Make the Easiest Air Fryer Fried Okra | Whole30 and Paleo

As most who grow up in the south, I have been eating okra since I was a little kid. While I’ve tried other versions, fried is the way it’s presented 99% of the time. And usually, there’s more crunchy batter than okra, but in my Air Fryer Fried Okra, I let the okra do the talking. Oh…and it’s also much easier than traditional deep fried okra. Give it a go!

How to Make Traditional Fried Okra

Traditional fried okra has a thick coating. You dip okra in whisked eggs, then dredge in a flour and cornmeal mixture. You then have to use several inches of hot oil in a large pan to fry. The cleanup and figuring out what to do with all the leftover oil have kept me from ever making it like this. If you want to try this more traditional way, but still healthy, try this recipe from Second Heart Paleo.

How to Make Air Fryer Fried Okra

For Air Fryer Fried Okra you simply mix together tapioca and potato starch with seasonings. Rather than a two step coating process, you just dust the okra with this mixture. Add the okra to air fryer basket and spritz with avocado oil.

What to Serve with Fried Okra

Typically, fried okra is part of a heavy meal like fried chicken or chicken fried steak in the south. It’s a “more is more” kind of spread. Serve this Air Fryer Fried Okra as an easy side dish or appetizer with almost anything including a grazing table. Without the greasy nature of deep fat frying, it stays crispy for awhile without needing to be piping hot. We love serving it alongside Homemade Ranch dressing.

Is Fried Okra Whole30 friendly?

YES! Because it contains no grains, eggs or dairy it works with Whole30 as well as those following paleo, gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free.

Substitutions for Making Fried Okra in Air Fryer

Potato Starch and Tapioca Starch – If you don’t have one of these, use double the amount of one of them. You can also use GF flour blend if you aren’t grain-sensitive.
Magic Salt – This spice mixture is my all-purpose seasoning blend. It’s a mixture of granulated garlic, salt and pepper. If you don’t have it made up, use 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp granulated garlic, 1/2 tsp pepper instead.