Healthy Okra Recipes

These spicy, crunchy pan-fried okra pods may be just the recipe to turn okra haters into lovers. Bonus: Okra's soluble fiber--the unique gel that traditionally thickens gumbo--also helps clear unhealthy cholesterol in your body. Serve this vegetarian side dish along with baked or grilled chicken or fish for a healthy dinner.

This classic Southern stew has as many variations as people making it, but historically it features fresh game and smoked meat along with some vegetables. This veggie-loaded version gets great smoky flavor from a smoked turkey drumstick.

Browning the flour gives this seafood gumbo recipe a distinctive rich color and flavor.

Simmered in a tomato sauce fragrant with garlic and cilantro and finished with pomegranate molasses, this okra recipe might be just the dish that turns okra haters into lovers.

For this revamped, lower-fat Creole gumbo recipe, the flour is browned in a Dutch oven without butter or oil. To keep the fat further in check, we opt for smoked turkey sausage.

Enjoy the flavors of Louisiana Cajun cooking with this lightened-up version of the famous shrimp and rice dish.

You may not think to combine olives and okra, let alone throw olives in your pickle jar. But trust: get your hands on the nicest okra possible and tuck it in a jar with briny olives, summer basil and a mean pickling liquid--you'll see what the fuss is about with this quick preserve. Speaking of pickling liquid, this recipe calls for rice vinegar, which has less than 5% acidity--the minimum for safe canning--so these pickles are for the refrigerator only. Chop and scatter them over roast chicken, toss into salads, spoon onto cheese plates or eat 'em straight from the jar.

The classic Bloody Mary is an easy, go-to brunch cocktail meant to jolt you back into reality with spice and booze after a late night out. "Hair of the dog" is a tried-and-true treatment for those droopy-eyed mornings, but spike your Bloody Mary with a lively jumble of these cider vinegar pickles for a real cure-all that will open those eyes. Green cherry tomatoes are especially fun in this mix because they end up looking like green olives.

This updated version of a traditional Southern dish recipe includes lima beans and is seasoned with lively crushed red pepper.

Okra retains a delightful tender-crisp texture when cooked in a packet. Here, it teams up with shrimp, tomatoes and Cajun seasoning for a satisfying meal with a taste of New Orleans. Serve with grilled whole-grain bread or polenta.

Get a taste of the south with this chicken drumstick recipe. Thyme, hot sauce and black pepper lend flavor to this perfect weeknight dinner option.

This slow-cooker gumbo recipe skips the fat when browning the flour and swaps in turkey sausage and brown rice, resulting in a healthier dish with the classic Creole taste.

To avoid the sliminess that turns many people off okra, Indians cook it over high heat in a lot of oil. In this healthy okra recipe, we get similar results with less oil using a nonstick pan. For an authentic taste, use a hot, smoky Indian chili powder, such as reshampatti. Serve with brown basmati rice and yogurt.

In the South, scoring fresh-picked okra at the farmers' market is as exciting as discovering the ripest heirloom tomato. In this healthy tomato salad recipe, addictive roasted okra fries add crunch to balance the creamy dressing and soft tomatoes.

Comfort food with a Southern accent, this dish was inspired by our friend, Jimmo, who ate it growing up in South Carolina. Serve over brown rice or Quick Cheese Grits.

These awesome habanero-spiced pickled okra are the perfect crunchy treat to turn anyone on to the beauty of this underappreciated vegetable.

In this easy vegetable side dish, okra stays crisp--not slimy--when sautéed quickly with a blend of Indian spices. Serve with curry-grilled chicken or fish and a yogurt sauce.

Chock-full of shrimp, chicken, sausage, okra and tomatoes, this flavorful stew is a staple in Louisiana. Make it a meal and serve with Real Cornbread (see associated recipe).

This bean and okra recipe is a classic Southern side dish perfect for potlucks. Adding the okra toward the end of cooking guarantees a tender--not mushy--texture.

Colorful red bell pepper and thinly sliced okra add an exciting element in this cast-iron skillet cornbread recipe. Serve the cornbread in wedges alongside chili, baked beans or barbecued chicken or pork.