Description
This classic Southern Stewed Okra and Tomatoes recipe delivers a comforting and flavorful vegetable dish enhanced by smoky bacon, sweet Vidalia onion, and a mix of herbs and spices. With fresh or frozen okra simmered to tender perfection alongside diced tomatoes, this easy skillet meal makes a delightful side or light main dish perfect for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 small Vidalia onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, NOT drained (see note below to use fresh tomatoes instead)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups fresh or frozen okra, stems trimmed and cut into ½ -inch pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until it begins to crisp and the fat has rendered, approximately 5 minutes.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the diced Vidalia onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the bacon. Sauté everything together for another 5 minutes until the onion softens and becomes fragrant.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasonings: Stir in both cans of diced tomatoes with their juices, sugar, fresh thyme leaves, dried bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Use the tomato juices to deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Simmer Okra: Add the chopped okra to the skillet, cover with a lid, and continue to simmer. Stir occasionally and cook until the okra is tender—approximately 10 to 12 minutes if using fresh okra, or 7 to 8 minutes for frozen.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf, then season the dish with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately as a savory, comforting side or light main dish.
Notes
- Stewed Okra and Tomatoes is a traditional Southern favorite known for its rich, smoky, and slightly tangy flavor profile.
- Use fresh tomatoes in place of canned by substituting 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
- Adjust okra cooking time to avoid sliminess; fresh okra takes longer but yields better texture.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and sauté onions and garlic in olive oil.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 126 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 317 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
