Okra and Tomatoes Recipe with Bacon
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This 4-ingredient Okra and Tomatoes Recipe is a classic Southern side dish that lets the natural flavors shine. The acidity of the tomatoes balances perfectly with tender okra, while crispy bacon and a few simple spices turn it into a flavor party you didn’t know you needed!
Okra and Tomatoes: A Match Made in Flavor Heaven
Some of my favorite recipes begin with “first you fry up some bacon…” and that immediately tells you a lot about this dish. Garden fresh spoils of the spring and summer months to create the ultimate garden dream team. I’ve made many versions of this okra recipe over the years (like my Southern-Style Fried Okra Recipe!), but this one tends to be my favorite recipe—mainly because, well, bacon! I mean, seriously. Bacon.
Take a moment to just stare in appreciation at how beautiful this tomato and okra recipe looks, all mixed up together in my vintage dish. ~sigh~ Makes my heart happy and my stomach growl. I don’t reckon you could ask for much more than that.
This tomato and okra recipe is a Southern classic that’s sure to win over even first-time okra cooks. The secret? Sautéing the okra in bacon grease at high heat to cut down on the slime factor. Juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, and tender onions come together in this easy recipe to create a popular dish you’ll want to make again and again. The only thing left to do is grab a fork and enjoy!
Ingredients
- Bacon – turkey bacon or pork bacon
- Tomatoes – fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes work
- Onion
- Okra – I used fresh okra from my sweet neighbor, but you can use frozen okra as well!
- Salt & black pepper
Flavor Enhancers
- For a spicier version, add 1 teaspoon of chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Alternatively, serve it with a drizzle of hot sauce.
- For added flavor, saute 2 minced garlic cloves with the chopped onion. You might also like to add 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning.
- For more fresh vegetables, opt for 1/3 cup each of chopped celery and fresh corn kernels and/or 1 chopped bell pepper.
How to Make Okra and Tomatoes with Bacon
1. Start by chopping up your onion and dicing your okra pods and tomatoes.
2. Next, fry your bacon in a large skillet and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate once it is nice and crispy.
3. In the bacon grease that is now in the skillet, add your onions and cook over medium-high heat until they are translucent.
4. Add sliced okra and tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until okra is tender. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper (according to your taste).
5. Serve immediately because, well, at this point I’m usually eating it right out of the skillet anyway. Enjoy!
Top Tip
If you’re using turkey bacon instead of pork bacon, as I often do, you won’t get a lot of bacon drippings. Instead, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet before adding the chopped onion.
What to Serve with Okra and Tomatoes
Enjoy tomatoes and okra as a side dish with any hearty Southern main dish, like fried chicken, pulled BBQ chicken, chili, Southern fried catfish, or chicken fried steak. Because let’s face it, everything tastes better with a little Southern charm.
Want to turn your side dish into the star of the show? Just invite some protein to the party, like cooked sausage, shredded chicken, or cooked shrimp. Secondly, serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or grits for a hearty and filling supper.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave, and for something different, serve it alongside scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Okra and Tomatoes Recipe with Bacon
This 4-ingredient Okra & Tomatoes recipe is smoky, savory, and full of texture! Crispy bacon, tender okra, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic onions come together in one skillet for an easy, flavorful Southern staple.
Ingredients
- 5-50 pieces bacon*
- 3 medium to large diced tomatoes
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 handfuls diced okra** (2-3 cups once diced)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, turning as needed. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set it aside.
- Keep about 4 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet and pour the rest into your grease jar to save.
- Place the chopped onion into the bacon grease and continue cooking over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent.
- Add the okra and tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until okra is tender. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove to a serving bowl and generously sprinkle the crumbled bacon bits over the top.
Notes
- *I'm not really suggesting that you make this dish with 50 pieces of bacon. However, I would not object to you doing so, provided you invited me to supper. As far as the ingredients in this, you can use more or less of any one item based on what you have on hand.
- **We use turkey bacon and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet when frying the onions.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 94
I make this and sometimes turn it into a main dish meal by adding a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp when everything is done. It takes only 5 minutes or so for the shrimp to cook. Add cornbread and you have a complete meal. Delicious!
I make a similar dish adding corn and beans, we eat it as a meal with rice and corn bread. I cook the beans in a separate pot and add at the end.
This looks and sounds amazing, Christy. Some fresh field peas and your Hot Water Cornbread on the side would make the meal. Thank you for your positivity in a crazy world. Blessings!
Oh my goodness, I agree!!! Blessings to you!!
I love okra any way it is cooked. I have run into the slime problem with some of the family.
There is a very simple solution………for boiled okra or microwave when using water to cook it, just add 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice or vinegar to the water before adding OKRA and you will never have this problem again. It does not change the flavor of the okra.
Great tip, thanks for sharing Peggy!!
Yum! One of my summertime favorites! I need to check and see if this stuff is at my farmer’s market this weekend!
I hope you find everything you need Missy!!
Oh my word that looks delicious! I planted okra this year for the first time, because it’s so hard to find it fresh where I live. The plants are still tiny, but I have hope and am encouraging them to grow up and reach into that sunshine and Make Okra Please!
I’m going to Pin this recipe – thanks!
Oh my goodness, there is nothing like a mess of fresh okra, straight from the garden!! I will say a little prayer that you have a bountiful harvest 🙂
Sounds great. Do you peel the fresh tomatoes before you add them?
Hi Donna!! I don’t peel the tomatoes, but if that is your preference you could 🙂 .