How to make fried okra cakes
Fried okra cakes are a delicious way to turn this vegetable into veggie cakes that the whole family will enjoy.
Crispy on the outside, light and fluffy inside, and studded with tender pieces of okra.
Looking for a new side dish for dinner? These savory fritters are full of flavor and will be a new favorite at dinnertime.
Fried okra cakes
So many of us get stuck on the same old side dishes, myself included. However, you also know that if a vegetable can be turned into a fritter, I’m going to do it. These green vegetable cakes are a reader favorite.
Normally, if we’re having okra, I end up roasting it. But, I needed something different – enter the fried okra cakes.
I made these okra fritters in a cast iron pan on the stovetop, but if you prefer to bake them, slide them into a 350°F oven for about 25 minutes.
If baking, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray. Check out this post on baked broccoli cakes for helpful tips.
Ingredients
You’ll find most of the ingredients for these okra fritters in your pantry. Onions, garlic and eggs are staples in my kitchen and probably yours too, so the only item you will likely have to shop for is the okra.
Look for firm, bright green pods at the store. Avoid browning or mushy okra pods.
Use either a 1/4 cup measuring cup or, my preferred method, a 2 ounce scoop, to ensure they are all the same size.
Why does this matter? So they all cook at the same rate. Otherwise, you may have a few that are either underdone or overcooked.
How to make
These okra fritters start with sautéing a bit of onion and garlic in olive oil. I like to sauté these before adding to the batter so the flavors mellow a bit.
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another.
Add the onions, garlic and sliced okra to the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the okra mixture and stir to combine.
Heat a bit of oil in a cast iron pan and drop portions of batter into a hot pan and cook for a five minutes per side. Drain cakes on paper towels or on a rack set inside of a baking sheet.
Fried okra recipe
The biggest complaint everyone hears about okra? The slime.
So, how do we deal with slimy okra? There isn’t any way around it, unless you cook it whole. The “slime” in okra is mucilage, the same thing that helps to thicken gumbo.
It will stick to your knife as you are cutting, just rinse it off and carry on.
One thing that can help to lessen the gooey liquid is heat. High heat, like roasting or grilling, will cause some of the liquid to evaporate.
Luckily, when the okra is folded into this batter and cooked, you get none of the slimy texture. I mean none at all. So, maybe those that have an aversion to this vegetable might give it a try.
We are fans of okra and I’m guessing, if you’re here, you are too. These okra cakes make a great side dish or afternoon snack and they are perfect for tucking into work week lunches. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
More vegetable cake recipes
- Vegan veggie cakes with carrots and greens
- Sweet potato fritters
- Potato broccoli cakes
- Curried cauliflower fritters
- Beets and sweet potato fritters
For even more recipes, check out my veggie cake e-Book.
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Okra Cakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. okra thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup water or buttermilk
- oil for frying
- Cajun seasoning instead of salt and pepper, optional
Instructions
- In a small frying pan, sauté onions and garlic in a tablespoon of oil until softened, about 6 – 8 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine okra, onions and garlic, egg and water or buttermilk.
- Add the flour mixture to the okra mixture and stir until well combined.
- Heat about an inch and a half of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan (like a cast iron skillet) over medium/medium-high heat.
- Carefully drop the okra cake batter into the oil using a medium cookie scoop or a 1/4 cup measure.
- Lightly flatten the tops with wet fingertips. Cook for 6 minutes (or until dark golden brown).
- Flip and cook for an additional 4 – 5 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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