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The obvious choice for getting kids to eat okra is to fry it, but Chef Henderson goes beyond the obvious with this new recipe.

This recipe is simple, almost embarrassingly so. Originally, I planned on doing something completely different this month with okra, but the more I shared this simple recipe, the more blank faces I received. This dish is simple, quick and easy, the perfect busy summertime combo.

I’m not saying this has replaced fried okra in my life – I am from Arkansas, after all. I am at least a respectable Southern Boy. I will always have a special place in my heart for okra, but sometimes I don’t have the time and energy to get the oil and pan out, heat the kitchen up, and then bread and fry okra.

Shane Henderson

With this recipe, you basically cut okra and place it in the oven. Really, it’s that simple. Another great thing for me on this recipe is that this one really is up to your taste. You are the chef; you know better than me on this one.

Try this with sliced tomatoes and some great fresh peas or beans from the farmers market and you will indeed have the perfect summer meal from Arkansas farmers.  All you really need to do with those great ingredients is be respectful. Don’t try to get too fancy. You don’t want to mess up the great flavor that is already there.

Shane Henderson

Roasted Okra - Serves 4

  • 30-40 of the smallest okra you can find

  • 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil or grapeseed oil

  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt

  • 1 / 2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

  • Fresh squash or zucchini (optional)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Gather your okra, then slice each one into different shapes. Generally, we chefs are very particular about items getting cut all exactly the same, but for this somewhere between 1/2 - 1/4 inch is ideal. The 1/4 inch bits of okra get more caramelized and you really get to enjoy the natural sugar in the vegetable. The 1/2 inch slices stay more crisp and give more traditional okra flavor.

The rest of the details are very easy. After cutting up the okra, toss it in a bowl. Then add the olive oil or grapeseed oil. Generally, I would not put olive oil in an oven at this high a temperature. For this recipe, I think it is not in too long and the okra really picks up the taste.

Toss in the garlic salt and pepper. I have attempted to use fresh herbs in the mix as well, but they tend to burn. I have also tried adding fresh garlic, which burns unless left whole. We have often added in some fresh squash or zucchini and both worked very well.

Now place the okra on a sheet pan in a single layer in your preheated oven. I like to cook them for 8 minutes, stir, then cook them for another 6-8 minutes. The result is almost as crunchy as fried okra, not slimy like stewed okra. It’s really my current favorite way to eat okra! It works well as a grilled item, too.

We asked Shane Henderson, Executive Chef for Ben E. Keith Foods, to share his special month-by-month guide to introducing new nutrient-rich veggies into kids’ diets. Shane knows all about trying to please his own picky eater, his 6-year-old daughter Chloe, and has crafted a calendar complete with kid-friendly recipes to help parents win more mealtime battles. Check back with FITArkansas.com for Shane’s monthly installments!