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This Creole smothered Okra with tomatoes is a thick and delicious southern style dish with lots of Cajun flavor. Serve it on its own or with rice for a comforting and filling meal!
If you only think of okra as an ingredient for gumbo, think again! This versatile vegetable makes a delicious side dish and takes center stage in this Cajun okra recipe!
Don’t get me wrong. Okra is amazing in this chicken and sausage gumbo and this seafood gumbo, but stewing fresh okra together with tomatoes is a whole other way to appreciate it and a Southern favorite!
And don't worry, we cook it long enough to cook away all that sliminess! This smothered okra works great as a vegetable side dish or even a main dish!
Another great way to get rid of okra sliminess is to fry it - try this air fryer okra!
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What is okra?
Okra is green in color with a long, slender shape and white seeds inside. It’s sometimes called lady fingers because of its shape. While it’s cooked and enjoyed as a vegetable, it’s actually a fruit, and has a mild, earthy flavor.
Okra contains mucilage, which is a natural thickening agent, so when it’s heated, okra acts as a thickener. This makes it a great addition to soups, stews and gumbos. It is commonly used to make okra gumbo!
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Why this recipe works
- It’s a simple recipe. While it takes about 60 minutes of cooking time for this okra and tomato recipe, you need minimal ingredients and minimal prep time. It's mostly hands off!
- You don’t need to worry about using fresh ingredients. Frozen okra and canned tomatoes work perfectly in this recipe.
- It’s flavorful and filling, so you can enjoy it on its own or serve it with rice for the ultimate comfort food meal!
Ingredients
The following are a few key ingredients for this stewed okra and tomatoes recipe. For the full list of ingredients, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You’ll need 16 ounces of fresh okra (or frozen) as the main ingredient. Just make sure it’s sliced (or use pre-cut okra) before you add it to the recipe. You see I photographed frozen above.
While you can use freshly diced tomatoes for this recipe, for convenience, I just use one 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes. I also add the juices to the okra mixture.
The recipe calls for ½ a cup of chicken broth. To make this recipe vegetarian, you can also use vegetable broth.
The key to flavoring this okra is 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning (substitute Creole seasoning). While you can use store-bought, this homemade Cajun seasoning is super easy to make and totally worth the couple extra minutes.
Green bell pepper, onion and bay leaf is also used.
Step by step instructions
Heat the butter in a large skillet or a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until softened.
Add the green pepper and okra and sauté okra for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes, broth and seasonings and bring to a simmer.
Cover and simmer on low heat for an hour, or until the sliminess of the okra disappears.
Serve over plain white rice or dirty rice topped with Louisiana hot sauce (optional).
Expert tips
- Keep cooking the okra until it's no longer slimy. Okra typically has to be boiled (or simmered) for about an hour to get rid of it's sliminess.
- If the okra mixture becomes too dry while cooking, add additional water or broth.
- For extra heat, add more cayenne pepper or hot sauce, or substitute the green pepper for jalapeño pepper.
- Taste the smothered okra before serving and add more salt to taste, if desired.
- To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- If you use no salt added or low sodium broth, you may need to add more salt to taste.
- You can use fresh tomatoes in this recipe, but you’ll need the juices too. If your tomatoes aren’t that juicy, you may want to add more broth.
Common questions
As okra is a natural thickener it can take on a slimy texture when heated. Normally, after an hour of cooking, the okra is no longer slimy. However, there are a few things you can try when preparing okra to minimize the sliminess.
Make sure it isn’t wet when you start cooking it, so just pat it dry with a paper towel. Some recipes suggest soaking it in a vinegar/water mixture, while others suggest salting it first, to draw out the moisture. You can also sauté it first, on high heat, before adding it to the recipe.
It’s great with plain rice or dirty rice with some Louisiana hot sauce. We’ve also enjoyed it with some crawfish egg rolls, alligator bites and hush puppies as an appetizer!
Soaking okra in vinegar for about 30 minutes will help reduce/eliminate the sliminess. The vinegar breaks down and starts to dissolve the slime. Your okra will take on a slight vinegar flavor if you use this method.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store leftover okra and tomatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It will thicken in the fridge, so before you reheat it, you may need to add a little water or broth.
I don’t recommend freezing smothered okra as it may get a bit mushy once thawed.
Other Cajun recipes to try
- One Pot Cajun Pasta Recipe
- Seafood Rice
- Spicy Cajun Remoulade Sauce
- Pan Fried Cajun Blackened Catfish
- Crispy Cajun Wings
If you love this recipe, leave a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
The Best Creole Smothered Okra with Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 16 ounces okra fresh or frozen, sliced
- 1 green pepper chopped
- ½ onion chopped
- 1-15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1-2 teaspoons salt adjusted to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until softened.
- Add the green pepper and okra and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomatoes, broth and seasonings and bring to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for an hour, or until the sliminess of the okra disappears.
- Serve plain or over rice with Louisiana hot sauce (optional).
Expert Tips:
- Keep cooking the okra until it's no longer slimy. Okra typically has to be boiled (or simmered) for about an hour to get rid of it's sliminess.
- If the okra mixture becomes too dry while cooking, add additional water or broth.
- For extra heat, add more cayenne pepper or hot sauce, or substitute the green pepper for jalapeño pepper.
- Taste the smothered okra before serving and add more salt to taste, if desired.
- To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- If you use no salt added or low sodium broth, you may need to add more salt to taste.
- You can use fresh tomatoes in this recipe, but you’ll need the juices too. If your tomatoes aren’t that juicy, you may want to add more broth.
Nutrition
Dannii
I have always wanted to try cooking okra, but never knew what to do with it. I will definitely be trying this.
Danielle
Hope you love it!
Mahy
Okra is one veggie that I haven't cooked much with. Definitely need to give this recipe a try - the instructions are phenomenal!
Danielle
Thanks Mahy!
Jacqueline Meldrum
I've never tried okra so this was an interesting read for me. Looks yummy!
Danielle
Thanks!
Claudia Lamascolo
Ive never had okra and this recipe gave me a great reason to try it!
Danielle
I'm so glad to hear it!