Okra and tomatoes is a classic stewed side dish made with garden-fresh or frozen veggies, bacon, sweet onion, and a splash of cider vinegar. It comes together in one skillet on the stovetop, so the oven stays off and supper is on the table in about 40 minutes. Serve it as a side with cornbread and fried chicken, or spoon it over rice for a light supper.
More Southern summer vegetable sides:
Before You Get Started
A few notes that make a real difference here before you start cooking:
- Use fresh in summer, frozen and canned the rest of the year. Garden-ripe produce is best in season, but frozen okra and canned diced tomatoes work just as well off-season.
- Don’t drain the tomatoes. Those juices deglaze the pan and become the simmering liquid that ties the dish together.
- Taste before adding all the sugar. Garden tomatoes are often sweeter than canned, so start with half the sugar and add more only if you need it.
How to Make Okra and Tomatoes
This is the kind of recipe that builds gradually: render the bacon, soften the aromatics, simmer down the tomatoes, then add the okra at the end so it stays tender without going to mush. Here’s how to do it, step by step:
Step 1: Render the Bacon
In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook diced thick-cut bacon until it’s starting to crisp and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. You want the bacon golden and the bottom of the pan slick with drippings.
Don’t drain. The fat is the foundation of the dish.
Step 2: Soften the Onion and Garlic
Add the diced Vidalia onion and minced garlic to the bacon and drippings.
Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent and the garlic is fragrant. You’re not browning here, just softening.
⇢ If you can’t find Vidalia, any sweet onion variety works. The sweetness balances the acidity from the tomatoes and vinegar later on.
Step 3: Build the Tomato Base
Stir in two cans of diced tomatoes with their juices, plus the sugar, fresh thyme, bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
Use the tomato juice to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Those bits are flavor.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. The mixture should thicken slightly and smell sweet, savory, and a little tangy.
Step 4: Add the Okra and Finish
Stir in the okra (fresh or frozen, no need to thaw), cover with a lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the okra is tender. Plan on about 10 to 12 minutes for fresh okra or 7 to 8 minutes for frozen.
⇢ Frozen okra softens faster than fresh, so check it at the 7-minute mark. You want it just tender, not mushy.
Remove the bay leaf, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
⇢ Want to stretch it into a meal? Add a pound of peeled shrimp or sliced smoked sausage along with the okra. Stir in a teaspoon of Creole seasoning or a pinch of cayenne for a little heat. A handful of fresh corn kernels (or frozen) also works beautifully in the pot.
Serving Suggestions
Okra and tomatoes is a versatile dish. Served alongside fried chicken or pork chops, it’s a classic Southern side. Spoon it over rice or pair it with a thick slice of Cast Iron Cornbread, and it becomes a satisfying light supper on its own.
Serve it with:
- Crispy Fried Chicken
- Southern Fried Catfish or Oven Fried Fish
- Smothered Pork Chops or Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Shrimp and Grits or Sheet Pan Low Country Boil
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Find more easy sides check out my collection of the best Southern Cookout Side Dishes.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Leftovers keep well for a few days and reheat easily. Here’s what to know:
To store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat: Microwave individual servings until warm, or transfer to a skillet and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until heated through.
To freeze: Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. The vegetables will be a touch softer and more watery after thawing, but the flavor holds up well. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep okra and tomatoes from being slimy?
Okra contains a natural thickener called mucilage that gives it that signature texture (a good thing in gumbo, a less-welcome surprise here). In this recipe, the acid from the tomatoes and vinegar keeps the slime in check, so I don’t worry about it.
If you want extra insurance, wait to slice your okra until right before you cook it, and don’t stir the pot more than you need to once the okra goes in.
Can I make this without bacon?
Yes. Sauté the onion and garlic in a tablespoon or two of butter or olive oil, and add a pinch of smoked paprika to bring back some of the smoky depth you’d get from bacon drippings. The dish won’t be quite as rich, but it’s still very good.
My okra and tomatoes came out too sweet. What can I do next time?
Garden tomatoes are often naturally sweeter than canned, so the full tablespoon of sugar can tip the dish over the edge. Start with half the sugar, taste at the end, and add more only if you think it needs it. A little extra splash of cider vinegar at the end will also balance things out.
Can I serve this as a main dish?
Absolutely. Spoon it over a bed of rice and top with a slice of cornbread, or add cooked smoked sausage or shrimp during the last few minutes of simmering to turn it into a heartier supper. It’s a flexible dish that works as a side or an entrée depending on how you want to round out the meal.
More Easy Southern Summer Sides
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Okra and Tomatoes
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
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until it's starting to crisp and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 5 more minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, sugar, thyme, bay leaf, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Use the tomato juices to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the okra, cover with a lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the okra is tender. This takes about 10 to 12 minutes for fresh okra or 7 to 8 minutes for frozen okra. Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Sugar to taste. Garden tomatoes are often sweeter than canned, so start with half the sugar and add more only if needed at the end. A splash of extra cider vinegar will also help if it’s too sweet.
- Using fresh tomatoes. You’ll need about 2 ½ cups of seeded and diced fresh tomatoes, plus about ½ cup of water, broth, or red wine to replace the juice from the canned tomatoes.
- Frozen okra cooks faster. Reduce the cooking time to about 7 to 8 minutes if using frozen, and don’t bother thawing it first.
- Bacon options. Thick-cut bacon gives the best flavor; if using regular bacon, add an extra strip or two. For a bacon-free version, sauté the onion and garlic in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil and add a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Make it a meal. Add a pound of peeled shrimp or sliced smoked sausage along with the okra. Stir in Creole seasoning or a pinch of cayenne for heat, or add a handful of fresh or frozen corn kernels.
- Serve over rice for a heartier dish, or pair with cornbread or biscuits.
- Storage. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Recipe adapted from Paula Deen.
Nutrition
Originally published in June, 2021, this post was updated in June, 2026.
My Husband loved this!!! I had everything on hand and super easy to make!!! Thank you!
Yay! Thanks, Dawn. I’m so happy to hear that. 🙂
I made this recipe and it was delish! It was a little too sweet for my taste as outlined as I like savory much more than sweet. When I make it again, I will cut the sugar in half to see if that adjusts to my taste. Thanks for sharing!
My husband loved it!
Wonderful! Thanks, Jana. It’s always a win when I can get my husband to eat some veggies! 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Didn’t use bacon but added a patty pan squash instead and white wine in place of water as I used fresh tomatoes.
Thank you, Dottie! We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you.
Delicious! I used fresh plum tomatoes and okra from my summer garden.
Yum! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
I have never been a big fan of okra, but living in NC made it a good idea to find a way to enjoy it. This recipe was awesome! Even my anti-veggie husband loved it. Instead of sugar I used hot honey and soy sauce instead of worchestershire (didn’t have any). This will definitely make recurring appearances in out summer meals!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Melanie! Thank you for trying it out.
Wonderful recipe! Flavorful and perfect. I waited until the last minute to cut okra, and it turned out perfectly. I used fresh everything.
It’s one of our favorite ways to use summer veggies! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Evelyn.
Made this tonight! Absolutely delicious! Served seared tuna and wild rice! ❤️
Thank you, Cheryl! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent recipe!!..I should’ve made the cornbread.
Thanks, Douglas! Next time you can add the cornbread. 🙂
My husband loved it. I browned some sliced smoked sausage and sautéed chopped cayenne peppers in addition to the recipe as written. They were not necessary, as this recipe is perfect on its own. The addition of the sausage was to be able to use it as a main course.
That sounds like the perfect main course, Theresa. Thank you for letting me know! 🙂
Excellent! I don’t eat bacon so I left that out, but it was good anyway.
I’ll be making it again.
Thanks, Penny! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Came out great! Served with traditional dirty rice and cornbread.
We’re so happy to hear this, Becca! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
Thanks for this recipe. I made this a few nights ago. We don’t eat bacon, so subbed about a tsp of smoked paprika. Had some pearl onions I wanted to use so put those in place of the chopped Vidalia. The amount of sugar you need will depend on the acidity of the tomatoes. Sugar to taste works for me.
We hope you enjoy it, Pete!
This recipe reminded me of childhood when my Granny made. Being poor in the South we ate what was in the garden. My husband first looked this warily, but since he eats everything, he had a huge bowl and said we need to have this more often! Did not add sugar and added a tad more vinegar. Thanks!
We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Donna! We hope it brought back fond memories. We appreciate you trying it out and taking the time to leave a review!
It was delicious and easy to cook! I had fresh okra out of our garden!! And we ate it over rice!!
Thank you, Jo Ann! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
I used fresh tomatoes and with the added sugar, it was way too sweet. I’ll try again without sugar.
Blair: Terrific recipe!! My wife has long stated, “I don’t like okra.” Okay, I said, I do and I am making it for myself and not for you, so don’t eat it. I did tweak the recipe a little bit. We do not routinely use bacon; she doesn’t like the taste and if I buy a one pound package most of it will languish in the back of the ‘frigde meat drawer until it is well past the printed experation date. So, instead I used bacon bits and added finely diced Frick;s sliced hickory smoked ham slices. I also used frozen cut okra and canned San Marzano tomatoes. She retreated into a different room and I put it together about carefully, following the rest of the listed ingredients and amounts recommended. Oh, I did add, to taste some ground cayenne pepper, rated 40,000 Scoville units. And, then after I followed each step, let it come together under low-medium eat until the aroma suffused through the house. I made a 1x recipe, because I loooovvvve okra.
After I had moved to the living room, I heard the bedroom door being quietly opened. I heard footsteps moving down the hallway toward the kitchen. Then I heard the cutlery drawer being opened. Then, I heard, “Oh! My! God! This is so delicious.” I heard no footsteps leaving the kitchen until she walked into the living room with a bowl and spoon in hand. “If I didn’t know who made this I would swear it was made by an old Black grandmammy! This is amazing” She was unable to say anything else, because she had dipped her spoon into the bowl and transferred more into her mouth.
She ended up eating more than 3/4 of the pot all by herself over the next two days. Today, I am the cooker of a one side (OKRA!) and Paula Deen’s cream cheese pumpkin pie for the extended family feed. She is doing the turkey. You can imagine the rest. If you can’t, I can assure that a whole bunch of her family will say, “Damn, that ol’ pale male of Auntie’s knows how to cook!” Amen, my brothers and sisters.
We’re so happy to hear the recipe was a hit and that you were able to adjust it to your liking! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review. We hope you and your family have a very happy Thanksgiving!
Delicious and the recipe was easy to follow! We came home from the farmers market with okra, a giant heirloom tomato, corn on the cob and fresh butter beans, and ALL of them went into the pot! The beans needed extra simmering, so all the flavors had a chance to meld together. Perfect!
Sounds delicious, Lydia! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
This dish is delicious, but heed the comment in step 4 of the Instructions “Serve immediately”. You want the tomatoes to be bright red in color and still somewhat firm and the okra to be cheerfully green though tender. With standing and/or reheating the mixture tends to become somewhat mushy and muddy looking. However it will still be delicious for family snacks but will no longer have the pizazz for a dinner party side.
Thank you, Bill!