Skip to Content

Air Fryer Okra

Air fryer okra is the BEST way to enjoy this often overlooked vegetable. The air fryer turns what many refer to as a “slimy” texture into crispy, crunchy okra fries. Seasoned simply but irresistibly, this recipe will have you falling in love with okra!

Crispy crunchy air fryer okra on a plate with dipping sauce.

I did not grow up eating okra. It was as far out of my Italian family’s repertoire as you might imagine.

But, sometime in young adulthood (I think it was actually after a business trip to Alabama where it was served fried on a BBQ platter) I decided to buy it and try it out.

It was not love at first bite. If you’ve heard people claim okra is slimy, there’s a reason why: it can be. But it doesn’t have to be.

The trick to okra is learning how to prepare it. Cut up and thrown in a soup, yeah, it’s gonna be slimy and gross. But when you treat it right, it can be one of the most deliciously crispy vegetables out there.

And making okra in the air fryer is one way to do just that.

Fresh okra to make okra fries in the air fryer.

For quite awhile, I roasted okra whole in the oven and made “okra fries”. I swore by this method for years and have actually told people it rivaled real fries when dipped in ketchup. I still stand by that statement.

But, like with a few things now (like air fryer frozen broccoli and air fryer eggplant), the air fryer has rocked my world (in a good way) when it comes to preparing a vegetable I thought I knew best.

Having now experienced both methods, I can confidently say making okra in the air fryer is THE BEST way to eat this vegetable.

Okra sliced in half in a bowl with avocado oil, seasonings and arrowroot powder.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE AIR FRYER OKRA

Lots of recipes for making okra involve a breading and an egg dip. This air fryer okra recipe is not one of them.

It’s much less messy and keeps the dish both vegan and gluten-free. Air frying okra this way is also lower calorie and lower carb!

  • 1 pound fresh okra
  • avocado oil
  • salt
  • garlic powder
  • cumin
  • coriander
  • turmeric
  • chili powder
  • arrowroot powder
Seasoned okra before air frying.

HOW TO MAKE OKRA IN THE AIR FRYER

Start by washing and thoroughly drying the fresh okra. Trim off the ends and slice it in half lengthwise then add to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the avocado oil on top of the okra slices and toss to combine.

Add the salt, spices and arrowroot powder to the bowl and give everything a good stir until each piece of okra is evenly coated with the mixture. Start with 2 tablespoons of the arrowroot powder and increase to 3 if needed so that all the okra is well coated. This is what helps it crisp up in the air fryer!

If you prefer, tapioca starch or cornstarch can be substituted for the arrowroot powder.

Great Present Ideas
Air Fryer Essentials: Must-Have Accessories for Perfect Results

From oil sprays to muffin cups and from pizza pans to racks, we've got them all, and they make fantastic Christmas presents, too!

Transfer the okra from the bowl to the air fryer trays (or the basket depending on your model air fryer) making sure to arrange in a single layer.

Air fry the okra at 400°F for 20 minutes. Rotate the trays halfway through cooking (or shake the basket). The okra should be crispy and golden brown around the edges when it’s finished. Keep an eye on it from the 15 minute mark on so no pieces burn.

Remove from the air fryer and serve with some fresh parsley for garnish if desired.

Air fried okra served with a dipping sauce and fresh parsley.

FRIED OKRA BITES VS. FRIES

Oftentimes when you see fried okra, it’s cut into “bites” or little circles.

I’m honestly not really sure why that is because, in my opinion, okra is better when “fried” lengthwise to resemble fries.

I personally think this slicing method allows for a crispier result since it exposes the entire length of the “slimy” middle to the air fryer.

Cutting the okra in circles doesn’t do as good of a job of that and unless they’re dipped in egg, breaded and then fried, the result isn’t as crunchy.

Save the circles for making stewed okra and tomatoes but stick to a fry shape for this approach.

Plus, doesn’t anything in “fry” form just taste better?

I think so.

Hence parsnip fries, jicama fries and purple sweet potato fries!

How to fry okra in the air fryer for crispy okra fries.

CAN YOU FRY FROZEN OKRA?

I keep a bag of frozen okra in my freezer so I get the temptation to want to use frozen okra for this recipe.

I don’t recommend it however since it’s already cut into circles for the reasons above.

Keep the frozen okra for things like chili (it’d be good in brisket chili!) or stew and stick to fresh if you want to air fry okra.

Crispy air fried okra seasoned with garlic powder and cumin.

This air fried okra may not be the traditional “southern” way (my okra cornmeal cakes are a better fit for that) but, I’m pretty confident with the first crispy bite you’ll be ditching any preconceived notions of what “fried okra” is and be all about this air fried approach.

Feel free to change up the seasonings too. As with any roasted or air fried vegetable (like air fryer carrots), the flavor can go any which way you prefer. I tend to default to garlic powder as it’s always a crowd pleaser.

But the cumin, coriander and turmeric on these okra fries give a little bit of an Indian vibe. It’s not overpowering and not as intense as curry or garam masala would be. But, I did take inspiration from the Indian dish “kurkuri bhindi” which just means fried okra.

In that preparation, similar spices are used but the okra is tossed in chickpea flour to coat instead of the arrowroot powder I used here. So let’s call this air fried okra a hybrid – half Indian inspired, half traditional Southern inspired.

Either way, the result is a crispy delicious okra “fry” that will completely captivate your taste buds!

Crispy okra fries made in the air fryer with simple seasonings in just 20 minutes.

If you make and love this recipe, please leave a ★★★★★ review below! I’d love to know how it goes. Leave a comment below if you have any questions. Tag @runningtothekitchen on Instagram & Facebook.

Air fryer okra

Air Fryer Okra

Enjoy okra in this crispy preparation in the air fryer. The resulting "fries" can be enjoyed as a side dish or with your favorite dipping sauce.
4.6 from 190 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound okra washed, dried and cut in half lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2-3 tablespoons arrowroot powder *see note for substitutions

Instructions
 

  • Place washed, dried and halved okra in a large bowl.
  • Drizzle avocado oil over the okra and toss to combine.
  • Add the salt, spices and arrowroot powder to the bowl and stir until combined. All pieces of okra should be evenly coated with the mixture.
  • Place the seasoned okra onto the trays (or in the basket) of an air fryer in a single layer.
  • Air fry at 400°F for 20 minutes, rotating trays or shaking basket halfway through cooking time.
  • Remove once the okra is crispy and golden brown around edges.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve as a side dish or as "fries" with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

*Tapioca starch or cornstarch can be substituted for arrowroot powder.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1SERVING | Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 250mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Cuisine American
Course Side Dishes
Keyword air fried okra, air fryer okra, fried okra in air fryer, okra in air fryer
TRIED THIS RECIPE?COMMENT + RATE BELOW!

Gina Matsoukas is the writer, founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as possible. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

Recipe Rating




Anne

Sunday 22nd of October 2023

Do you need to preheat the air fryer?

Gina Matsoukas

Monday 23rd of October 2023

You can but it's not necessary.

Maire

Thursday 31st of August 2023

These were delicious. I had to use my oven as my air fryer is very small. So only a little crispy but very tasty!

ReelDuel

Sunday 13th of August 2023

We have been doing this for a few years. It is great for the okra that might be a little too big also. EVOO seasoning and 20 min in the Pampered chef DAF. We cook 2 trays and swap them every 5 minutes.

Eddie

Monday 17th of July 2023

Started a new diet and purchased air fryer. Tried this recipe minus arrowroot or substitutions for arrowroot and substituted coconut oil for avocado oil. The okra was wonderful. This was a big hit with family including my son who is not a big okra eater.

Gina Matsoukas

Monday 17th of July 2023

Glad you all liked it!

Nancy

Friday 26th of May 2023

Great recipe for okra! I made it exactly by the recipe. I will use far less salt next time, but other than that, it was perfect! I will definitely make this again.