How to pan fry whole okra

Some plants wilt in the seemingly intolerable heat and humidity of a Southern summer, unable to make it under the blistering sun and stuffy humidity. Okra doesn't just thrive, but seems to revel in the weather, growing ever taller as the thermometer spikes.

Okra, an important member of the canon of Southern foods, is delicious when it's fried, stewed, sautéed, or roasted. One of the more traditional (and our favorite) ways to cook okra is to slice it and fry it in cornmeal.

Pan fried okra without cornmeal

This simple, six-ingredient recipe takes just half an hour to prepare, but it'll add something special to any supper.

Simply heat oil in a skillet and add the okra, stirring to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and, as the okra fries, sprinkle it with cornmeal.

It's a no-nonsense process fitting for this simple dish.

Pan fried okra no breading

This quick recipe calls for you to use two skillets so the okra will have room to cook up extra crispy. But you can also cook two batches in one skillet; just make sure the oil in the second batch gets nice and hot before adding the okra.

Ingredients

how do you fry okra in a skillet

how long to fry okra in a pan