finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
    • Full Recipe Index
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
    • Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist
  • Whatcha Need??
    • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • What Bread To Make (Based on Your Time)
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me & More
    • Get In Touch!
    • How-Tos
    • Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things
    • Bunion Surgery Recovery Tips
    • Tips for Liver Detox / Gut Health Protocol

Breaded Baked Okra: a.k.a Staying Healthy & Keeping My “Southerner” Card

September 19, 2012

Fried okra is one of those great Southern pleasures—salty, crunchy, greasy, with that very peculiar, specific okra taste underlying it all. But obviously, for health reasons, it has to be a “once in a while” treat.  The thing about okra, though, is that it’s actually (like many vegetables) a nutritional powerhouse. It’s low-calorie, high-fiber, full of folates and vitamins A, C, K, and all the B’s, not to mention iron, magnesium, calcium, and manganese. You’d think, for all THAT, that people would have made a concerted effort to find all sorts of great ways to prepare okra that makes it tasty and still healthy.

Well, search no more. I already roasted okra, which was easy and delicious (and is one of my most popular posts EVER on the blog because it’s super delish). This takes (very) slightly more effort, but gives you that breading that is absent when just roasting.  Behold—breaded baked okra!!

I found these beauties at my local farm stand a few weeks ago, and couldn’t say no! You want to make sure you have nice, tender okra. If you squeeze them and they are hard or crunch, that’s a bad sign.

Cut the okra into nice even pieces.

Take a gallon ziploc bag, turn it inside out, and spray with cooking spray. Then turn the bag right-side out.

Place the okra in the plastic bag.

Assemble your spices. The original recipe calls for cajun, but I’m not a big fan. So I went simple and used sea salt, garlic powder, and ground pepper.

Put the spices in the bag and smoosh everything around (technical term). Then seal the bag and let sit for about ten minutes. This lets the okra “sweat” a little, which will make the breading stick to it better.

Toss the cornmeal in the bag and shake around gently, letting the cornmeal coat the okra.

Pour through a colander or strainer to get the excess cornmeal off, then spread the okra out over a baking sheet (I always line mine with tin foil). Bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes.

breaded baked okra

The breading should be golden brown. Baking times may vary, so do what feels right to you.

Other healthy side dishes you’ll love:

  • Baked Sweet & Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
  • Caramelized Shredded Brussels Sprouts
  • Oven-Roasted Okra
  • Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic-Honey Drizzle

Healthy Breaded Baked Okra

  • Okra, cut into pieces
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • Cornmeal
  • Spices (I used sea salt, garlic powder, & pepper)

Cut the okra into pieces. Turn a gallon ziploc bag inside-out and spray with the non-stick cooking spray, then turn right-side out again. Put the okra in and season with spices. Smoosh around and let sit for about ten minutes. Then pour cornmeal into the bag and gently shake around to coat the okra. Pour through a colander or sieve to remove excess cornmeal. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Adapted from Cookin’ Cowgirl

breaded baked okra | healthy side dish

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Side Dishes & Veggies, Super Healthy

« Pasta with Asparagus, Lemon, Goat Cheese, & Kale
Georgia On My Mind… (Easy Peach Jam) »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent IG Adventures!

As someone who's never been the biggest fan of sto As someone who's never been the biggest fan of storebought hummus, I was stoked to find what I believe is the BEST homemade hummus recipe...with an easy extra step that's a great hack for getting it extra creamy! 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#hummus #hummusrecipe #kitchenhacks
While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in o While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in one last winter cocktail...here's some Sage Advice! It's a winter-y version of a whiskey sour bringing both cinnamon and sage, and then skirting the line of daiquiri with the substitution of lime juice for the traditional lemon. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#cocktailrecipe #bourbon #bourboncocktails #whiskeysour
Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cooki Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cookies 🍫 These TRIPLE dark chocolate cookies (with a hint of whiskey & balance with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt) are rich indulgence without being sickly sweet. They're also soooo easy...no special tools, no dough chilling. Delish cookies in under 30 minutes! 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the full recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#chocoholic #chocolatecookies #darkchocolate #cookierecipe
A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? SOLD. And it is so fast & easy that it can barely be called a "recipe"...these cumin roasted broccoli bits in the air fryer (though you can use an oven instead) are crazy fast, healthy, & delicious!

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to see the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#airfryer #broccoli #easysidedish #airfryerrecipes
I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient browni I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient brownies on REPEAT for a couple months now. And knowing that they only take a few minutes to make has been a bit dangerous on random Tuesday nights when my sweet tooth strikes! 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that they're naturally gluten- & grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, and (optionally) no sweetener added? 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 

#healthydessert #healthybrownies #glutenfreerecipes #vegandessert
This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic ideal for a cake. I DREAM of this cake. A soft, moist, dense buttery vanilla cake batter is studded with tart fresh cranberries, with a tiny crunch of raw sugar on top. A perfect dessert or snack for pretty much any occasion...including with a cup of tea on a random Tuesday afternoon...

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! 
--> @findingtimeforcooking 
#cranberrycake #cranberries #cranberryrecipe #bestdessert
These super easy marinated white beans are packed These super easy marinated white beans are packed with flavor & only take a few minutes to make! Even better?? They're best when made ahead of time (in 5 minutes!) and left for a day or two in the fridge for the flavors to really meld & intensify. 

This has become a go-to plant-based recipe, but I often throw some grilled salmon or chicken on top for a full meal. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this pic to get the recipe!
#veganrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #whitebeans #plantbasedrecipes
A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it is to make your own kombucha at home...you can have an entire gallon for less than the cost of one bottle at the store! 

I can't even keep a bamboo plant alive, yet have managed to keep the same "scoby" starter healthy & active for well over a decade. 

Here are easy step-by-step instructions for making your own kombucha at home, & the tools you'll need to do so! Tap the link in my IG bio (@findingtimeforcooking) & click on this photo to see the whole post.
#homemadekombucha #kombuchabrewing #healthyguthappylife #scoby
I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying to be more 🍜 But this Turkish corba (a spiced red lentil soup) has always been one of my exceptions.  It's CRAZY easy to make, full of veggies and the protein from the lentils, and just feels like a warm hug in a bowl!  A great vegetarian dinner idea, perfect on any detox protocol, and just a great cozy recipe for the winter months.

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe!
#corba #redlentils #souprecipe #drcabraldetox
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Amuse Bouche: Grilled Cheese with Truffle Cheese & Rosemary Bread

Peach Cupcakes With Peach Cream Cheese Frosting

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread With Sea Salt

Oatmeal Cinnamon Cookies

Browned Butter 101: How To Brown Butter

Recent Posts

  • The Best, Creamiest Homemade Hummus (+ A Secret Ha…
  • Sage Advice: A Winter Bourbon Cocktail
  • Weekday Indulgence: Easy Triple Dark Chocolate Coo…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food
  • Uncategorized

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2023 Finding Time For Cooking

58 shares