Air Fryer Frozen Okra

Frozen okra is easy to make in the air fryer. With a few simple ingredients, you can make perfectly crispy, non-slimy okra in no time.

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and low-carb. Check out this easy, hands-down best way to cook Indian-style frozen okra, aka bhindi fry.

AIR FRYER FROZEN OKRA

Okra is the most consumed vegetable at my home. Anytime is an okra time. It sounds so funny, but seriously my family is a huge fan of okra.

I make okra at least 2-3 times a week. It is so easy to make okra and the best part is now I can make okra with the frozen ones.

It is a huge time saver for me. Especially on busy weeknights, you want something quick and healthy after a long day at work. And this frozen okra comes to the rescue.

You can make this amazing dish in an air fryer in under 30 minutes with a handful of spices and just one simple vegetable- frozen okra.

Serve it as a side dish or simply pair it with roti or paratha, and some homemade yogurt.

INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER FROZEN OKRA

Sharing simple Indian style frozen okra fry aka bhindi fry recipe. I am using basic Indian spices to make this dish. Feel free to use spices of your choice.

12 oz. frozen okra, do not thaw

1 teaspoon olive oil

½ teaspoon red chili powder, adjust to taste

¼ teaspoon dry mango powder

2 teaspoon coriander powder

⅛ teaspoon cumin powder

salt to taste

Pic Shown: Air Fryer Frozen Bhindi

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER FROZEN OKRA

You can make frozen okra using an air fryer or air fryer lid. Sharing directions for both the methods, hope you find it helpful.

DIRECTIONS FOR AIR FRYER FROZEN OKRA

You will need an Air Fryer

Arrange the frozen okra in the air fryer basket. 

Air fry the frozen okra at 350°F for 18 minutes. Shake them halfway through.

Transfer the okra to a bowl. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil and spices - red chili powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, and salt to taste. Toss everything to combine.

Return the okra to the air fryer basket. Air fry the okra at 320°F for 2 minutes.

When the air frying is complete, check if okra is done. If required add additional minutes of cooking time.

Dish out the okra in a serving dish. Serve okra with some Indian flatbread – roti, naan, paratha. Enjoy!

DIRECTIONS FOR AIR FRYER LID FROZEN OKRA

You will need an Instant Pot and Air Fryer Lid

IMPORTANT: Completely UNPLUG the Instant Pot unit, before proceeding with this recipe.

Arrange the frozen okra in the air fryer basket. Place the air fryer basket inside the inner pot.

Now place the air fryer lid on top of the inner pot. Plug the air fryer lid.

Air fry the frozen okra at 350°F for 18 minutes. Shake them halfway through.

Transfer the okra to a bowl. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil and spices - red chili powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, and salt to taste. Toss everything to combine.

Return the okra to the air fryer basket. Air fry the okra at 320°F for 2 minutes.

When the air frying is complete, check if okra is done. If required add additional minutes of cooking time.

Dish out the okra in a serving dish. Serve okra with some Indian flatbread – roti, naan, paratha. Enjoy!

TIPS FOR CRISPY AIR FRYER FROZEN OKRA

No need to thaw the okra. Simply layer the frozen okra in the air fryer basket and follow the recipe.

Shake the air fryer basket halfway through for even cooking.

Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Ideally, do not fill the air fryer basket more than ⅓ of its size. The extra space helps with the air frying without making okra slimy or mushy. Overcrowding the air fryer basket increases cooking time and as a result, the okra turns out slimy, and mushy.

Toss the okra with spices at the end. The spices will not burn and the okra tastes great.

If at any point you feel the okra is getting dry, simply sprinkle some water and continue with the cooking. The little moisture helps the food get cooked without dehydrating it.

Each air fryer is different. Depending upon the size and brand of air fryer used, the air frying time will vary. Please use the suggested timing as a guideline. Adjust the cooking time as required.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT FROZEN OKRA TO USE

For this recipe, I have used cut frozen okra, without any spices or coating. Do not use breaded frozen okra for this recipe.

WHERE TO BUY FROZEN OKRA

Frozen okra can be found in most Asian/Indian supermarkets or at grocery stores. I usually buy in bulk and freeze them. These come in so handy for quick meals.

DO I NEED TO THAW THE OKRA

Do NOT defrost the okra. Simply layer the air fryer basket with the frozen okra and proceed with the recipe.

If you wish to use the thawed okra, reduce the air frying time, or else the okra turns chewy.

HOW MUCH OKRA CAN I MAKE AT ONCE

I used a 5-quart air fryer and used around 12 oz. of frozen okra. Depending upon the size of the air fryer, you can adjust the amount of frozen okra.

I don't recommend making more than ⅓ full of the air fryer basket. If you need more, cook the frozen okra in batches.

CAN I USE ANY OTHER VEGETABLES

Thinly sliced onions and bell peppers can be added for additional flavor. If using them, simply toss them after the okra is thawed in the air fryer. Adjust the spices to taste.

CAN I SKIP OIL

I have used only 1 teaspoon of oil to coat the spices. A teaspoon of oil also helps give okra some fried texture and I think a teaspoon of oil doesn't hurt at all.

If you prefer to make it oil-free, simply use a teaspoon of water.

CAN I ADD SPICES AT THE BEGINNING

The reason for adding spices at the end is that initially the frozen okra when air-fried releases lots of liquid. If spices are added initially, they just get washed out in the liquid. Therefore, I add the spices at the very end and air fry it for 2 minutes.

It is an extra step of coating the spices at the end of air frying, but trust me it is worth it. You can taste the spices better when added at the end.

CAN I USE ANY OTHER SPICES

I have used basic Indian spices for this recipe. Feel free to use spices of your choice. I would love to see your recipes, do share with us 🙂

HOW TO FREEZE FRESH OKRA

When in season, I buy fresh okra in bulk and process it, and freeze it for later. Okra stays good for up to 6 months in the freezer.

To prep fresh okra for freezing, I rinse the okra well and place it in the strainer for excess water to drain. Cut the ends of the okra and chop them into 1 centimeter. Store okra in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container. No need to thaw the okra, simply use it as-is in the recipe

Pic Shown: Close-up of Air Fryer Frozen Okra

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