The Best Air Fryer Okra {Vegan}
Crispy, crunchy, and so poppable, this Air Fryer Okra will be a huge hit! Perfect as a quick appetizer, side dish, or a healthy game-day snack, fried okra in the air fryer is sure to become a crowd favorite. No air fryer? You’ll also find alternative cooking methods in the post.
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Delicious air fryer okra is super crispy without needing a lot of oil. Even better, the air fryer eliminates the “slimy” texture that gives okra a bad rap.
Packed with flavor and ready in a flash, you’re about to discover your new favorite snack!
Just like my Crispy Cauliflower Bites, Air Fryer Pickles, Fried Artichoke Hearts, Crispy Air Fryer Green Bean Fries, Air Fryer Green Tomatoes, and Air Fryer Zucchini Chips, this recipe takes delicious veggies and turns them into a healthier app or game-day snack.
This is the air fryer we currently have and we used to own (and love) this model.
Can You Air Fryer Frozen Okra?
Yes! Do not thaw the okra before air frying it. In order to get the breading to stick properly, you’ll want to rinse frozen okra in cold water in a fine-mesh strainer.
Ingredients
- Okra – fresh or frozen
- All-purpose flour (see notes for gluten-free options)
- Cornmeal
- Seasoning blend – I used Tony Chachere, but Old Bay will work in a pinch
- If your seasoning blend does not contain salt, add 1/4 tsp sea salt to the breading mix.
- Olive oil – just a bit!
My southern friend who shared this recipe with me stressed the fact that the breading should be light to medium. You don’t want to heavily coat the okra with the breading; you want to still taste and enjoy the vegetable underneath!
Save any leftover cornmeal to make a batch of this Air Fryer Cornbread – YUM!
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Avoid aerosol cooking spray as it can leave residue on the air fryer basket. We prefer using olive oil in a Misto.
- Taste a piece of fried okra while it is still fairly hot (don’t burn yourself!), because you can sprinkle more seasoning to taste while everything is still warm.
- Gluten-free options: use a 1 to 1 gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose.
- Need low carb, paleo, or Whole30 options? Try all almond flour instead of all-purpose flour and cornmeal.
- Don’t crowd the basket. It’s better to cook in batches rather than try to cook too much at once.
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
- See all our Air Fryer Appetizers here!
- Air Fryer Pretzel Dogs
- Air Fryer Meatballs
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Crispy Ranch Air Fryer Potatoes
- Air Fryer Tofu
- Air Fryer Ravioli
- Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
- Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
- Air Fryer Pizza Rolls
- Air Fryer Potstickers
The Best Air Fryer Okra {Vegan}
Ingredients
- 12 oz okra {fresh or frozen, cut into 1/4 inch rounds}
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornmeal
- 1 tsp Tony Chachere's creole seasoning {Old Bay works too}
- 2 tsp olive oil
Instructions
If Using Fresh Okra
- Rinse, pat dry, and cut off the stem end.
- Slice into 1/4 in rounds.
If Using Frozen Okra
- Place in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water. Shake to remove excess water.
Breading & Cooking the Okra
- Add okra to a medium mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle cornmeal, flour, and creole seasoning over the okra, and shake to coat.
- Brush olive oil in the air fryer basket. Add okra and spray heavily with olive oil.
- Cook at 400 F for 10 minutes, then shake. Spray with additional olive oil if desired.
- Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until it has reached your desired level of crispiness.
Notes
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These turned out GREAT, I topped with hot sauce and used only a teaspoon of flour, 2 Ts of cornmeal, added a light shake of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, a dash of cayenne powder to the mix. YUM!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sara (great name BTW!)! 🙂