Fried-Okra Cornbread

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Combine two iconic Southern dishes into one unforgettable side.

By
Josh Miller
Josh Miller Bio Headshot
Josh Miller
Josh Miller is a writer, editor, recipe developer, and food stylist who has been writing about Southern food and working in the publishing industry for the past 20 years. His work has appeared in Southern Living, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Taste of the South, and Southern Cast Iron magazines.
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and
Anna Theoktisto
Anna Theoktisto
Anna Theoktisto
Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer who's been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017.
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Updated on July 8, 2024
Recipe tested by
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen

The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama.

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Southern Living Fried-Okra Cornbread in a basket to serve
Photo:

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:
8
Jump to Nutrition Facts

Two of your favorite Southern sides—fried okra and cornbread—come together in the this glorious recipe mashup. Anybody who’s made cornbread knows that you have to pour the batter in while the oiled skillet is hot, so why put that hot oil to good use and fry some okra in it?

After the okra comes out and the batter goes in, you sprinkle the partially fried okra over the top of the batter, then pop the skillet in the oven to finish baking the cornbread. The result is crispy okra and golden, tender cornbread, all in one beautiful skillet.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sliced fresh okra

  • 1 3/4 cups whole buttermilk, divided

  • 2 1/2 cups self-rising white or yellow cornmeal mix, divided

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

  • 1/4 cup, plus 3 Tbsp. peanut oil, divided

  • Unsalted butter

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Add okra and 1/4 cup of the buttermilk to a medium bowl; toss to combine. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cornmeal mix; toss with fingers to coat. Transfer okra to a plate, and set aside. In same bowl, add eggs, salt, pepper, remaining 2 cups cornmeal mix, and remaining 1 1/2 cups buttermilk; whisk together until combined. Set aside.

  2. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add coated okra to skillet; fry, turning often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove okra from skillet using a slotted spoon; transfer fried okra to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to skillet, and heat over medium-high until shimmering, about 1 minute. Pour hot oil into cornmeal batter; whisk until combined. Add cornmeal batter to hot skillet (batter should sizzle); do not stir. Sprinkle fried okra evenly over top of batter.

  3. Bake in preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Immediately invert onto a wire rack, and remove skillet. Invert cornbread again, placing okra side up; let cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Serve with butter.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

256 Calories
11g Fat
34g Carbs
7g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 256
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 56mg 19%
Sodium 169mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 7g 14%
Vitamin C 7mg 7%
Calcium 103mg 8%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 256mg 5%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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