Martha Rose Shulman's Roasted Okra

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated September 9, 2025

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(1,107)
Comments
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My friend Marian Schwartz gave me the idea to roast okra. It’s an ingenious strategy: No need to marinate the okra in salt and vinegar beforehand -- it develops a wonderful seared flavor in the hot oven, and it won’t be gooey.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves four

  • 1 pound okra

  • Salt to taste

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • Fresh thyme leaves to taste optional

  • Freshly ground pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

9 grams carbs; 99 calories; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 283 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse the okra, and drain on a kitchen towel. The okra should be dry. Trim away the stem ends and the tips, just the very ends, and then place the okra in a large bowl. Salt to taste, and toss with the olive oil until coated.

  2. Step 2

    Lift the okra from the bowl, leaving behind any excess oil. Place on a sheet pan in one layer. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes (large okra might take a little longer), shaking the pan every five minutes. The okra should be lightly browned and tender, with a nice seared aroma. If you don’t want it to brown as much, set the oven at 400 degrees.

  3. Step 3

    Remove from the heat, toss with fresh thyme, if desired, and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a platter. Serve hot.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: You can trim the okra several hours ahead, but this is a last-minute dish.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,107 user ratings
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Comments

Lauren

I've been roasting okra for years. The best ones are small, not longer than your thumb. Ground oregano is excellent on them...and let a few get really brown. Crunchy is great.

bb

• The best ones are small, not longer than your thumb.
• Roast a bit longer for okra on the crispier side, and then serve with a carrot sriracha hummus - divine!
• Roasted some cherry tomatoes at the same time. Added some bits of andouille sausage. A "pretend" gumbo without all the fuss.
• dust them with a cajun spice mix.
• Ground oregano is excellent on them

Eric Rodgers

I did this as part of dinner with friends last night using pecan oil, Creole seasoning, and Tabasco. We gobbled it up like popcorn!

Dan

Just great texture and flavor! So easy

EdinSC

I used Goya Adobo powder instead of salt. The okra I had was on the large side, and I was worried it would be tough. But it wasn't, it was delicious.

Mortadella

Never was a fan of okra, primarily because of the slime. I roasted these long enough to eliminate the slime, but unfortunately it also seemed to lose a lot of flavor. On the next attempt, I will try to find the sweet spot where it roasts just long enough to eliminate the slime and hopefully not compromise the flavor. Also, I sprinkled them lightly with creole seasoning which did help.

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