Crispy Oven Okra

It's a slow week in the kitchen at The Holland House. Between a new nephew, a bathroom remodel, a husband out of town and an upcoming trip to Oklahoma, I just didn't have it in me to spend a few hours in the kitchen to prepare food for the week. The very least I can do is throw together a fairly simple and healthy dinner for one of the few nights we're home this week.

So let's talk about okra. Growing up, my experience with okra involved deep frying and ranch dip. Delicious, but not so healthy. It wasn't until about 4 years ago on a trip to the farmer's market that I realized how good okra could really be. A lady selling some told me to simply roast it in the oven with a little olive oil and salt. Easy enough, right? Plus, okra is high in fiber, vitamin C, folate and antioxidants, and is also a good source of calcium and potassium. So you know you're doing your body good by trying some that isn't deep fried.

When Hank and I were making a quick run through HEB Sunday night, I saw a beautiful container of okra and knew I could not leave the store without it. It fit the bill for an easy Monday night dinner. There isn't a ton of prep work to do, but it does take some time to get the okra nice and crispy. You have two options- low and really slow (if you want something closer to an okra chip), or high temp and not quite as slow. I went with option 2. The result is a fresh tasting, healthy, and slightly crispy okra that even makes a good snack all on its own.

Four easy ingredients

Chop oregano and mix with salt

Drizzle okra with a little olive oil, and sprinkle on the seasonings

Crispy Oven Okra

1 bunch okra
handful fresh oregano
kosher salt
olive oil


1. Heat oven to 450º.
2. Wash and dry the okra.
3. Place okra on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 tsp olive oil (don't overdo it or it will get soggy).
4. Chop fresh oregano (1-2 Tb will do)
5. Mix oregano and 1 tsp kosher salt, and then sprinkle over the okra.
6. Toss okra to get it well covered with oil and seasonings.
7. Roast in oven for 30 min, stirring on occasion to get all sides crispy.

Final meal was pan seared tofu with brown rice and crispy okra. Little prep work, and a healthy dinner in just under an hour.