This Air Fryer Okra is super crispy & flavorful without any breading or egg - roasted to perfection in under 30 minutes!

💚 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's so simple. Use just 5 ingredients to make a super flavorful side dish.
- Cut the fat. Trust me - you won't miss the breading on this "fried" okra. It's still really crispy without all of the traditional frying!
- Ready in under 30 minutes.
🍴Ingredients
- 1lb fresh okra - Sorry, I don't recommend frozen okra for this one. Even if it thaws, it tends to be way too soggy to get that nice crisp.
- ¼ cup olive oil - A little bit of oil is essential to getting that crispy, crunchy okra.
- spices - We're using 2 teaspoons each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder for this okra. These three spices are kind of my kitchen secret weapon - they're great on anything!
Variations & Additions
- Feel free to use any oil you have. Vegetable oil, butter, or avocado oil would also be great.
- Any and all spices are also fair game. This okra would be great with a sprinkle of onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, or your favorite seasoning blend.
Pack more veggies into your diet with these Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes, or this colorful Sausage Potato Sheet Pan!
👨🍳 How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Okra
- Wash your 1lb of fresh okra and thoroughly pat dry with a paper towel. You can either cook the okra whole or slice it into small (1") pieces at this point.
- In a large bowl, toss okra with ¼ cup olive oil and seasonings (2 teaspoons each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder).
- Preheat the air fryer to 425 degrees.
- Place okra in the air fryer in a single layer. Cook in the air fryer for 20-25 minutes for whole okra or 15-18 minutes for sliced okra, until the okra is browned and crisping at the edges.
🍽️ How to Serve
This okra can be served as a side item or an appetizer!
If serving as an appetizer, I recommend leaving the okra whole so they're easy to grab and go. Make a yummy dipping sauce for your okra by combining equal parts mayonnaise and ketchup, adding a good dash of Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning with salt/pepper to taste.
Want to pair your okra with a tasty main course? Try these dishes!
- Bacon Cheddar Ranch Chicken
- French Onion Chicken Casserole
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice
- Fall-Apart Mississippi Roast
❄️ Leftovers & Storage
STORAGE: Store the okra in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep your okra as crispy as possible by placing a paper towel at the bottom of your storage dish to absorb any moisture.
Enjoy your okra within 3-4 days of originally cooking it.
REHEATING: To reheat, just pop it in the air fryer for a few minutes.
FREEZING: This one can't be frozen if you want it to stay crispy. It's totally fine to freeze it, but be warned that it will probably be a little soggy (possibly a little slimy) when you thaw it.
💡 Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Make sure your air fryer is preheated before adding the okra. Placing the okra in an unheated air fryer can overcook it before it gets that nice crisp.
- All okra should be in a single layer in your Air Fryer. If you have multiple trays, make sure to rotate them halfway through cooking.
- After washing the okra, make sure it's patted completely dry with a paper towel before adding the oil and spices. You also might want to give it a pat-down if you slice it - sometimes those insides can keep the okra from getting crispy.
- If needed, this recipe can be baked in the oven as well. Just bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
I hope you love this easy side dish! If you give this a try, make sure to rate ⭐️ and review 💭 the recipe below. I'd also love for you to follow along for the newest recipes from Lamberts Lately!
Air Fryer Okra
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh okra
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 425 degrees.
- Wash okra and pat dry with a paper towel. You can either cook the okra whole or slice it into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, toss the okra with the olive oil and seasonings.
- Place okra in the air fryer in a single layer. Cook in the air fryer for 20-25 minutes for whole okra or 15-18 minutes for sliced okra, until the okra is browned and crisping at the edges.
Notes
- Make sure your air fryer is preheated before adding the okra. Placing the okra in an unheated air fryer can overcook it before it gets that nice crisp.
- All okra should be in a single layer in your Air Fryer. If you have multiple trays, make sure to rotate them halfway through cooking.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep your okra as crispy as possible by placing a paper towel at the bottom of your storage dish to absorb any moisture.
- If serving as an appetizer, I recommend leaving the okra pods whole so they're easy to grab and go.
- Make a yummy dipping sauce for your okra by combining equal parts mayonnaise and ketchup, adding a good dash of Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning with salt/pepper to taste.
- After washing the okra, make sure it's patted completely dry with a paper towel before adding the oil and spices. You also might want to give it a pat-down if you slice it - sometimes those insides can keep the okra from getting crispy.
- If needed, this recipe can be baked in the oven as well. Just bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.