how to cook okra in air fryer

Confession: The real reason I've had fried okra on my mind is because on the drive home from Nashville (from visiting Elsie) a few weeks ago, Trey and I stopped at a combination gas station/fried chicken place for lunch.

I didn't actually get any fried chicken BUT I did have some delicious fried okra and a pretty amazing biscuit. Ha. So, of course I realized I needed to get my air frier out and see if I could make some air fried okra, asap!

I don't pull out my air frier every night, but whenever I do, I am always happy. I absolutely LOVE air fried French fries. They are seriously the best. And I am happy to report that although air fried okra is just a little bit more time consuming to make (It's still easy! It's just more time consuming than French fries), it's 100% worth it. So good!

The key is, you want to bread the okra, air fry, then toss in just a tiny bit of oil, then air fry for a few more minutes. If you get lazy and can't be bothered for the second round of frying, they are still really good simply breaded and fried.

But friends, I'm telling you, just a couple more minutes for a second fry and you'll be so impressed with this air fried okra! And it still takes very little oil (so not overly fatty like deep fried okra) and I'm also sure you could find and use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you wanted to go that route, too.

These are delicious alongside a grilled sandwich, baked fish, or even on top of a salad (and they look really cute in a paper cone or a holder to feel like you're at a proper restaurant).

If you love this easy air fried okra recipe, be sure to try my air fried French fries, fried pickles, brussel sprouts, and crispy wings as well! xo. Emma

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Air Fried Okra

The best crispy air fried okra recipe

6 ounces okra fresh
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon flour
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 teaspoon of water, set aside.
Rinse the okra and cut off the tops and bottoms. Slice into pieces around 1/4 inch thick. Toss the okra in the flour. Then dip each piece in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs.
Air fry at 356°F for 6 minutes. Depending on the size of your air frier you will likely need to do this in two batches.
Toss the breaded okra in the oil (melting the coconut oil to a liquid if needed). Then air fry for an additional 2-3 minutes.

You can swap the flour and bread crumbs for a gluten-free version if desired.