Pickled Okra Recipe

Learn how to make pickled okra and enjoy the taste of summer all year long! A classic Southern favorite, homemade pickled okra has been enjoyed for generations, a celebration of summer’s bounty marinated in a tangy brine and infused with spices. Tender, flavorful, and oh so delightfully crunchy, these okra pickles may just become a new favorite! This pickled okra recipe is incredibly easy to prepare and the quick pickled okra can either be kept in the fridge or canned for long-term storage.
I’m a die-hard gardener and when we moved from Washington State to Virginia 3 years ago I was really excited to be able to broaden my repertoire of homegrown vegetable and fruit varieties – things I was unable to grow in the climate of the Pacific Northwest like sweet potatoes, melons, eggplant, muscadines, and okra.
In fact I was so excited at the prospect of growing all these new varieties that I kind of went overboard – as in, I ended up harvesting over 500 pounds of sweet potatoes, 86 melons of all varieties, and more okra than I possibly knew what to do with. One or two okra plants would have been sufficient. How many did I plant? 15. And not just one variety but five. I had okra varieties that were green, yellow, burgundy, and orange. Short and chubby ones, long and slender ones. You get the picture. So yes, with all of that okra I had to figure out what to do with it. Throughout the season I was giving away as much as I could to the few people I knew who liked okra, and I got to work making things like gumbo and other stews with okra. I also learned How to Freeze Okra, and how to make Fried Okra, a Southern classic. Our neighbor, a native Virginian in his mid 70’s, told me all about his favorite way to prepare okra – pickled. And being the pickling queen that I am, I lost no time making pickled okra and I’ve been making it ever since.

Is It Slimy?

That’s the first question most people ask when they think of okra. And I completely understand. But guess what? When okra is pickled it isn’t slimy – it’s beautifully crunchy. In fact, ones you’ve tried homemade pickled okra I think you’ll find that you may, yes very possibly may, prefer it over regular pickles. The hollow bodies of the okra soak up all of that delicious brine and when you bite into a pickled okra you get that delightful crunch followed by a gush of that refreshingly tangy, zesty juice in your mouth. If you’ve never had okra pickles, you’re in for a treat.

Ways to Enjoy Pickled Okra

Pickled okra can enjoyed just on its own straight out of the jar. But it can also be used as a versatile ingredient. Here are just a few ideas:

Pickled Okra Ingredients & Variations

These okra pickles are made with just a few ingredients and those can be changed up to create new flavors:

Fresh okra: Choose the freshest you can find. Okra doesn’t keep long before it starts to get soft. Vinegar: I like to use white vinegar for these but you can also experiment using apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or wine vinegar. Just be sure to use a vinegar that is at least 5% acidity if you are canning the pickled okra. Water: Plain and pure. Kosher Salt: Avoid table salt as it has additives that will discolor your okra pickles. Alternatively you can use pickling salt. Garlic: A classic flavor for just about any kind of pickle. Spices and Herbs: You can practically any variety and in any combination but I particularly love dill (dill seeds and/or dried or fresh dill), coriander, mustard, bay leaves, pepper, and just a touch of heat with some red chili flakes. Fennel is another favorite, whether using the seeds, pieces of the fresh bulb or the fronds. Other options include allspice berries, cloves, celery seeds and oregano.

How to Choose Okra For Pickling

Choose the very freshest you can find. Okra is a vegetable that doesn’t long before it begins to soften and go limp. A farmer’s market or farm stand is your best option. Choose young, tender pods because larger, older ones are very tough and those will result in tough pickled okra. Select okra pods that are relatively uniform in size so they all fit into the jar.

Storing & Canning Pickled Okra

For the best flavor and texture I recommend waiting a few days before enjoying your pickled okra. This will give the okra time to absorb the flavors and also for their texture to improve.
Pickled okra will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months. They will keep for up to a year if they are canned. Because of the high acidity content they can be canned using the water bath method. Process the jars at a full boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed until cool, then store in a cool dark place. Note that canned okra won’t be as crunchy as refrigerator okra.

Pickled Okra Recipe

To make pickled okra you’ll need to:

Make the brine: Place vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Reduce the heat to low to keep it hot while you’re preparing the okra. Prepare the okra: Rinse the okra and trim the stems so they are about 1/4 inch long. Do not trim the pointy ends of the okra pods. Prepare the spices and herbs: If using one large jar, place all of the herbs and spices and garlic in the bottom of the jar. If using separate jars, stir the spices together and divide them up equally between the jars. Note: If you’re storing the okra pickles in the fridge be sure to sterilize the jars first. Pack the okra into the jars: Pack them well, as many as you can fit. Packing them stem side up makes them easier to grab from the jar but to fit more of them into the jar you can alternate stem side up/stem side down. Pour the hot brine over the okra: Fill the jars up, leaving 1/4 inch from the tops of the jars. Stick a clean knife down into the jar, running it between the okra to eliminate any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars and screw on the lids. Let the jars cool completely: Then transfer them to refrigerator. Let them chill for a few days before eating them to give them time to absorb the flavors and for the texture to improve.

If you are canning the pickled okra, follow standard water bath canning procedures and process the jars for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed until cool, then store in a cool dark place. Note: If you’re canning the pickled okra you do not need to sterilize the jars in advance (just be sure they’re clean) because you’ll be boiling the pickled okra for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

For more pickled vegetable recipes be sure to try my:

Pickled Green Beans (Dilly Beans) Pickled Carrots Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers Pickled Beets Pickled Jalapenos Giardiniera Pickled Asparagus Pickled Green Beans Pickled Banana Peppers Pickled Peppers Pickled Turnips Bread and Butter Pickles Sauerkraut (technically fermented, not pickled, but it’s a must make regardless!)