Air Fryer Okra

Air Fryer Okra is such a fun and tasty southern inspired side dish. Fresh okra is coated with a crispy breaded coating made with cornmeal and spices and you’ll love that this recipe is a healthier alternative to deep fried okra. 

Air Fryer Okra Recipe

Why Air Fryer Okra is so good:

• It has the best flavour! Fresh okra is coated with a flavourful breaded coating made with cornmeal and spices, and it crisps up so nicely when cooked in the air fryer.
• This air fryer version of classic deep fried okra tastes just as good as the Southern staple, but is so much healthier since it isn’t deep fried!
• It’s so versatile and can be served as a side dish or eaten as a snack. You can easily change up the spices in the breaded coating to give this fried okra any flavour you like.
• You can easily make this air fryer okra without cornmeal, and I’ve included options for making it with almond flour instead, as well as making it gluten free and vegan.

Key ingredients for making okra in an air fryer:

• 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. 
• Cornmeal or almond flour – to give this fried okra that perfect crispy 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.
• 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.

Tips for making this fried okra in an air fryer:

• 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
• Feel free to change up the spices in the breaded coating – want more heat? add a little chili spice or cayanne 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 corn meal and gluten free bread crumbs.
• Serve this okra with your favorite bbq sauce or aioli – you can see my favourite homemade bbq sauce here!

Want an air fryer but aren’t sure which one to get? I use and love the Chefman 6.3 Quart Air Fryer!

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

Prepare the okra as instructed in the recipe card. Then preheat your air fryer to 400F. Then cook the okra for 12-15 minutes at 400F, shaking the basket half way through.

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.

OTHER AIR FRYER RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE: 

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

Want an air fryer but aren’t sure which one to get? I use and love the Chefman 6.3 Quart Air Fryer!

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5 from 2 votes

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Air Fryer Okra

Air Fryer Okra 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.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword easy snack, plant based, southern okra

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 275 kcal

Ingredients

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

Instructions

1. Trim the ends off the okra and chop them into 0.5" pieces

   

2. In one bowl, whisk together the eggs and the water

   

3. In another bowl mix together the cornmeal, bread crumbs and spices

   

4. Dip each piece of okra into the egg and water mixture and then transfer it to the cornmeal mixture and toss until coated

   

5. 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

   

Recipe 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 Facts

Air Fryer Okra

Amount Per Serving

Calories 275 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 123mg41%

Sodium 443mg19%

Potassium 368mg11%

Carbohydrates 44g15%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 575IU12%

Vitamin C 13mg16%

Calcium 90mg9%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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