Roasting brings out the sweetness of okra and onions in this deliciously easy side dish. Even the most die-hard opponents of trying okra will be pleasantly surprised with the sweet flavor of Roasted Okra and Onions, and pairing it with homemade Horseradish Cream Sauce will have everyone wanting a second helping. Our one-pan roasting method with parchment paper doesn’t even leave a pan to be washed.
⏲️ Time needed
Roasting time for the vegetables is about 20 minutes, and prep time to wash and slice them is 15-20 minutes. If you are serving with Horseradish Cream Sauce, it can be made in while the vegetables are roasting so that everything is ready in 35-40 minutes.
🥘 Ingredients
- fresh okra
- yellow onion
- salt and pepper
- vegetable oil
- parchment paper
- Horseradish Cream Sauce, if desired
🌾 Adaptations for dietary restrictions
This dish is vegetarian and gluten-free as-is; if you serve it with the Horseradish Cream Sauce, the sauce recipe includes adaptations for gluten-free preparation.
💭 Tips for choosing okra
Okra is technically a fruit and is filled with round, white seeds, but it is served roasted, fried, or sautéed as a vegetable. It is frequently found in Creole and Cajun recipes such as gumbo when combined with the mirepoix of celery, onion, and green pepper.
For the best results, choose okra that is small and slender. Larger okra pods are can be on the woody side and do not yield the same sweet results as smaller pods. You can see a comparison below, where the pod on the left is the optimal size. Typically okra will be prepackaged unless you are buying it at the farmer’s market, so look for the package that overall has the smallest average size pods.
As long as it is fresh when purchased, okra can be stored refrigerated in a paper bag for up to 4 days before cooking.
When you slice okra open you will encounter the characteristic slime (a natural thickener which is one reason it’s commonly used in soups and stews), so it’s helpful to have a few paper towels handy to wipe off your hands and the knife while you work.
📋 Instructions
Rinse the okra and pat it dry or air dry it before you start cutting. Roasting wet vegetables prevents them from heating up as quickly, producing a result that is less roasted and more baked.
Assemble your ingredients: okra, a yellow onion, salt, pepper, and oil.
Cut the stem end of the okra off and discard, then slice the okra in half length-wise.. Having a small container handy for scraps saves trips to the trash can or compost bin.
Slice the onion, using appropriate safety measures. This photo is for blog aesthetics—it may look like I slammed the knife down without holding the onion, but I was careful when slicing and moved my hand out of the way for the photo. Please do not do your onion slicing or chopping with only one hand.
Place the onion and okra slices on the parchment paper-lined baking pan and drizzle oil on top.
Mix well until all the vegetables are coated in oil and arrange in a single layer on the parchment paper.
Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Roast for about 15-20 minutes, checking for doneness starting at about 12 minutes. The cooking time will vary with the size of the okra and whether you are able to spread them out in a single layer. Vegetables will be browned on the edges and tender but not soft when ready.
Serve alone or with Horseradish Cream Sauce.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Okra and Onions
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. small, slender okra
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- Parchment paper to fit your baking pan
- ⅓ cup Horseradish Cream Sauce, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Rinse the okra and let dry.
- Cut the stem end of the okra off and discard, then cut the okra in half lengthwise.
- Place the onion and okra slices on the parchment paper-lined baking pan and drizzle oil on top.
- Mix well until vegetables are coated in oil and arrange in a single layer on the parchment paper.
- Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Roast for about 15-20 minutes, checking for doneness starting at about 12 minutes. The cooking time will vary with the size of the okra and whether you are able to spread them out in a single layer. Vegetables will be browned on the edges and tender but not soft when ready.
- Serve alone or with Horseradish Cream Sauce.
Nutrition per serving
🍽️ Suggested main dishes
Roasted Okra and Onions pairs well with any kind of roasted chicken or beef, as well as steak, London Broil, and cubed or Salisbury steak.
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