The best way to use summertime okra! Classic southern stewed okra and tomatoes comes together quickly with just 10 ingredients and is the perfect savory veggie side dish to go with cast iron skillet steak, classic squash casserole, and twice baked potatoes for a delicious, hearty dinner.
Let's talk okra - how do we feel about the slime? I personally love it, but I know lots of people that find the inside texture of okra a little offputting. There are lots of ways around this, like hard-roasting okra with a nice dipping sauce or frying it.
This way of cooking okra leans all the way into the slime by using it as part of the sauce. The result is absolutely not slimy and instead just a great saucy texture - think of a gravy or sauce that has been thickened slightly with flour, cornstarch, or aquafaba. Viscous, in the best way.
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Ingredients and Ingredient Notes
- Okra is the base of this dish, and I love fresh okra when it's in season during the summer. Frozen okra works for this recipe as well, you can add it frozen to the pan and sauté it for a minute to soften it.
- Canned tomatoes are great in this recipe to create a sauce. I like whole tomatoes in their juices crushed by hand, but crushed tomatoes work really well too.
- Salt, sugar, and vinegar work together to create a really nice, bright flavor base, don't skip any of them!
- Cajun seasoning, blackening seasoning, or Creole seasoning blends add a ton of extra flavor and some spice to this stewed okra. You can skip it if you like a milder flavor, or use any seasoning blend that you have on hand.
See the recipe card for full ingredient list and measurements.
Pro Tip Protein Variation:
If you'd like to bulk this up with some meat, start the recipe with ½ pound of ground bulk Italian sausage, then add the onions and okra and continue with the recipe below. Serve over rice for a REALLY delicious take on okra and tomatoes!
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat a skillet to medium heat with some oil, and add the okra and onion - totally fine if the okra is frozen for this part.
Step 2: Add the garlic and spices, salt, and sugar after the veggies have softened for a few minutes, and stir to combine everything and coat the okra evenly in the spices.
Step 3: Add the vinegar to deglaze the pan and stir for 30 seconds to evaporate a bit, then add the tomatoes and their juices with ½ cup of water.
Step 4: Simmer the okra uncovered over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.
Step 5: After about 15 minutes, the tomato sauce should be reduced and the okra should be tender. Stir in the butter, then remove the skillet from the heat.
Step 6: Taste the okra, and add a bit more salt if needed, or a pinch of sugar if you'd like more sweetness. YUM.
Pro Tips and FAQs
In this case, you lean into it! The slime in the okra just helps to thicken the sauce, which ends up being nearly a gravy-like texture without being slimy at all. For another option, I love roasting okra to get rid of most of the slime.
Only about 15 minutes! You may need a little more time if the okra is large or slightly tough, but in general okra cooks quickly. As an added bonus, the okra can sit in sauce without getting too mushy, which makes it a perfect make-ahead or leftover vegetable.
YES! This is a great recipe to double and freeze half; thaw and reheat the okra and tomatoes in the microwave or by putting it frozen in a small pot and gently reheating. If the stewed okra with tomatoes feels too thick, add a few splashes of water as you stir to make it saucy again.
What to Serve with Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
I love this as a vegetarian main dish served over rice, and as a veggie side dish there are tons of options for how to serve this okra - just pair a starchy side dish and protein for a complete meal!
- Pesto rice
- No-knead bread (totally foolproof!)
- Cheesy baked rice (trust)
- Marinated grilled chicken (seriously the best)
- Cast iron skillet salmon
- Bacon wrapped shrimp
- Lemon butter pasta
Make Ahead and Leftover Storage
This is so quick that it can easily be made as you're prepping the rest of dinner - you can start the okra, make some plain rice while it's stewing, and then quickly cook some chicken or fish to round out the meal.
The okra can also be made in advance and kept in the fridge for about 3 days and reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. Leftovers also keep really well and are yummy in the fridge for 3-4 days.
More Easy Vegetable Side Dishes
Recipe
Southern Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or other cooking oil
- 8 ounces fresh or frozen okra trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning optional (see note)
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 14 ounces canned whole tomatoes crushed into smaller pieces by hand
- 2 tablespoons butter preferably salted
Instructions
- Preheat a medium (10-inches or so) skillet to medium heat with the oil. Add the okra and onions, and stir for 3-5 minutes to soften the okra and allow the onions to become translucent.
- Add the garlic, salt, sugar, and seasoning blend (if using) and stir for 2 minutes to evenly coat the okra in the seasonings.
- Add the vinegar and stir for 30 seconds, it should mostly evaporate when you add it in.
- Add the tomatoes, their juices, and ½ cup of water and decrease the heat to medium-low. Simmer the okra uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
- Taste for seasoning, and add a few more pinches of salt to be sure that the okra is very flavorful (this is especially important if you can taste a lot of the vinegar). Right before serving, swirl in the butter.
Notes
This recipe was originally published in January 2012 and has been republished with updated pictures and better instructions.
Claudia-Cristina says
I tried this Southern stewed okra and tomatoes, and it was so comforting—the okra is tender, the tomatoes rich, and the flavors just come together beautifully!
Tisha says
This was a comforting side dish. Tomatoes and okra really go well together
Jet says
Love how you balanced flavor with texture here. I usually just blanch okra because I personally don't mind its texture. But I love that you gave tips for the sliminess. Thanks for this recipe!!
Maggie says
So yum! Will be adding to my rotation!