Stewed Okra and Tomatoes is a tasty side dish and a classic of Southern cooking. It always reminds us of the end of summer, when both okra and tomatoes are plentiful. Our Stewed Okra and Tomatoes includes Creole-inspired seasonings, giving it slightly spicy touch. The addition of apple cider vinegar, which goes so well with tomatoes, reduces the “sliminess” of the okra, making it more palatable to those who don’t care for that aspect of cooked okra. Stewed Okra and Tomatoes pairs well with a variety of grilled meat dishes, especially pork. We suggest serving Stewed Okra and Tomatoes with our Fast and Fabulous Pork Chops for a great dinner.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes. Serves 4.
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Ingredients:
- 1 lb Okra
- 1 lb very ripe Tomatoes
- 1 Tb minced Garlic
- 1 cup chopped Onion
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
- ¼ tsp coarse Sea Salt
- 1 Bay Leaf, preferably fresh
- ¼ tsp ground Cumin
- ½ tsp dried Oregano leaves
- ½ tsp dried Thyme leaves
- ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ½ tsp ground Black Pepper
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ cup Water at room temperature
Preparation:
- Rinse and trim the tops from the okra, cutting into 1-inch wide pieces; reserve in a bowl.
- Rinse and core the tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces; reserve in a second bowl.
- Mince the garlic, chop the onion, stem, core and seed the green bell pepper and cut into 1-inch pieces; combine these three vegetables in a third bowl.
- Combine the olive oil and butter in a 3-quart sauce pan over a medium heat, swirling to melt the butter into the olive oil.
- Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper to the pan, sprinkle in the sea salt, stir to mix, cover and cook until the onion and pepper has softened.
- Add the tomatoes and bay leaf to the pan, stir to mix, cover and cook over a medium-high heat until the tomatoes have cooked down.
- While the tomatoes are cooking, combine the seasonings (cumin, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper and black pepper) in a bowl.
- Once the tomatoes have cooked down and are softened but still retaining their shape, sprinkle the seasonings into the pan, stir and lower to a medium heat.
- Add the okra, vinegar and water to the pan, stir to mix, cover and continue to cook until the okra is easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the heat and keep warm until ready to serve Stewed Okra and Tomatoes*.
*Note:
- Leftover Stewed Okra and Tomatoes store well refrigerated in a sealed container for about a week and makes a great, easy lunch.