This delicious grilled okra is ready in just a few minutes, and the grilling eliminates any sliminess.
Serve it alone as a flavorful side dish, or pair it with a dipping sauce and serve it as a snack.
I love okra. I suspect it's a bit like cilantro in that people either love it or strongly dislike it. The most common objection is that it has a slimy texture.
Luckily, there are cooking methods that greatly reduce the sliminess. One of them is oven baking - this roasted okra is delicious. Another one is to take advantage of the mucilage and use okra in thick stews like this okra stew. And the third one is grilling, as we do here.
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- Fresh okra: Okra is in season in the summer, so that's when you are most likely to find it in the supermarket.
- Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But you can use avocado oil if you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point. Melted ghee is another tasty option.
- To season: Kosher Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is by adding spices. So, in addition to garlic powder, you could add ½ teaspoon of onion powder and a pinch of cumin. Cumin goes very nicely with okra.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Heat your grill on medium-high heat. Toss the okra with olive oil and spices. You can trim the ends if you wish, but I usually don't.
Grill the okra until tender and browned, turning frequently, for a total of about 10 minutes (or about 5 minutes if using a dual-contact grill).
Serve immediately.
Expert Tip
All types of grills work in this recipe. I've made it on a stovetop grill pan (a double one for the full recipe, a regular one for half the recipe), on a dual-contact electric grill, and on an outdoor grill.
Recipe FAQs
Okra is slimy because it contains mucilage. So, if you don't cook it properly, it can have an unpleasant texture. That's one of the best things about using your grill. Just like roasting, grilling dehydrates the mucilage and eliminates most of the sliminess typical of this vegetable.
Soaking the okra in vinegar water is supposed to reduce the slime, but in our case, it's unnecessary since grilling will do that quite effectively.
It depends on where you live. It's usually in season in the summer, but here in the South (I live in Memphis), you can usually find it year-round.
This is up to you. I usually don't, although, in the video below, you can see that I did.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled okra can be served as a snack with the simple dipping sauce shown below: Mix 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce.
When I serve it as a side dish, since I use the grill for making this recipe, I often serve it with a grilled main dish such as any of the following:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. You can also snack on them cold antipasti style.
More Okra Recipes
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Recipe Card
Grilled Okra Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh okra
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat your grill on medium-high. You can use a dual-contact indoor grill, a grill pan, or an outdoor grill.
- Rinse the okra and dry it on paper towels.
- Place the okra in a large bowl and toss it with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Transfer the okra to the hot grill. Grill until tender, for about 10 minutes, turning frequently. If using a dual-contact grill, grill for about 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- The best way to vary this recipe is by adding spices. So, in addition to garlic powder, you could add ½ teaspoon of onion powder and a pinch of cumin. Cumin goes very nicely with okra.
- All types of grills work in this recipe. I've made it on a stovetop grill pan (a double one for the full recipe, a regular one for half the recipe), on a dual-contact electric grill, and on an outdoor grill.
- Grilled okra can be served as a snack with a simple dipping sauce: Mix 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. You can also snack on them cold antipasti style.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
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