• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pure and Simple Nourishment
  • About
    • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
    • My Food Philosophy
    • Press and Publications
    • Contact
  • Free Resources
  • Recipes
    • Holidays
      • Fall
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
    • Breakfast
    • Main Course
    • Dessert
    • Sauces and Dips
    • Side Dish
    • Drinks
    • Vegetables
    • Snack
    • Meat and Fish
    • Recipe Wrap-Ups
    • SCD
    • GAPS
    • Whole30
    • AIP
    • Vegan
    • Paleo
    • Dairy-Free
    • Gluten-Free
    • Low FODMAP
    • Refined-Sugar-Free
  • Health
    • Health Information
    • Book Club
  • Nutrition
  • Beauty
    • Beautycounter
    • Skin Care
  • Fitness
    • Fitness Information
    • Weekly Workouts
  • Favorites
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Skincare
  • Work With Me
    • Services
    • Skin Care Quiz
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Health Information
  • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
  • Services
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Health Information
    • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
    • Services
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×

    Home » Course » Side Dish

    Breaded Air Fryer Okra

    Published: Aug 16, 2021 · Modified: Nov 17, 2022 by Erin Carter · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    6 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This breaded air fryer okra recipe is such a fun and tasty southern inspired side dish. Fresh okra is coated with a crispy breaded coating that's made with almond flour and spices and you'll love that this recipe is a healthier alternative to deep fried okra. 

    Fried Okra with a breaded coating on a plate with bbq sauce

    Why you will love this recipe:

    • This air fryer breaded okra recipe has the best flavour! Fresh okra is coated with a flavourful breaded coating made with almond flour and spices, and it crisps up so nicely when cooked in the air fryer.
    • Homemade air fried okra tastes just as good as the Southern staple, but is so much healthier since it isn't deep fried.
    • This okra recipe can be served as a side dish or eaten as a snack.
    • You can easily change up the spices breaded okra coating to give this fried okra any flavour you like.
    • This okra recipe is made with no oil and without cornmeal, and I've included options for making it gluten free and vegan.
    • This cooking method works for all types of air fryers including Ninja Foodi, Ninja Air Fryer, Ninja Foodi Grill, Instant Vortex, Breville, Pampered Chef, Emeril Air Fryer, Cuisinart Air Fryer and Chefman Air Fryers. 
    • Because this okra is cooked in the air fryer the clean up is so simple and easy. 

    Taste and texture:

    These breaded okra bites are nice and crispy on the outside, with a delicious breaded coating that has such a delicious flavour. The okra gets perfectly roasted so it turns out nice and tender on the inside, never chewy or tough.

    Key ingredients and substitutions:

    • Fresh okra - be sure to cut away the stems and the tips and then slice the okra into ½-to-1-inch-thick slices. You could also use frozen cut okra instead – just be sure to thaw the okra first, then pat it completely dry before breading it (if there is too much moisture the batter won't stick and the okra will turn out slimy - yuck!)
    • Eggs - this is key to help the breaded coating stick to the okra to give it that perfectly crispy outside. You could swap the eggs for a vegan egg replacer if you are vegan but I don't recommend trying to make this recipe with no eggs or no egg replacement.
    • Almond flour or cornmeal - to give this fried okra that perfect crispy breaded coating. Cornmeal is what is classically used to make Southern style okra but if you prefer to make it without cornmeal, almond flour is a great alternative and is what I used for this recipe.
    • Spices -I use onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper but the possibilities are endless! Feel free to change up the spices to change the flavour of these okra bites or turn them into spicy air fryer okra.

    How to cook: 

    Step one:

    First, prepare the okra by trimming the ends off and chopping the okra into pieces approximately 0.5 inches in size.

    Chopped pieces of fresh okra on a cutting board.

    Step two:

    Next, whisk together the eggs and water in a bowl.

    A bowl of whisked eggs and water with a fork in it.

    Step three:

    In a separate bowl, mix together the almond flour, bread crumbs, and spices.

    A bowl of mixed breadcrumbs, almond flour and spices.

    Step four:

    Dip each piece of chopped okra into the egg and water mixture and then transfer it to the almond flour mixture and toss until it's fully coated in the breaded coating.

    Okra pieces in a bowl of breadcrumbs.

    Step five:

    Finally, transfer the coated okra pieces onto the trays of your air fryer and cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes, rotating the trays half way through.

    Pieces of breaded okra on an air fryer tray.

    To make this breaded okra in a basket style air fryer:

    Prepare the okra as instructed above by chopping it into pieces and coating it with the beaded coating. Then preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then cook the okra for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking the basket half way through.

    Chef's tips: 

    • Every model of air fryer is different, so you may have to adjust the cooking time.
    • If you cut your okra into larger pieces you'll need to add a bit more cooking time. If you cut them into smaller pieces you will need to decrease the cooking time. 
    • Serve this okra with your favorite bbq sauce or aioli - you can see my favourite homemade bbq sauce here!

    Variations and add ins:

    • Feel free to change up the spices in the breaded coating - want more heat? Add a little chili spice or cayenne pepper - don't like onion powder? simply leave it out. The possibilities are endless!
    • To make this air fryer okra vegan: swap the eggs for an egg replacer such as Bob’s Red Mill Vegan Egg Replacer, Neat plant based egg replacer or Follow Your Heart VeganEgg.
    • To make this okra gluten free: be sure to use gluten free certified almond flour or corn meal and gluten free bread crumbs.
    • Instead of bread crumbs you could make this recipe with panko.

    How to store: 

    Fried okra is best eaten right away but if you do have any leftovers, store them in the fridge in an air tight container for ups to 3 days and reheat them when you are ready to eat them. 

    How to reheat:

    To reheat okra in an air fryer, cook it for 2-3 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Nutrition info:

    One serving of this okra recipe has approximately 275 calories, 44 grams of total carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 38 grams of net carbs, 11 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat. It makes for a healthy side dish that's low in fat and good for you!

    Air fryer breaded okra on a plate with a bowl of barbecue sauce.

    Frequently asked questions:

    Can I cook frozen breaded okra in my air fryer?

    Yes! It's so easy to do. Simply place the frozen breaded okra onto the racks of your air fryer and cook it at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, swapping the racks halfway through.

    What temperature should I air fry okra? 

    Okra should be cooked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit when cooked in an air fryer. 

    Is this recipe gluten free? 

    Yes. This okra recipe is gluten free. 

    Is this recipe keto? 

    No, this air fryer okra is not keto or low carb as it uses a breaded coating that is high in carbs. 

    Is this recipe paleo?

    No, this recipe is neither paleo or Whole30 compliant due to the breadcrumbs that are used.

    Do I have to preheat my air fryer?

    For this air fryer recipe you do not need to preheat your air fryer. If you do choose to preheat it, decrease the cooking time by a few minutes.

    Other air fryer recipes you will love:

    • Onion Rings
    • Air Fryer Potato Wedges
    • Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
    • Broccoli 
    • Air Fryer French Fries 

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    A plate full of breaded okra bites.

    Air Fryer Okra

    This air fryer okra recipe is the perfect Southern inspired side dish. With a delicious breaded coating that gets so nice and crispy this is a healthier version of the deep fried classic.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Vegetables
    Cuisine: American, Southern
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 275kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups okra, chopped into 0.5" pieces
    • 3 eggs
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • 1 cup almond flour (or corn meal)
    • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

    Instructions

    • Trim the ends off the okra and chop them into 0.5" pieces.
    • In one bowl, whisk together the eggs and the water.
    • In another bowl mix together the almond flour, bread crumbs and spices.
    • Dip each piece of okra into the egg and water mixture and then transfer it to the cornmeal mixture and toss until coated.
    • Transfer the coated okra pieces onto the trays of your air fryer and cook at 400F for 18-20 minutes, rotating the trays half way through.

    Notes

    1. Feel free to change up the spices in the coating 
    2. If you are serving a crowd you could easily double or triple this recipe
    3. Store this okra in the fridge in an air tight container for 3-5 days

    Nutrition

    Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 443mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

    More Healthy Side Dishes

    • Carrot and Turnip Soup
    • Paleo Curried Butternut Squash Soup
    • Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
    • Turnip and Apple Casserole

    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Dr. Erin Carter wearing a floral dress in her kitchen.

    Hi everyone! My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialities in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Air Fryer Hash Browns
    • Protein Baked Oats
    • Chicken Omelette
    • Soft Boiled Eggs in Microwave

    Healthy Main Dishes

    • Mango Chicken Curry
    • Denver Steak
    • Blackened Mahi Mahi
    • Tuna Fried Rice
    • Veggie Pesto Pasta
    • Turkey Pesto Sandwich

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services

    Some of the links on this website are affiliate links whereby we make a small percentage if you purchase the product through that link. It does not cost you anything extra and helps us keep this website running. As an Amazon associate we earn a small percentage from qualifying Amazon purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Pure & Simple Nourishment

    6 shares
    6 shares