Last Updated on February 22, 2020 by Chef Mireille
Fried Okra Salad
Turn fried okra into a healthy meal by combining it with a healthy salad. This is a lighter meal you can prepare for Fat Tuesday or a delicious summertime meal!
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Fried okra is a classic dish from southern American cuisine. While they are delicious, they are high in calories due to the deep fried batter that surrounds the okra. Add some balance to fried okra but combining it with a fresh salad.
I came back from the farmer’s market yesterday with a variety of locally grown salad greens like mizuna and oak tree. Mizuna is one of my favorite greens with a slight peppery taste to them. If these are not available in your area, replace with any lettuce of your choice.
Okra
Okra is not common in most of the United States. In fact, I have met many people who have never tasted okra. However, it is very popular in southern regional cuisine and is most often deep fried, except when used in Louisiana gumbo!
I have met many southerners even who still only used canned or frozen gumbo. I think that is why so many of the southern okra recipes are fried to try to get some flavor into it!
I grew up eating fresh okra a lot. My parents are from the Caribbean and okra is used often in Caribbean cuisine in everything from curries to soup to rice!
Okra Health Benefits
Okra has many health benefits. In fact, my Mom drinks an okra smoothie every morning to control her blood sugar. It is very good for diabetics and controlling sugar levels.
It’s also low in calories and rich in vitamins, especially Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A & Vitamin B6.
Would you like to learn how to incorporate more okra into your diet? Check out these okra recipes!
Okra Recipes
- Shrimp & Okra Gumbo
- Fried Okra in Bread Sauce
- Okra Ground Provision Soup
- Okra Shorba (Okra Lamb Stew)
- Okra Bamia Stew
- Lemon Basil Tagliatelle with Okra
- Indian Okra Masala
Crispy crunchy fried okra is balanced with a healthy green salad.
Fried Okra Salad
Ingredients
Okra Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- large pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz. okra cut into 1/2″ pieces
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup purple mizuna firmly packed
- 1/2 a head oak tree lettuce
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet pea shoots
- 1 chopped tomato
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lemon basil pesto
- 1/3 cup black pepper mayonnaise
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine buttermilk and egg. Add the pinch of salt and beat well until thoroughly combined.
- In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, herbs and spices. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
- Heat a deep pot with enough oil for deep frying.
- Put okra pieces in the buttermilk combination. Remove a few at a time and toss in the flour mix. Add to the hot oil and fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels.
- To make dressing, combine pesto and mayonnaise. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- To make salad, toss all greens and tomato in a large bowl. Toss well. Add a few tablespoons of the dressing. Toss well. Add more, if desired. Add the fried okra on top.
Notes
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wow that salad is new to me.. am think how can i sub the egg here for the batter for my okra loving kiddo 🙂
Wow that is a really unique recipe. I loved this way to use okra 🙂
Love how crispy the fried okra looks. Perfect with a bed of greens 🙂
Very unique salad, super irresistible salad.
I love the fact that okra is fried..such a lovely dish!
Fried okra salad looks so delicious.
Fried okra is very crisp and never thought of adding it to salads. Nice recipe.
Totally amazing Mireille how you’ve used okra for a salad. Looks very inviting and of course I just can’t resist crunchy coated and fried okra.
yes fried okra is such a great snack.In fact, just got some more okra today so this might be getting made this week again 🙂
This is a unique recipe. I loved the crispy bite of the okra but had to swap out the salad greens for what I get here. The crunch of the salad was perfect.
Sure you can pair it with whatever salad greens you have available.
whoa ! I would never think of okra in a salad ! guess I could air fry them, and then add the salad greens…
Sure – although you might have to play with the batter a little bit to make it in the air fryer
Wow! Mir that is definitely one yum salad and the fried okra will give it a lovely crunch. Love it and made it. Hubby thought I had used fried prawns ;D But he loved it. Thanks.
so happy you guys loved it so much – although can’t see how you can compare okra to prawns 🙂
Interesting salad recipe. I have never tried this before. Would love to make it as I really love trying new salad recipes every summer.
As long as you like okra, you will love it!
This is a lovely salad recipe with okra. Something different which I have never tasted, will make it soon.
I’m sure you are going to love it!
Such an unique recipe. Okra salad looks absolutely delicious. Okra dipped in butter milk and egg before frying sounds interesting. Coating with flour makes the Okra crispy crunchy and tasty. I would love to try it soon.
yes the okra is crispy!
wow- I love the way you have fried the okra. The Indian in me thinks they must taste like pakoras. Great way to add a tasty crunch to a salad.
similar but a thinner batter!
Okra salad is indeed very unique and interesting. I am.a big fan of fried Okra known as Kurkure bhindi from Indian cuisine ..I am definitely going to make this and enjoy during the monsoon !
Glad you have found a new way to enjoy okra!