Grilled Okra and Dipping Sauce

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Grilled Okra and Dipping Sauce – Tender with just a touch of charred crunch, this is the ultimate grilled okra recipe. Serve it with a creamy, homemade remoulade sauce, and your friends and family will rave. It’s a fresh take on a classic Southern veggie that will put smiles on everyone’s faces. 😄

Enjoying a ridiculously delicious Grilled Okra and Dipping Sauce

Yes, at least one person usually doesn’t like okra in every crowd. That’s why this recipe is a winner because it’s everything delicious about okra sans slimy texture. Even okra haters will admit okra isn’t so bad with this cooking technique.

Paired with my insanely good homemade remoulade sauce, these green beauties make for a fantastic side or appetizer. They’re pretty and tasty, and whenever I serve them, my family always cleans their plate. 👌

Dipping delicious Grilled Okra into remoulade dipping sauce

The Secret to Perfectly Grilled Okra

Many people don’t like okra because it hasn’t been prepared well. However, grilling is perfect to bring out okra’s best qualities. But even when grilling, there are things you can do for perfect okra every time.

First, choose fresh okra pods that are bright green, firm, and blemish-free. Next, be extra careful not to overcook them to avoid mushy okra. With those two tricks up your sleeve, you’re on your way to grilling the best okra ever. 😋

Recipe Ingredients

Grilled Okra Ingredients – Gather a pound or two of okra, olive oil, salt and pepper, and other spices. Smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder, and thyme really improve flavor.
Dipping Sauce – Mayo, minced garlic, lemon juice (or lime juice), mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, relish, and some finely chopped onion make a decadent dipping sauce.

How to Grill Okra With Dipping Sauce

Mix the seasoning and dip, then prep and grill the veggies

Prepare the Okra

Preheat your grill (gas or charcoal) to medium-high heat (375℉-450℉).
Prep Okra – Then, wash the okra and trim the stems. Then pat them dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel and place them on a tray or plate.
Make Seasoning – Mix smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme in a small bowl.
Season – Drizzle olive the okra with olive oil, then season with salt, and dump the mixed seasonings into the bowl. Toss gently to coat the okra evenly.

Grill the Okra (Gas Grill)

Grill – Place the okra directly on the grates and grill them for 4-5 minutes per side. At least until they’re lightly charred and tender. Use tongs to flip as needed.

Note: If they start to burn, quickly lower the temperature.

Grill the Okra (Charcoal Grill)

Grill Basket – It’s better to grill okra in a grill basket or on skewers so they don’t fall through the grates.
Grill for 4-5 minutes per side or until lightly charred and tender. While the okra is grilling, prepare the remoulade sauce.

Make the Dipping Sauce

Mix – In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, mustard, hot sauce, relish, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Adjust the seasonings according to your taste.
Serve – Once the okra has grilled, take them off the grill and serve hot with remoulade sauce. Enjoy! 🤩

Grilled okra ready to come off the grill and enjoy

Recipe Variations

Sauce Swap: Aioli, ranch-style dressing, or even sour cream is delicious with okra, so use any dipping sauce you’d like.
Thai Twist: Add about one teaspoon of grated ginger to the olive oil before you toss the okra with the spices. Then drizzle them with soy sauce, hoisin, or sriracha sauce.
Make it Spicy: Add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and up the hot sauce if you’d like a hearty kick of heat. ❤️‍🔥

Tips and Tricks

Keep your okra fresh by storing it in the crisper drawer in your fridge in an open food storage bag. Use them up as quickly as possible for optimum freshness (and deliciousness).
If you use wooden skewers to make flipping the okra a little easier, soak them in water for 30 minutes before you grill, so they don’t catch fire.
Try to choose okra that are roughly the same size. That way, they’ll all finish grilling around the same time.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Grilled okra is best served fresh, but you can make the remoulade sauce the day before. Simply refrigerate the sauce in a jar until ready to use it. Give it a quick stir before serving.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve grilled okra hot with plenty of dipping sauce.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat grilled okra, preheat your oven to 350℉/177℃. Place the okra on a baking sheet and in the oven for about 5 minutes or until heated through.

Delectable Grilled Okra and Dipping Sauce waiting for you to enjoy

FAQs

How do I know when okra is done?

Let the okra get a nice char, but pull it off the grill while it’s still slightly firm. That is the perfect level of doneness, IMO.

Why is okra slimy?

Okra contains something called mucilage, which comes from sugar residue found in the plant. It’s why, with certain cooking methods, there’s a sliminess present. It’s also why okra is great in soups that can use a little thickness, like gumbo.

Should I soak the okra in vinegar?

Many people soak okra in vinegar before cooking it to reduce the mucilage. You can certainly do that if you want, but it’s not necessary. Between the charred outer layer and the fantastic dipping sauce, the slime factor is hardly noticeable.

What Goes With Grilled Okra and Dipping Sauce

Grilled okra is beautiful with grilled boneless chicken thighs or pellet grilled pork loin. Since it’s a Southern classic, it also goes great with fried chicken. Grilled potato wedges are always a good idea since they taste fantastic dipped in the remoulade sauce. 😉

More Tasty Side Dish Recipes to Try

Conclusion

Okra lover or not, you will thoroughly enjoy these crunchy veggies with their heavenly dipping sauce. Converted any okra haters lately with this recipe? I’d love to hear the story in the comment section! 😜