Smothered Okra

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Smothered Okra and tomatoes is a thick and delicious southern style dish with lots of Cajun flavor. Serve it on its own or with rice for a comforting and filling meal!

If you only think of okra as an ingredient for gumbo, think again! This versatile vegetable makes a delicious side dish and takes center stage in this smothered okra recipe!

Don’t get me wrong. Okra is amazing in this chicken and sausage gumbo and this seafood gumbo, but stewing okra together with tomatoes is a whole other way to appreciate it!

And don't worry, we cook it long enough to cook away all that sliminess! And because you're already cooking for a long time, it's just perfect served with this Southern stewed chicken.

Another great way to get rid of okra sliminess is to fry it - try this air fryer okra!

Check out the smothered okra story!

What is okra?

Okra is green in color with a long, slender shape and white seeds inside. It’s sometimes called lady fingers because of its shape. While it’s cooked and enjoyed as a vegetable, it’s actually a fruit, and has a mild, earthy flavor.

Okra contains mucilage, which is a natural thickener, so when it’s heated, okra acts as a thickener. This makes it a great addition to soups, stews and gumbos.

Smothered okra in a bowl with a spoon inserted into it.

Why this recipe works

It’s a simple recipe. While it takes over an hour to cook, you need minimal ingredients and minimal prep time!
You don’t need to worry about using fresh ingredients. Frozen okra and canned tomatoes work perfectly in this recipe.
It’s flavorful and filling, so you can enjoy it on its own or serve it with rice for the ultimate comfort food meal!

Ingredients

The following are a few key ingredients for this stewed okra recipe. For the full list of ingredients, please see the recipe card below.

You’ll need 16 ounces of okra and you can use fresh or frozen. Just make sure it’s sliced before you add it to the recipe.

While you can use freshly diced tomatoes for this recipe, for convenience, I just use one 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes. I also add the juices to the okra mixture.

The recipe calls for ½ a cup of chicken broth. If you use no salt added or low sodium, you may wish to add more salt to the recipe. To make this recipe vegetarian, you can also use vegetable broth.

The key to flavoring this okra is 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. While you can use store-bought, this homemade Cajun seasoning is super easy to make and totally worth the couple extra minutes.

Step by step instructions

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until softened.

Add the green pepper and okra and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Green pepper and okra cooking in a skillet with the onions.

Add the tomatoes, broth and seasonings and bring to a simmer.

Tomatoes added to the okra mixture in a skillet.

Cover and simmer on low heat for an hour, or until the sliminess of the okra disappears.

Serve over plain white rice or dirty rice topped with Louisiana hot sauce (optional).

Expert tips

Keep cooking the okra until it's no longer slimy.
If the okra mixture becomes too dry while cooking, add some water or more broth.
For extra heat, add more cayenne pepper or hot sauce, or substitute the green pepper for jalapeño pepper.
Taste the smothered okra before serving and add more salt to taste, if desired.
To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
If you use no salt added or low sodium broth, you may need to add more salt to taste.
You can use fresh tomatoes in this recipe, but you’ll need the juices too. If your tomatoes aren’t that juicy, you may want to add more broth.

Up close overhead view of smothered okra.

Common questions

How do you get slime out of smothered okra?

As okra is a natural thickener it can take on a slimy texture when heated. Normally, after an hour of cooking, the okra is no longer slimy. However, there are a few things you can try when preparing okra to minimize the sliminess.

Make sure it isn’t wet when you start cooking it, so just pat it dry with a paper towel. Some recipes suggest soaking it in a vinegar/water mixture, while others suggest salting it first, to draw out the moisture. You can also sauté it first, on high heat, before adding it to the recipe.

How long does smothered okra last?

If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it should last for 3-4 days. It will thicken in the fridge, so before you reheat it, you may need to add a little water or broth.

Can you freeze smothered okra?

I don’t recommend freezing smothered okra as it may get a bit mushy once thawed.

How do you serve smothered okra?

It’s great with plain rice or dirty rice with some Louisiana hot sauce. We’ve also enjoyed it with some crawfish egg rolls, alligator bites and hush puppies as an appetizer!