Make perfectly sautéed okra that's not slimy or sticky. Made with onions, ginger, garlic, and a splash of lemon. This dish gets done in just 15 minutes.
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I hate sticky slimy okra, which is why I never eat it at restaurants or when I'm a guest at anyone's house.
The only person I knew that made perfect okra was my mom. And until I cooked okra myself for the first time I never knew it wasn't easy. My first batch was sticky, and of course, I picked up the phone immediately and had to call mom.
The secret to no-sticky okra?
There are many ways to cook okra and often you get people deep fry okra because they believe it prevents it from becoming sticky. It probably does, but I'm not one to deep fry my veggies.
So, what's the secret to cooking okra perfectly? According to my mom - two things:
- Cooking okra like a stir fry on high heat is the best way to prevent the stickiness from getting to each other.
- Using as little water as necessary. The okra cooks with the steam created by that little water. Not by swimming its own juices.
That's all there is to it. I have been using her method for years now and have never had any issues with any of my okra recipes. I hope you will try this method and see it for yourself. If it works make sure to come let me know it in the comments below.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Onions - I like using red Spanish onions for that added sweetness.
- Garlic - A little goes a long way. I prefer to use sliced, and yet you can also mince it.
- Ginger - I like using fresh ginger as it adds a nice refreshing flavor. But, you can certainly omit it.
- Chily flakes - A little bit of spice with this okra is so wonderful.
- Lemon juice - Helps marry all those flavors.
Step by step instructions
- Clean and discard any bad okra. Then wash, cut the tips off and wipe dry the okra.
- In a frying pan or cast-iron skillet, add the oil.
- Sauté the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds.
- Then, add the sliced onions. Saute until onions are translucent.
- Next, add the okra. Cook on medium to high heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes (medium to high heat will prevent the okra from becoming sticky).
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add ¼ cup water - continue to cook - stirring often.
- Cook until the okra is fork-tender - adding another few tablespoons of water as necessary.
- Finally, add the chili flakes and lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve.
More side dish recipes
- Oven-Baked Potato Wedges or Oven-Baked Potato Chips
- Leek Potato Patties or Tuna or Tuna Potato Patties
- Easy Swiss Chard Patties or Spinach Potato Patties
- Roasted Lemon Dill Potatoes or lemon rosemary roast potatoes, skinny mashed potatoes
- Baked carrot sticks or Baked butternut squash sticks.
Frequently asked questions
Like most veggies, once sautéed, this okra will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Not long. Similar to green beans, okra also takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
Choosing okra is crucial. You want to choose tender, nice looking pieces. When cleaning you want to throw those that are tough or damaged.
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Printable Recipe
sautéed Okra
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500 g) Okra
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- ½ cup Onions (sliced)
- 2 Garlic cloves (sliced)
- 2 inches Ginger (fresh sliced,)
- 1 tablespoon Chily flakes (spicy (optional))
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Clean and discard any bad okra. Then wash, cut the tips off and wipe dry the okra.
- In a frying pan or cast-iron skillet, add the oil.
- Sauté the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds.
- Then, add the sliced onions. Saute until onions are translucent.
- Next, add the okra. Cook on medium to high heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes (medium to high heat will prevent the okra from becoming sticky).
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add ¼ cup water - continue to cook - stirring often.
- Cook until okra is fork-tender - adding another few tablespoons of water as necessary.
- Finally, add the chili flakes and lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Ty
My dad who typically hates veggies was in love with these. Had TWO SERVINGS! I am also in love. Thanks for sharing!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Ty
Florence
Your Mom was right! No slim or stickiness. Tasty recipe. Thank you for sharing. My okra pieces were a bit big, ended up using about a 1 1/2 of water and cook for about 15 minutes.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Florence. Happy you are enjoying my recipes.
Rekha Laks
I am so glad I found this recipe. Thank You!
A quick question - I should never cover the lid of the pan ever right while cooking okra?
Veena Azmanov
Sorry for the late reply, Joyel (I found your comment in the spam folder) Yes, I don't like covering the okra because the steam makes them sticky.