Smashed Oven-Fried Okra

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Southern-style fried okra, no deep-frying required.

By
Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams is a recipe tester and developer who has been working in the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2016. Her recipes are featured in Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, Rachael Ray, Health, Cooking Light, and in various other publications and digital platforms.
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Published on April 27, 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 Smashed Oven-Fried Okra on a platter to serve with dipping sauce
Photo:

Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely 
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
4

Fried okra is a classic, but it can be very greasy. Roasting this breaded veggie in the oven cuts down on the fat without sacrificing the super-crispy crust. Each oven-fried piece of okra is tender and crispy—no slime here.

Don't skip the Speedy Creole Comeback Sauce (recipe below). It's the perfect smoky, tangy sauce that will keep people, well, coming back for more. You can make the sauce a day ahead, but serve the okra right from the oven for the best texture.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

  • 1 large egg

  • 2/3 cup plain yellow cornmeal

  • 1 tsp. Creole seasoning

  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided

  • 1 lb. fresh okra pods

  • 2 Tbsp. canola oil

  • Lemon wedges (optional)

  • Speedy Creole Comeback Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk together buttermilk, 1/3 cup water, and egg in a medium bowl. Stir together cornmeal, Creole seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt in a shallow dish.

  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 pod at a time, place okra on a clean work surface and crush with a rolling pin until split in places (the pod should remain intact). Repeat with remaining okra.

  3. Dip each smashed okra pod in buttermilk mixture; add to cornmeal mixture. Turn pods, pressing lightly to coat. Place coated okra on prepared baking sheets; drizzle with oil. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 20 minutes, carefully turning halfway through baking. Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a platter. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired, and Speedy Creole Comeback Sauce for dipping.

Speedy Creole Comeback Sauce

Stir together 1/4 cup each mayonnaise and plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 Tbsp. ketchup, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Active: 5 MIN. - Total: 5 MIN. - Makes about 1/2 cup

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