Breaded Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Okra Recipe

Breaded air fryer okra in Ninja Foodi is so good! Crispy breadcrumbs, no cornmeal, coating on the outside with tender flavorful vegetable on the inside. Great crispy side dish or low carb snack.

Fried Okra in Air Fryer

If you are looking for a great vegetable Ninja Foodi recipe, you can make it in that handy machine too. Most hot air machines work the same and give you that deep fried texture without all the added calories or fat.

With just 3 ingredients + some salt and pepper you too can make this for under 10 bucks. With a light breadcrumb coating this veggie goes from good to delicious in no time at all. Forgetful? Give our frozen okra in air fryer a whirl some night too!

Ninja Foodi Okra

If you are going to use this brand of machine you will use the lid that is attached, the air crisp button and the basket with the holes in the bottom that rests inside. The biggest thing to remember is that you don’t want the pieces to overlap. Their basket is on the smaller side so you likely need to work in batches.

Ingredients

1. Sliced okra
   1. the thinner they are the more tender they will become
2. Eggs
3. Panko breadcrumbs – Some are gluten free if you need that
4. Salt and pepper

What does okra taste like?

It is a very distinct flavor I will say. If you’ve had gumbo it is usually inside, sliced. It has a mild, almost grassy flavor I would say. Some compare it to an eggplant or maybe green beans, but it’s more pungent than those. The texture is crunchy when cooked quickly but very tender when slow cooked. Okra in air fryer would be in between these two, just a bit crunchy.

What are the benefits of eating okra?

It’s very rich in magnesium, folate, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, K1, and A. Is okra good for joint pain? Yes, it is said to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and other areas of the body like blood vessels, eyes, lungs, and joints.

How long to cook breaded okra in air fryer

You’ll need about 9 minutes depending on how large your pieces are, how tender you want them to become and how golden brown is to your liking. I suggest using bite size pieces vs. the whole thing. This way you get more breading and flavor wrapped around each bite and it is easier to eat right out of the machine too.

Do you need to boil okra before frying them?

This is not necessary except if you think that this vegetable is on the bitter side you could. If you do you’ll need about twice as long, plus time to cool down before rolling in the breadcrumbs. Trick is after boiling you need to really dry off the outside on paper towels or the breadcrumbs won’t stick. To boil them first you need to;

How to Blanch Okra

1. Rinse 8 ounces fresh okra with cool water.
2. Drain well. Cut off the stems. 
3. Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan.
4. Add pieces and cover the pan
5. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes or until they’re as tender as you’d like them to be

I would say this method is so much better. The breading and seasoning takes it over the top delicious. Add any other seasonings you’d like, we just made simple salt and pepper okra.

Just make an assembly line of sorts so things are easier when preparing. Depending on how much you’re making, it may take a bit of time for prep, but cook time is quick! If you have more people in your family, you might consider getting a large air fryer with racks. It will hold more which means few batches for you.

How to make fried okra in air fryer without cornmeal

• Put breadcrumbs and seasonings in one bowl
  • you could easily add garlic powder or onion powder with your salt and pepper
  • I love adding Old Bay to all the things too if I have any left in the cupboard
• Whisk your egg wash in a separate bowl
• Wash, slice and dry your okra pieces
• Preheat your air fryer at this time
• Dip pieces into egg
• Then move them into the Panko mix and coat well
• Place breaded okra into your air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 9 minutes at 360 degrees

Of course if you want them crispier then set for a few more minutes after checking them at this point. 

How do you make breaded okra brown in an air fryer?

There is no shaking or flipping required for this okra recipe. It actually won’t work as well if you do because the outside coating is likely to fall off and you want all that goodness to stay in tact. Leave them as is with a bit of non stick spray on the bottom. Brown as long as you would like. If you want the outside very very brown you could spray a bit of olive oil on the top during the last few minutes.

If you’re new to this method of cooking I promise you that it tastes as crispy as deep frying foods. BUT you need no vegetable or olive oil to submerge it in. I imagine you may be able to use a sort of cornmeal mixture instead of Panko if you preferred those flavors. I haven’t tried that yet though.

If you love okra I highly suggest trying fried okra this week! Looking for other air fryer vegetable recipes you might love? We have a few more you should try, let us know which ones you like best below!

Other Air Fryer Vegetables you’ll love

1. You can try our air fryer red potatoes that are a great side dish to any meal. Just set your air fryer to 400 degrees for a few minutes and they’re done!
   1. Air fryer baked potatoes can be an easy side dish or main meal stuffed with 5 ingredient chili or broccoli and cheese.
   2. Our air fryer cauliflower is a winner at dinner too.
2. For a healthy non breaded choice, try our air fryer vegetables that are mixed so everyone will be pleased. I focus on zucchini and squash mostly because they’re done at the same time.

Can I fry frozen okra?

I wouldn’t, but yes you can if you want. It won’t be the same since the outside won’t allow for bread crumbs to stick so they will be “naked”. I think the texture of air fryer frozen vegetables fried is funny. It is best to allow them to thaw in your fridge overnight, or put the bag in a bowl of lukewarm water to defrost faster.

How long does it take to cook frozen okra in an air fryer?

• Well if you insist on throwing them in rock hard you can. You won’t be able to bread it as you see here as it won’t stick.
  • Put frozen okra in air fryer basket
  • Air fry at 400 degrees and toss every 5 minutes until they are tender to your liking
  • Ensure they’re in only one layer
  • Remove when they’re as brown and crispy as you’d like
  • If tossed with melted butter and seasonings they are pretty good this way with no breading