• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Savory Thoughts
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Breakfast
    • Side Dishes
    • Vegetarian
    • Sweets
    • Drinks and Cocktails
    • Seafood
    • Soups and Stews
    • Vitamix
    • Haitian
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Quick Easy & Delicious Haitian Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Vegan Recipes » Okra Stew

    Okra Stew

    Posted On September 1, 2021 By Mirlene Last updated December 9, 2021 16 Comments

    • Pin
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Mix
    • Flipboard
    Jump to Recipe
    Okra Stew Recipe Pinterest Pin - Savory Thoughts

    Economical, hearty, and non-slimy, there’s no better way to describe this vegetarian okra stew. Melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness, simmered in a herb infused spinach soup as it thickens like a gravy to pair with any rice, vegetable, or quinoa.

    Your mouth will be watering when the smell of this delicious okra stew fill your kitchen.

    Warm and comforting on cold fall or winter evenings, but also packed full of nutrition, this stew is a tasty one-pot dish that will leave you feeling satisfied.

     

    Okra

    Although sometimes referred to as a vegetable, okra is a flowering plant that is hugely popular in the southern states and across West Africa and South Asia. Either frozen or fresh okra will work just fine in this dish, as you may struggle to find fresh when it is not in season.

    If you do use fresh okra, you will need to cut off the stem ends prior to cooking. If you opt for frozen it’s best to let them thaw to prevent adding any extra water to the dish.

    Okra is often accused of having a slimy texture, but sautéing them for a few minutes will help to get rid of it, as used in this recipe.

    If any sliminess remain, it will actually work wonders in helping to thicken your stew, or you may simply preparing a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water together, then pouring it in the stew.

    Base

    The base of this vegetarian okra stew consists of okra, of course, and combination of tomato paste, onions and garlic.

    Once you’ve got this base down, you can use it for a wide range of other stew recipes, adjusting the accompanying herbs and spices depending on the type of cuisine.

    These staple ingredients create base flavors that will enhance the overall taste of your dish.

    To avoid ending up with any lumps of onion in your dish, make sure to cut them to a small and uniform size and sauté until they are soft and translucent.

    Ingredients Used

    The exact measurement for these ingredients arefound in the recipe card listed below. For now, here’s a quick overview the complete list.

    Okra: We used frozen okra to prepare this dish. We do recommend letting the okra to thaw out completely before using it, or running it under water for a few minutes. Fresh okra is best to use if you can find it at the local store.

    Carrots: We used organic carrots for this recipe, but it is not necessary. Use any carrots you have on hand.

    Spinach: Fresh spinach is recommended as frozen spinach will release a lot of water.

    Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Paste, Salt, Allspice, and Black Pepper: These spices are used to flavor the stew.

    Tomato Paste: This is used to thicken the stew and provide a beautiful reddish color.

    Onion, Garlic & Carrots: These are used as part of the base and to provide a hint of sweet flavor.

    Fresh Parsley: Parsley is used to provide a hint of freshness to the stew.

    Cayenne Pepper: Adding cayenne pepper is completely optional and but will provide a low heat level to the stew. We highly recommend it but it is completely optional.

    Cooking Method

    First, chop the onions, carrot, garlic, and parsley. Set aside.

    Over medium high heat in a skillet, add the oil. Once heated, add the carrots and onions. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the okra. Stir and cook for about 25 minutes. Use the spoon to mash the okra as they become tender.

    Cover with a lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Stir to avoid sticking at the bottom, and continue to mash with the spoon. This process should take about 5 minutes.

    Cover and cook for additional 10 minutes.

    Remove the cover, and add in the tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Then add ½ cup of water.

    While mixing, add in the spinach a little at time until you have used half of the spinach bag. Add in 1 ½ cups of water. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt.

    Uncover, stir and add in the remaining spinach. Next, add in the parsley and garlic. Add in the remaining 2 cups of water. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

    After 10 minutes, uncover, stir, and add in the spices, cayenne pepper, and vegetable paste. Stir well, then add the slurry.

    Cover to simmer over medium heat for an additional 15 minutes over medium heat. Serve over white rice or with yellow yams.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    How Can I Thicken Okra Stew?

    If you find that you have accidentally added too much liquid or your stew is just not looking as thick as you would like, remove one large serving spoonful of the okra and blend.

    Is okra stew healthy?

    The stew can be very healthy depending on the ingredients that are added. Okra is filled with good source of benefits. It’s rich in folate, fiber, antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and magnesium. Okra can also help reduce your sugar level.

    How do you make okra less slimy?

    To reduce the sliminess of okra, we recommend removing the seeds, soaking the okra about 1 tsp. of vinegar, or sautéing the okra prior to prepare it as desired.

    Do you wash okra before cutting?

    As with any vegetable, it is always a good idea to wash your vegetables or okra before cooking. This will help to get rid of bacteria and dirt.

    Just mix the okra with room temperature water, and blend until they are thoroughly combined, and add into your Okra soup when it is boiling. Give it a few minutes before deciding to add any more.

    Can I Make It In Advance

    Absolutely! Stews often taste even better the following day, when all the flavors have had a chance to really marry together. If making ahead, simply cover your stew and store in the refrigerator.

    When you are ready you can heat back up on the stove until it is gently bubbling and warm through. If when you reheat it you find it’s looking a little dry, you can always add a splash more water to the pot.

    Serving Suggestion

    While this stew tastes fantastic on its own, it’s always a good idea to serve it up with an accompaniment that will absorb some of that delicious sauce.

    Simply boiled white or brown rice is always a winner, or you could serve it up with some fresh, warm flatbread to dunk in your stew and mop up the bowl.

    • Okra and yam in gray bowl
      Stew with yellow yams

    Plantains are also a great option when it comes to serving stew.

    More Vegan Recipes To Try

    Haitian Legume (Eggplant Stew)

    Haitian Black Rice

    Air fryer brussels sprouts

    Air Fryer Plantain Chips

    Air fryer roasted chickpeas 

    We’d especially would love to know if you tried this recipe, tag us on Instagram or Facebook so we can see your beautiful dish.

    Also, we would appreciate if could give it a star rating below!

    Okra Stew Recipe in white bowl with fresh parsley in the background

    Okra Stew With Spinach & Carrots

    Savory Thoughts
    Warm and comforting on cold fall or winter evenings, but also packed full of nutrition, this Okra Stew is a tasty one-pot dish that will leave you feeling satisfied.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 25 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine African, American, Haitian
    Servings 8 People
    Calories 218 kcal

    Equipment

    • Saucepan

    Ingredients
      

    • ⅓ Cup Olive Oil
    • 1 Large Onion; Chopped
    • 6 Carrots
    • 2 Lbs. Okra
    • 6 Oz. Tomato Paste
    • 1 Lb. Fresh Spinach
    • 3 Garlic Cloves; Chopped
    • 2 Tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Paste
    • 1 Tsp. Salt
    • 4 Cups Water
    • ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley
    • 3 Garlic Cloves; Chopped
    • 1 Tbsp. Allspice; Or use 1 ½ Tsp. Ground Cloves
    • ½ Tsp. Black Pepper
    • ¼ Cup Water For Slurry
    • 1 Tbsp. Cayenne Pepper For Slurry
    • 1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper; Optional

    Instructions
     

    • Chop the onions, carrot, garlic, and parsley. Set aside.
      Over medium high heat in a skillet, add the oil. Once heated, add the carrots and onions. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the okra. Stir and cook for about 25 minutes. Use the spoon to mash the okra as they become tender.
      Cover with a lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Stir to avoid sticking at the bottom, and continue to mash with the spoon. This process should take about 5 minutes.
      Cover and cook for additional 10 minutes.
      Remove the cover, and add in the tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Then add ½ cup of water.
      steps 1-5 to make soup.
    • While mixing, add in the spinach a little at time until you have used half of the spinach bag. Add in 1 ½ cups of water. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt.
      Uncover, stir and add in the remaining spinach. Next, add in the parsley and garlic. Add in the remaining 2 cups of water. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
      Steps 6 and 7 to make okra soup
    • After 10 minutes, uncover, stir, and add in the spices, cayenne pepper, and vegetable paste. Stir well, then add the slurry.
      Cover to simmer over medium heat for an additional 15 minutes over medium heat. Serve over white rice or with yellow yams.
      Steps 8 and 9 to make stew.

    Video

    Notes

    **** When printing the recipe, please unselect the camera so that the pictures are NOT printed with the recipe (if preferred).
    *** Calories are estimated per serving

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8PeopleCalories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 6gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 851mgPotassium: 1133mgFiber: 10gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 295IUVitamin C: 88mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 11mg
    Making this recipe?Mention @MSavoryThoughts or tag #SavoryThoughts!
    Tried this recipe?Mention @SavoryThoughts or tag #SavoryThoughts!
    « White Pepper Gravy
    Baked Chicken And Rice »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Spike

      November 29, 2022 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      I was happy with the results I got using this recipe but it took some thinking.

      The main thing was the slurry. It’s mentioned, and cornstarch is mentioned, but in the recipe, only water and cayenne are mentioned for the slurry. This really should be clarified. As it turned out, if it was intended as a thickener, it was unnecessary so I didn’t miss it. But I went through the page a number of times looking for what it was supposed to be.

      We get fresh okra. While the okra gets crushed, I think there is still a positive texture with it.

      I think the spinach gets cooked way too long, it only takes a few minutes to wilt, so I cooked the stew until I felt it was finished and then added the spinach.

      The Better Than Bouillon vegetable paste isn’t sold in my country. Nothing remotely like it is sold, so I used homemade chicken stock (I realize the recipe is vegan but I am not) that was fairly thick due to the use of a lot of chicken feet. Worked great.

      I used a lot of cayenne and might add cumin next time.

      So we liked it that way but added shrimp to the leftovers.

      I will check out more of your recipes.

      Reply
    2. Rachael

      June 02, 2022 at 2:51 am

      Thanks for this recipe! Are you able to take out the tomato paste or substitute it?

      Reply
      • Mirlene

        June 13, 2022 at 11:46 pm

        Absolutely. If you don’t want to use the tomato paste a great alternative is the Ghanaian tomato sauce, Or you may completely leave both options out. be mindful that the flavor, color and texture will alter.

        Reply
    3. Dannii

      September 01, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      I have never cooked with okra before, but this looks delicious. Super comforting too.

      Reply
      • Mirlene

        September 01, 2021 at 6:52 pm

        Thank you, Dannii.

        Reply
    4. Tavo

      September 01, 2021 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      I am so excited to make this today! Just got all the ingredients! Looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Mirlene

        September 01, 2021 at 6:52 pm

        So happy to hear that

        Reply
    5. Toni

      September 01, 2021 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      This is totally comforting! It quickly became a favorite meal at my house!

      Reply
      • Mirlene

        September 01, 2021 at 6:51 pm

        It is very comforting

        Reply
    6. Gina

      September 01, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      5 stars
      Lovely hearty stew and great use for the frozen okra I always seem to have in the freezer!

      Reply
      • Mirlene

        September 01, 2021 at 6:51 pm

        Thank you

        Reply
    7. Katherine

      September 01, 2021 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      I think you’ve convinced me to love okra! This looks great.

      Reply
      • Mirlene

        September 01, 2021 at 6:51 pm

        Hahaha Then the mission is accomplished! Thank you 🙂

        Reply
    8. Beth Sachs

      September 01, 2021 at 1:01 pm

      5 stars
      This looks like such a tasty stew! So healthy with the spinach too.

      Reply
      • Mirlene

        September 01, 2021 at 6:50 pm

        Thank you, Beth!

        Reply
    9. Troy

      September 01, 2021 at 1:07 am

      5 stars
      This stew is filled with delicious flavor and is perfect over white rice.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    We’re AJ & Mirlene. We create delicious traditional Haitian Food Recipes with a spin to make it easy for you to make. Join us and let's cook something delicious!

    Learn more about us ->

    Savory Thoughts Author Portrait

    As Seen On

    Favorite Recipes

    Copyright © 2023 · SAVORYTHOUGHTS.COM · Privacy Policy