What do you do when giant okra take over your garden? We’ve had to get creative with ways to use this underappreciated veggie since we have a major overabundance. Our favorite way to use it up is with this pickled okra recipe, which takes under 20 minutes to prep. The peppercorns, dried chilies, and fresh dill in this recipe make for super flavorful okra that’s delicious eaten on its own as a snack or appetizer. If you’ve never pickled anything before, don’t fret. Learning how to pickle okra is incredibly simple thanks to this quick pickling method. Got lots of okra? Try our Grilled Okra or Roasted Okra.
What is okra?
Indigenous to West Africa, okra is extremely popular in the southern United States and is best known as the key ingredient in Louisiana gumbo. Okra works well as a thickener in many soups and stews, as it goes a little slimy once cooked. Okra is typically eaten when it’s green and immature, and it can be enjoyed baked, fried, or pickled (personally, I don’t recommend eating it raw. It’s much tastier when cooked!). Looking for more with okra? Try these 12 Easy Okra Recipes!
How to pickle okra
If you’ve had okra before and didn’t like it, I encourage you to give this recipe a try anyways. It’s very likely that you simply didn’t like the okra how it was prepared. Because this pickled okra recipe is reminiscent of the kosher spears you buy at the store, it’s a good place to start if you think you don’t like okra or if you’ve never had it before. Like our dill pickle recipe, this recipe is for refrigerator pickles, which means no special equipment is required. And as with our dill pickles, it’s so easy to learn how to pickle okra! However, this okra recipe is unique in that you need to boil the pickling liquid before pouring it over the okra. And unlike our refrigerator dill pickles, you have to let the okra sit in the fridge for 10 days before digging in. Okra is much tougher than cucumbers, so it needs more time in the brine to soften and absorb all the flavors. This pickled okra will last in the fridge for about a month. Want more with preserving? Try our easy DIY: How to Make Sauerkraut.
Ways to enjoy pickled okra
Pickled okra isn’t a common condiment to have stocked in your fridge, but it should be! A few of our favorite ways to enjoy pickled okra are:
Straight from the jar — Pickled okra from the jar makes for a delightfully tangy snack, just like a regular pickle.On sandwiches — If you’re a little more adventurous, you can pop a few pieces of okra onto a sandwich for an elevated take on your average pickle.On top of salads — If you like banana peppers on your salads, I bet you’ll love pickled okra too! Roughly chop the okra and sprinkle it on top of your favorite salad for an extra burst of flavor.In chickpea salads — Instead of relish, throw some chopped pickled okra into your favorite chickpea salad (or chicken salad, if you eat meat).In a Bloody Mary — Instead of celery, try popping pickled okra into your Bloody Mary. We have a detox Bloody Mary recipe that we especially love!
More quick pickle recipes
There are so many veggies that can be pickled besides cucumbers. Here are a few of our favorite quick pickle recipes:
Butternut Squash with Pickled OnionsMixed Vegetable Quick Pickles1-Hour Quick Pickled OnionsQuick Refrigerator Dill PicklesEasy Homemade Pickles Recipes All Pickle Recipes
This recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free. No reviews
