have never cooked! I've heard tales of the gross slimy texture and stayed away until now. I gave it a go with your excellent tips and tricks and it was delicious. Thank you for another great recipe.
★★★★★
Audrey says
Turned out great and the texture was very good.
★★★★★
Elizabeth says
I've never tried okra before, but this recipe looks like a great one to start out with! I'm a big fan of sautéing vegetables with garlic. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Carrie Robinson says
I just love okra when it is cooked right! 🙂 I will have to try this version soon.
★★★★★
Glenda says
We loved the addition of chilis to this okra recipe. And the caramelization from the skillet makes a huge textural difference. One of the best okra recipes I've made!
★★★★★
Janie says
I love the fresh herbs along with the garlic and chili. Made my okra have flavors I could tolerate! I must say, this was very delicious.
★★★★★
Angela says
Thanks for the tip about not adding too much liquid!
★★★★★
Tayler says
I made this okra over the weekend with dinner and OMG was it delicious! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
★★★★★
Debra says
Delish...the garlic and ginger added so much flavor and this is so easy to make too.
★★★★★
Deborah says
Loved the addition of ginger to the recipe. Combined with the garlic, it was a great flavor combo.
★★★★★
andrea says
love how simple this okra dish turned out! so good!
★★★★★
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I’m new to okra and this recipe makes me love it more! The garlic really compliments the freshness of the okra. It’s really tasty!
★★★★★
Connie Grigg says
Wow Thank you for this recipe
★★★★★
Liz says
Thanks for the detailed instructions!! My okra cooked perfectly!!
★★★★★
imsen says
This Okra recipe looks so amazing! I love the combination of the flavors! Thanks for the recipe
★★★★★
Audrey says
I used okra from my garden & it was awesome.
★★★★★
Angela says
I have never been a huge fan of okra but this recipe is delicious.
★★★★★
Nicole NK says
I’ve always loved fried okra, and this recipe was so easy to make an absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to make it again.
★★★★★
Andréa Janssen says
I love easy recipes and this pan fried okra was perfect. And indeed not slimy, which I really don't like! And it was great in flavor.
★★★★★
Dennis says
What a delicious okra recipe! I loved the flavors the ginger and chilies gave the okra! Definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Stephanie says
This recipe for pan fried okra was just perfect! I had only cooked with okra once before and, yes, it was slimy! Printing out this recipe as the family has already asked me to make it again. Thanks for yet another awesome recipe from this site!
★★★★★
Elizabeth says
What a great side dish! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Melinda says
Love a new way to enjoy a superfood with great health benefits. Okra is simply delicious when cooked according to this recipe! The added garlic - and cilantro - are flavor game changers. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Lisa says
I love okra and this comes out crispy just as I like it. So good!
★★★★★
Holly says
So easy - and no slime!
★★★★★
Toni says
This is surprisingly amazing!! My kids even enjoyed it! Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Anjali says
I normally don't love okra because it is slimy, but this recipe really did have no slime!! The okra turned out slightly crispy on the outside and were nice and flavorful. It was a great side dish for our dinner tonight!
★★★★★
Dannii says
I have always wondered what to do with okra and this was just perfect. I will definitely make it again;
★★★★★
Julie says
Never tried okra, love lots of garlic so can't wait to make it. Looks wonderful!
★★★★★
Dina and Bruce says
You are a genius! For years I would not eat okra due to the slime. And you made it with no slime!
★★★★★