Smothered Tomatoes and Okra
Southern Smothered Tomatoes and Okra, also known as “Stewed Tomatoes and Okra” in the South, is a delicious vegetable recipe! Slow cooked ripe tomatoes, fresh okra and sweet yellow onions, seasoned with a light dusting of Creole or Cajun seasonings and slow-cooked on the stove top!
This Southern okra recipe is proof that not all Southern food is fried! Simple recipe with simple ingredients!
Many a Southerner remembers Grandma’s boiled okra recipe and we hated it. Slimy green vegetable that “had-the-dickens-boiled-out-of-it…” we’d just scoot it around on the plate.
But here’s a smothered tomato and okra recipe that you’ll actually enjoy – no slime-just delicious tender okra in a savory Creole-type tomato sauce.
Why this recipe works
Once you learn how to cook smothered tomatoes and okra, you’ll probably make it more often than you think!
- Prepping the okra with salt avoids “slimy” okra
- Quick and easy – takes about 35-minutes to prepare; you’ve gotta cook down or “stew” the tomatoes
- Healthy and Low-Calorie- not all Southern food is fried and this offers a whole lot of vitamins and nutrients- a perfect vegetarian dish or vegetable side dish to your fried catfish
- Affordable – these are fresh summer vegetables which means in the summer, they’re cheap! You can also make this with canned tomatoes and frozen okra.
Here’s what you’ll need
This classic tomatoes and okra recipe is based on a few simple ingredients. Use fresh, or frozen okra, a sweet yellow onion, tomatoes (fresh are best but you can use canned diced tomatoes or canned stewed tomatoes), Creole or Cajun seasoning, water or chicken broth (not shown), garlic (fresh or garlic powder), a few dried bay leaves, a little salt and black pepper.
Use an aluminum skillet or a ceramic skillet or ceramic glazed Dutch oven. Do NOT use a cast iron skillet. Why? The tomatoes do not like cast iron. If you cook tomatoes in a cast iron skillet, the result is a “tinny” or “metallic” flavor.
Smothered tomatoes and okra pair well with just about anything! Fried catfish, chicken fried steak, meatloaf, or pot roast– it’s a perfect and healthy Southern side dish your family will learn to love!
How to make tomatoes and okra
This is an overview of the recipe. For detailed instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Before you get started, you’ll want to prep the okra. Rinse fresh okra (or thaw frozen okra) and pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut it into 1/2 ” inch rounds. Season cut okra pods generously with kosher salt and place them on a paper towel in a single layer. This step ensures the okra won’t be as slimy as your Grandma’s okra. Let the salted okra sit for about 15 minutes to extract some of the water from the veggie.
- Next, in a medium skillet (do NOT use a cast iron skillet), heat oil on medium heat; add onions then garlic
- Next, add diced or stewed tomatoes, Creole or Cajun seasoning, ground black pepper and bay leaves. Cook for 20-minutes; remove bay leaves
- Add water or vegetable broth to the skillet; shake the salted okra pods in a find meshed collander to remove some of the salt. Add the okra and a pinch of sugar to the tomato mixture.
- Allow to cook a few minutes until the sugar is dissolve and the okra are fork tender; remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Storage and make ahead
You can make Smothered tomatoes and okra in advance – up to about 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, I’ve found the best result is to reheat on the stovetop.
The okra mixture will thicken upon cooling, so you may have to add a little water, vegetable broth or chicken broth.
Freeze for up to 6 months. I put mine in a zip baggie and freeze it. When it’s time to reheat, I just put the pouch into a large pot of hot water on medium high heat and cook a few minutes until the stewed tomatoes and okra are warm throughout.
Smothered Tomatoes and Okra is a naturally low-fat dish with tons of nutrients and vitamins! I like to serve this with other Southern vegetable dishes like squash, purple hull peas and cornbread! This combination makes a great Southern vegetarian meal!
More Southern recipes
- Louisiana Shrimp Gumbo
- New Orleans Cajun Chicken Gumbo
- Restaurant-Quality Fried Catfish
- Classic Meatloaf
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Cornbread
- How to season and cook Purple Hull Peas
- Eggplant Casserole
♥ If you make this, please leave a comment and rating below! Thank you!
Smothered Tomatoes and Okra
Ingredients
- 28 ounces tomatoes, drained , fresh, diced, crushed or stewed (See Recipe Notes)
- 1-2 pounds fresh okra = (about 1½-2 cups cut okra)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt ( to sprinkle on okra) (See Recipe Notes)
- 2 tablespoons oil , olive, vegetable or canola
- 1 cup yellow onion ,chopped
- ½ tablespoon garlic ,minced (about two large cloves)
- ½ tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning , or to taste
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar (optional) see recipe notes
Instructions
Prep
- Rinse fresh okra pods and pat dry; cut into ¼" inch rounds and place in a single layer on paper towel; lightly sprinkle kosher salt over okra; let sit for about 15-minutes (the salt absorbs some of the 'slime'); see recipe notesIf using frozen okra, rinse, dry and lightly salt as indicated above.1 tablespoon kosher salt ( to sprinkle on okra)
- Chop onion and garlic; set aside1 cup yellow onion, ½ tablespoon garlic
- Heat oil in skillet on medium heat2 tablespoons oil
Make it!
- Add onion and saute until translucent, about two minutes1 cup yellow onion
- Add garlic and allow to cook for about 3 minutes½ tablespoon garlic
- Add tomatoes, Creole seasoning, black pepper, bay leaves; cook tomatoes for 20 minutes uncovered; stir occasionally (See Recipe Notes)28 ounces tomatoes, drained, ½ tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 dried bay leaves
- Remove bay leaves, add water or broth to tomatoes and bring to boil1 cup water or vegetable broth
- Shake the salted okra in a colander to remove excess salt, then and it to the tomato mixture; let boil for 2 -5 minutes, or until okra is fork tender; taste for seasonings; add salt, pepper and sugar (optional) to taste1-2 pounds fresh okra = (about 1½-2 cups cut okra), ½ teaspoon sugar
- Cover and remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes then serve
Notes
- For best results, cook this dish in an aluminum or non-stick pan; Tomatoes and cast-iron don’t like each other; the result is a very “tinny” acidic taste.
- If you’re using store-bought canned tomatoes, drain them first.
- If you’re using store-bought or canned tomatoes, you might want to add a teaspoon of sugar if it’s too acidic
- If you’re using fresh tomatoes, you can either dice them, halve them or put them in whole. If you put them in whole, mash them down with a wooden spoon while they’re cooking
- If you’re using whole canned tomatoes, drain them and either dice or cut in half, or put them in the skillet whole and mash them down with a wooden spoon.
- If you salted your okra too much and your dish is too salty, add a little water and let it cook on medium heat with the lid off.
Excellent! The only thing I did different was to add fresh corn cut off the cob. Will definitely make this again.
Sounds yummy!
I have lots of okra growing this year. Can’t wait to try this recipe
This was so delicious – the best okra-tomato recipe ever! I used four fresh ripe tomatoes and fresh okra, and it was delightful!!
Simple and delicious
Thank you! Sometimes, simple is best!
Easy and excellent authentic dish
Thank you! Smothered Okra and Tomatoes is probably one of the healthiest Southern side dishes you can make! Glad you enjoyed it!
I just made this tonight and added a little sausage but can I freeze some of their and how I would I freeze it?