This hearty okra stew features tender pieces of beef and okra cooked in a rich tomato-and-onion-based broth. It's an easy recipe that practically cooks itself.
This okra stew is pure comfort. Tender pieces of meat, onions, and okra swim in a rich tomato broth. Paprika and cumin add depth and warmth. It's a wonderfully comforting dish, perfect when it's cold outside. This is not a quick recipe, but it's easy. You brown the meat and onions, add spices and liquids, and let it cook. Add the okra, and in just a few more minutes, your delicious stew is ready!
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil. If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, use avocado oil or ghee.
- Stew meat: You can buy it pre-cubed or buy a chuck roast and cut it into one-inch pieces.
- Chopped onions: I typically use yellow onions, but white onions will work too.
- Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work.
- To season: Salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. The amount of cayenne pepper I use doesn't make the dish very spicy, so if you like spicy food, you can increase the amount. Sometimes, I use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a subtle smoky flavor.
- Canned tomato sauce: It greatly enhances the flavor of the stew and also improves its presentation by giving it a pretty color.
- Beef broth: Homemade or store-bought. I prefer not to use a low-sodium broth. The brand I use has about 500 mg of sodium per cup.
- Fresh okra: Okra is in season in the summer, but this is the perfect winter recipe, so I often use frozen okra.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Cook the meat and onions in olive oil.
Add the garlic and spices, tomato sauce, beef broth, and salt and pepper. Your work is pretty much done! Now, just let the stew simmer until the meat is tender—this should take about 45 minutes.
Add the okra and cook for about 10 more minutes until tender. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- When you brown the beef and onions, the stockpot will be a bit crowded, so if you'd like, you can cook in batches - cook two batches for the beef, set it aside, then cook the onions. This will ensure even browning. However, I'm a lazy cook, so I just cook them together with excellent results.
- Okra contains a clear goop called mucilage, which many people find objectionable. In this recipe, the mucilage actually works with us cooks, not against us, because it helps thicken the stew. In addition, the acidity of the tomatoes removes some of the sliminess. In other recipes, like roasted okra and grilled okra, we use high heat to dry the mucilage.
- To further thicken the stew, stir in a cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water, then stir the slurry into the hot stew.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power or on the stovetop over low heat. After cooling it, you can also freeze this stew for up to three months. I freeze it in individual microwave-safe containers, thaw it overnight in the fridge, and then reheat it covered in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this stew in bowls with a spoon for the liquids, in addition to a knife and a fork.
It's also good on a bed of something that would absorb some of the liquids. If you eat rice, that's perfect. Lower-carb options include cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, spaghetti squash, and zucchini noodles.
You can also serve this stew with crusty bread or with a low-carb bread such as almond flour bread or cornbread.
Recipe Card
Hearty Okra Stew
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
- 2 pounds chuck roast - cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion - chopped; 6 ounces
- 1 tablespoon garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 pound okra - ends trimmed, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed 5-quart stockpot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and onions. Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, beef broth, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then cover and turn the heat down to low, keeping the dish at a steady simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes.
- Stir in the okra, cover again, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- When you brown the beef and onions, the stockpot will be a bit crowded, so if you'd like, you can cook in batches - cook two batches for the beef, set it aside, then cook the onions. This will ensure even browning. However, I'm a lazy cook, so I just cook them together with excellent results.
- Okra contains a clear goop called mucilage, which many people find objectionable. In this recipe, the mucilage actually works with us cooks, not against us, because it helps to thicken the stew. In addition, the acidity of the tomatoes removes some of the sliminess.
- To thicken the stew, stir in cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water, then stir the slurry into the hot stew.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power or on the stovetop over low heat. After cooling it, you can also freeze this stew for up to three months. I freeze it in individual microwave-safe containers, thaw it overnight in the fridge, and then reheat it covered in the microwave.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
