Air fryer frozen okra is a simple, delicious side dish. Tender okra with crisp edges, cooked from frozen in your air fryer!
Table of Contents
Y'all, I love okra. I love pickled okra and breaded okra, and today I'm going to show you how to make delicious frozen okra in your air fryer!
Fresh okra is easy enough to work with, but frozen okra is even easier! You can find it already cut into pieces, it keeps much longer than fresh, and it's often cheaper, too. That's why I wanted to work on an air fryer recipe for frozen okra.
If you've never had roasted okra without the breading, I am so excited to introduce it to you! Sure, breaded, fried okra is delicious, but okra can absolutely stand on its own, too.
I know that some people are okra-averse, because they've experienced the slimy texture of boiled okra, and I want to put your mind at ease. Air-fried okra and roasted okra aren't slimy.
This tender, crispy air fryer okra recipe really leans into okra's natural texture with simple seasoning from olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. It's an absolutely delicious way to enjoy one of my favorite underrated vegetables.
If you enjoy cooking frozen vegetables, check out my other frozen vegetable recipes!
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- frozen cut okra - I have not tested cooking frozen whole okra pods. You may be able to just cook it a bit longer, but that might cause it to burn before it heats through. If you try it, let me know in the comments!
- spray oil - A little bit of oil helps the air fryer okra get those good, crisp edges! It also helps the spices stick to the frozen okra.
- salt and spices - We are seasoning this okra with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt. You can add a pinch or more of cayenne pepper for heat, too, if you like.
🔪 How to Make Frozen Okra in the Air Fryer
Add the okra to a bowl and spray liberally with the olive oil. Add the spices and salt, and toss well to coat.
Transfer the okra to your air fryer basket, and spread it out into a single layer or as close to that as you can get.
Air fry at 400° F for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking at a the 7-minute mark. The okra is done when it's tender with a bit of browning on some of the edges.
♨️ How to Cook Frozen Breaded Okra in the Air Fryer
If you have a bag of frozen, breaded okra, you can also cook this in the air fryer! Just cook it at the same temperature as listed on the bag's cooking instructions for half the time.
If the cooking temperature is over 400° F, no problem! Just cook at 400° F and start with half the time. You may just need to add a couple of minutes to the tail end of cooking. They're done when they are a golden brown color.
💡 Helpful Tips
- Thawing the okra is not necessary before you air fry it.
- Shaking the basket halfway through cooking is very important! You want to make sure the okra moves around, so it will cook evenly in the air fryer.
- Different air fryers can vary in how quickly they cook. When you shake at the 7-minute mark, also check for doneness. If it seems to be cooking quickly, it may be done closer to 12 minutes. I had one air fryer in particular that burned everything because it ran so hot! Other air fryers, like the oven air fryer setting, may need more time, because those tend to run less hot.
🫙 Storage and Serving Directions
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy them warm as a side dish or cold on top of a salad.
Air fryer okra is a delicious side dish on its own, or you can serve it with a dipping sauce. This okra is delicious dipped into turmeric tahini sauce, curry mayonnaise, cashew ranch, or tahini ranch dressing. If you don't want to use a dip, it also goes really well with some of my vegan parmesan cheese "fairy dust" on top.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Okra
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces frozen cut okra
- spray oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika, if you don't want a smoky flavor
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the okra to a bowl and spray liberally with the olive oil. Add the spices and salt, and toss well to coat. Transfer the okra to your air fryer basket, and spread it out into a single layer or as close to that as you can get.
- Air fry at 400° F for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking at a the 7-minute mark. The okra is done when it's tender with a bit of browning on some of the edges.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!