Southern Corn and Okra Stew
A southern-style okra stew with peppers, corn, brown rice and black-eyed peas. With 9 different plants in every serving, this healthy stew is packed with fiber, protein and vegetables.
Similar to gumbo, this okra stew is a delicious way to eat more plants. With 9 different vegetables in each bowl, this stew delivers serious nutrition and flavor.
It’s also one of my favorite ways to enjoy okra! Inexpensive and healthy, this corn and okra stew is also great for meal prep.
Why I love this recipe
This okra stew reminds me of growing up in Virginia, though the only time I ate okra as a kid was when it was deep-fried. Ha!
Adapted from the adventist gumbo recipe in the Blue Zone’s Cookbook, though this stew is heartier, spicier and much more flavorful in my opinion.
This one is also a great way to eat more plants, which is really my overall goal of this space. I want everyone to eat more vegetables, beans and whole grains, but I also know that eating that way only works if they also taste good.
Everything comes together in a single pot and is made with mostly pantry ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Combining the all-purpose flour with olive oil is the base of this stew, making a roux that helps to provide body and creaminess without any dairy.
- Celery, pepper and onion: Also known as the “holy trinity” in Cajun recipes, it’s the backbone of flavor in this okra stew. I like to use red bell pepper for sweetness and color, but yellow bell pepper will also work. Green can be used, but green bell peppers are slightly more bitter than the other colors.
- Smoked Paprika: I love using smoked paprika in vegetarian recipes as it gives a nice bacon-like, pork-like flavor without any meat. It’s not the same as regular paprika or sweet paprika.
- Frozen okra: Frozen okra is actually preferred over fresh okra because freezing helps to break down the okra’s cell walls slightly, which allows it to release its natural thickening properties into the stew. I promise it’s not slimy!
- Black-eyed peas: I use canned beans here for convenience, though drained. It’s a southern staple that adds protein and fiber. Kidney beans can also be used.
- Frozen corn: If you can find fire-roasted corn then I highly recommend using it here as it adds a little more smoky flavor. Regular frozen corn will work, of course.
- Brown Rice: The rice adds fullness but also helps to thicken the stew! I cook the rice separately so that it cooks evenly. You can also use microwaved brown rice.
- Lemon Juice: A squeeze of acid at the end is my secret ingredient in almost all of my soup recipes. That and fresh herbs stirred in, it makes such a difference!
Substitution Notes
| Ingredient | Substitution | Notes |
| All-purpose flour | Gluten-free 1:1 flour blend | If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, use a 1:1 GF flour blend |
| Black-eyed peas | Kidney beans or chickpeas | Will change the flavor, but all will work |
| Smoked Paprika | Regular paprika + a pinch of chipotle powder | If you don’t have smoked paprika, then adding in a little chipotle powder will add a similar smokiness like smoked paprika does |
| Frozen okra | Fresh okra, trimmed and sliced | Frozen is so much easier to use than fresh! |
How to Make this Okra Stew (Step by Step)
Step 1: Build the roux
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth and begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. The roux is done when it smells nutty and toasty and there is no more raw flour visible. Take care not to burn the roux!
Step 2: Cook the aromatics
Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or so, until softened. Then add in the bell pepper , garlic, spices and celery to the roux and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes. Cook until vegetables have softened and fragrant.
Step 3: Add the broth
Add in the corn, okra, vegetable broth, brown rice and stir to fully incorporate into the roux. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the okra and corn are cooked through. Remove the bay leaves.
Step 4: Finish and serve
Remove from heat and stir in the parsley, spinach and lemon juice, stirring to wilt the spinach. Taste and adjust for salt. I like to add in a few dashes of hot sauce right before serving, which will add more saltiness.
Expert Tips for the Best Okra Stew
- Cook out the flour: A properly cooked roux should be golden in color and smell nutty. The roux helps to thicken the stew and also provides a yummy flavor. If the flour is still visible in the roux, then the stew will taste starchy.
- Use Cut Okra: You’ll want to use chopped okra instead of whole okra; no need to thaw first, just open the bag and dump in.
- Slime: Okra does release a natural mucilaginous compound, which also helps to thicken the stew. Cooked in the broth with the lemon juice, an acid!, makes the texture more silky rather than slimy.
- Use Pre-Cooked Rice: Cook the rice first and then add it to the stew near the end; this allows the rice to help thicken the stew without turning mushy.
How to Serve
This okra stew is a complete meal, but it’s also great with my vegan cornbread for a classic pairing, or a good crusty bread to help scoop up the thick stew.
It’s also great over extra rice to make it even more filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this stew thick?
Two things work together here, the roux (oil and flour) and the okra, which releases natural components to help make the stew thick.
Does this okra stew taste slimy?
Not when cooked properly. The combination of okra in the stew with the lemon makes the texture smooth and silky, not slimy.
Is this similar to gumbo?
It’s gumbo like in flavor, (and if you want a gumbo recipe, check out my vegan gumbo recipe) but not quite the same as gumbo.
Can I make this gluten-free
Yes, you can substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour in the roux.
More Stew Recipes
- Lentil, Potato and Sausage Stew
- Sweet Potato Stew
- Harissa Couscous with Eggplant
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Curry
- Vegetable Chowder with Potatoes
Southern Corn and Okra Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper, each
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels, preferably fire-roasted
- 1 can black-eyed peas, drained
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 12 ounce bag, frozen cut okra
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 lemon juiced
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes until the roux has become golden in color and no more visible flour remains.
- Add the onion and cook another 8 minutes or so, until the onion has softened. Add in the garlic, spices, bay leaves, celery and bell pepper. Cook another 8 minutes or so, stirring often, until the vegetables have started to softened.
- Stir in the corn, black-eyed peas, broth, okra, and cooked brown rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cook another 5 minutes, until the stew starts to thicken and the okra and corn have cooked through.
- Remove from heat and stir in the spinach, parsley and lemon. The spinach should wilt in the heat. Season to taste, add salt/pepper as needed, and remove the bay leaves. I like serving with a few dashes of hot sauce!