This pickled okra recipe makes the best pickled okra that's crisp and spicy, and not slimy, with vinegar and spices, a perfect snack or condiment. This is a refrigerator pickle recipe, so no canning required.
Homemade Pickled Okra is the Perfect Snack
I'm whipping up a quick and easy batch of Pickled Okra in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. I hope you'll join me.
Pickled okra is a wonder condiment, adding zing and flavor to sandwiches, salads, and so much more. It's also a great snack right out of the pickle jar when you want a healthy nibble.
I never had okra growing up. I only encountered it later in life when travelling to the American South, where it is quite popular, and I couldn't help but fall in love with it.
I use okra to make my favorite Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe, but I love having pickled okra around for so many different uses. I use a good collection of pickling spices, along with a mildly hot chili or two to give them some extra zestiness.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Let's talk about how to make pickled okra, shall we?
Pickled Okra Ingredients
- Okra. Use fresh okra, particularly the young, tender pods, for this recipe for the best results.
- Kosher Salt.
- Distilled White Vinegar. Use 5% vinegar for pickling. Also consider apple cider vinegar for more of a tangy pickle.
- Garlic.
- Honey. You can use sugar instead, or omit if desired.
- Bay Leaves.
- Dried Dill. Dill seed works as well.
- Brown Mustard Seeds.
- Jalapeno Peppers. Optional, for a touch of spiciness. You can use other hot peppers if you'd like extra spicy.
How to Make Pickled Okra - the Recipe Method
Wash and Drain the Okra. Wash the okra, remove the stems and slice the okra in half lengthwise. Toss the okra in a colander with 3 tablespoons of salt. Allow to drain for 1 hour.
Make the Pickling Brine. Add the vinegar and water, salt (remaining 2 tablespoons), garlic, honey, bay leaves, dill, and mustard seeds to a large pan. This is your pickling liquid.
Boil the Brine. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir.
Rinse the Okra. Rinse the okra in cold water to remove any slime and extra saltiness. Pack the okra into a clean large quart jar (Ball jars are good here, or multiple pint jars), but leave about 1 inch of head space. You can use multiple jars if needed.
Optional Hot Chilies. Add the hot pepper slices on the top, if using.
Pour in the Brine. Pour in the vinegar mixture (brine) and seasoning mixture and screw on the cap.
Refrigerate Your Pickled Okra. Refrigerate the filled jars for 24 hours before using to develop the flavors, though they can be eaten right away. They are much better after 1 week.
Boom! Done! Your pickled okra is ready. It's pretty easy to make, like other pickling recipes. Just set in the refrigerator and wait for
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The method of slicing, salting, draining, and rinsing the okra ensures no slime pickled okra, which can be off putting.
- Speaking of slime, vinegar also helps to counteract the mucilaginous, or slimy, aspect of okra, so leaving them in the pickling jar longer helps reduce it, especially when pickling whole okra pods.
- There is no need to use sterile jars for making pickled okra. You only need to clean them thoroughly with soap and hot water before adding the pickle.
Serving Pickled Okra
I enjoy pickled okra as a quick snack right out of the jar, or for garnishing certain cocktails, like a martini or bloody mary. They're great as a pickled pop of flavor on sandwiches, or as a way to enhance side dishes.
Storage
Pickled okra will last 2-3 months or longer in the refrigerator this way. If you'd like to make your pickled okra shelf stable, you'll need to process the sealed jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to 15 minutes or longer, depending on your elevation.
Ball jars are good canning jars for this.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this pickled okra recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy Southern, Cajun and Creole cuisine, I recommend the following cookbook, which I used to adapt this recipe. It has a lot of great recipes.
- Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse (affiliate link, my friends!)
Tools Used For This Recipe
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends!
Ball Jars - Large Ball jars make pickling recipes so easy. I have several in my fridge at any given time.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Pickled Peppers
- Refrigerator Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Refrigerator Pickles
- Chow Chow
- Pickled Red Onions
- See all of my Pickling Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Quick Pickled Okra Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound okra
- 5 tablespoons kosher salt divided
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar you can also use apple cider vinegar or a combination
- 5 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tablespoon honey or use white sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 1-2 spicy chilies sliced (optional, for spiciness)
Instructions
- Wash the okra, remove the stems and slice the okra in half lengthwise. Toss the okra in a colander with 3 tablespoons of salt. Allow to drain for 1 hour.
- Add the water, vinegar, salt (remaining 2 tablespoons), garlic, honey, bay leaves, dill, and mustard seeds to a large pan.
- Bring the mixture to a quick boil, then remove from heat and stir.
- Rinse the okra in cold water to remove any slime and extra saltiness.
- Stuff them into a large quart jar (Ball jars are good here), but leave about 1 inch of head space. You can use multiple jars if needed.
- Add the hot pepper slices on the top, if using.
- Pour in the brine and seasoning mixture and screw on the cap.
- Refrigerate for 24 hours before using to develop the flavors, though they can be eaten right away. They are much better after 1 week.
Nutrition Information
Pat says
Can you slice okra horizontally for smaller pieces
Mike Hultquist says
You surely can! Slice them as small as you'd like. Enjoy!
Sheri says
Mike, I love that you are showing this recipe!
I grow a ton of okra in my garden....its healthy and delicious. The slime in okra will also go away on high heat. One of our favorite things to do is to grill okra. You can use a spice rub or your favorite sauce.
But don't discount the slime either! It makes a great roux for soups, stews and seafood gumbo! No oil needed!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Sheri. Yes, I really love okra and use it in my gumbo all the time. I like the thickening quality for sure!
Bill says
A quick question: You specify "kosher salt", but not by brand. Given that Morton's kosher salt is almost twice much salt by weight per unit volume as compared to Diamond Crystal, that difference is significant. So...what brand of kosher salt do you use?
BTW, thanks for all you do!
Mike Hultquist says
Bill, I use Morton.
Eileen says
What other vegetables could use this recipe
Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Eileen, this recipe will work with just about any vegetables.
John Johnson says
sounds good , will be giving it a try.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, John!