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Smashed Oven-Fried Okra

Recipe by Evelyn Marcella Rivera

Southern-style fried okra with a crispy cornmeal crust and no deep-frying required. Smashing the pods gives the coating more to grip, so it bakes up shatteringly crisp. Served with a quick Creole comeback sauce.

  • Total Time45 minutes
  • Yield4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup plain yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
  • 1 pound fresh okra pods
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • lemon wedges (optional, for serving)
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Whisk together the buttermilk, 1/3 cup water, and egg in a medium bowl. In a shallow dish, stir together the cornmeal, Creole seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Working one pod at a time, place the okra on a clean work surface and crush with a rolling pin until split in places but still intact. Repeat with the remaining okra.
  3. Dip each smashed pod in the buttermilk mixture, then turn in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer and drizzle with the oil.
  4. Bake about 20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, carefully turning halfway through. Immediately sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve with lemon wedges if desired and the comeback sauce.
  5. For the sauce: stir together the mayonnaise, yogurt, ketchup, Worcestershire, and Creole seasoning in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes

Use fresh okra, not frozen, which is too watery to crisp. Smashing gives the cornmeal more surface to grip and helps the pods cook through. Use two baking sheets so the okra roasts in a single uncrowded layer instead of steaming. Salt immediately out of the oven so it sticks. Best hot and fresh — the crust softens as it sits; reheat in a hot oven or air fryer, not the microwave. The comeback sauce keeps several days in the fridge.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/smashed-oven-fried-okra/