Description
This crispy oven fried okra is a lighter take on the Southern classic, coated in seasoned cornmeal and baked until golden and crunchy. Served with a creamy and tangy sunflower seed dip, this vegan and gluten-free okra recipe makes an easy summer appetizer, snack, or side dish.
Ingredients
for the okra:
- 1/2 pound fresh okra, stems removed and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces.
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk, or soy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup cornmeal, fine or medium
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch
- 1 scant tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
for the tangy sunflower seed dip:
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 rounded teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, optional
- sea salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar, then add in the prepped okra. Make sure the okra are coated in the coconut milk then set this mixture aside to rest for 5 minutes.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, tapioca starch, and Old Bay. After the okra mixture has rested, drain out the coconut milk then gently toss the okra pieces in the cornmeal mix, a few at a time, until they are coated.
Arrange the breaded okra pieces on your baking tray so that they are not overlapping or touching each other. Bake them in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the breading is golden brown and crisp. Cool for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.
To make the dip, drain and rinse the sunflower kernels then add them to a blender along with all of the other ingredients. Blend until smooth. Makes about 1 cup of dip.
Serve the warm okra with the sunflower dip, or pair it with your favorite sauce instead.
The okra will have the best flavor and texture the day it is made. Keep leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within 2 days. Lefovers can be reheated in a 350 degree oven or the air fryer for a few minutes.
Notes
- If you’d rather use your air fryer, set the air fryer at 400 degrees and cook the okra for 12-16 minutes. Make sure the okra is in an even layer and NOT overlapping. This might mean that you have to cook it in two batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- If your coconut milk has separated in the can, add the contents to a small pot and heat over low until the cream melts and you can easily whisk it back together into a thick milk. Remove from the heat then measure 1/2 cup for the recipe.
- If you are using buttermilk in place of the coconut milk for the okra, you can omit the teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- This makes a small snack sized serving for 2 to 3 people so you can easily double or triple the recipe to make it a more substantial a side dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish