It’s a twist on my classic Okra and Tomatoes recipe, roasted okra with crispy edges, vibrant cherry tomatoes and sweet onions.

What is Okra and Tomatoes?

Okra and Tomatoes is one of the oldest recipes in my family culinary history. It is exactly what it sounds like, fresh okra, tomatoes seasoned with onions, aromatics, salt and pepper. It’s oh so simple but so delicious and satisfying especially over a bed of fresh white rice. While some may be reluctant to eat okra because of it’s consistency and mucilaginous pods, roasting it mitigates this effect and the okra becomes rich and buttery, although there’s no butter uses in this recipe.

How to Cook it?

Normally, the onions are cooked first before adding the chopped okra and tomatoes but in this recipe, everything goes into a cast iron skillet and is drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and tossed together. Then it all bakes just until the okra tips start to brown and the tomatoes and plump and roasted.

Okra’s mucilaginous pods

It’s a Healthy and Delicious Dinner, That’s “Accidentally Vegan”

With just a drizzle of olive oil, this Roasted Okra and Tomatoes is a healthy, vegan comforting meal. It’s a good example of recipes that I create that are “accidentally vegan;” meaning, I set out to create delicious tasting food in it’s most natural state that’s so delicious that everyone will want to eat but it just so happens to be vegan.

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Roasted Okra and Tomatoes

One of my famous "accidental vegan" recipes, Okra and Tomatoes is a classic soul food dish that I've remixed with a one pan, cast iron skillet healthy bake.

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh okra stemmed and cut in half, lengthwise
• 12 ounces cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 1 onion small, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• a pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and place a cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats.
• Once the oven has pre-heated, remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and add the okra, cherry tomatoes on the vine, sliced onion, olive oil, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Toss to evenly distribute the olive oil and seasonings. 
• Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the tomatoes just start to burst and the okra starts to brown on the ends.
• Serve hot as a side dish or over a bed of rice as a meal.