How to freeze okra - Freezing Hacks

Okra is a delicious vegetable. Whether you have a bounty in your garden or you find fresh okra on sale, it is a great idea to freeze them so that you can enjoy them for months.

I like to buy fresh okra in bulk and then cut and freeze them for later use. I freeze okra without blanching and it makes the entire process easy especially when you have to freeze a large batch, it reduces overall time and effort.

Preparation

Choose: Choose firm and fresh okra pods. The ones which feel too soft or hard are not good choices. The soft ones are not fresh and the hard ones have not been plucked on time and will have much larger seeds.
Rinse and dry: Rinse the okra pods gently under tap water ensuring and get rid of any dirt. There is no need to soak them in water, just rinsing them is enough. Pat them dry thoroughly by wiping with a clean kitchen towel.
Cut: Trim the stem ends with the help of a knife. Leave them whole or slice them into rounds or spears, depending on how you plan to use them.

Rinse fresh okra pods with water and wipe with a kitchen towel.

Trim the ends and cut the okra into rounds, halves, or as you would use them.

Freezing okra

Portion: Measure or weigh the okra in portions of 12 oz., 16 oz., and 28 oz. as these sizes are available in store bought frozen okra bags and recipes would call for them.
Package: Use freezer safe containers or ziplock bags and remove as much air as possible.
Label: Mark the container or ziplock bags with the date, quantity, and "Okra" as well as shape like "whole" or "cut" okra.

Frozen okra in ziplock bag.

Frozen okra in a container.

Storage options

Freezer bags like ziplock bags are your best bet.
Airtight containers like Rubbermaid, Tupperware, and Snapware work well for larger batches.
Silicone containers or glass containers like Pyrex are great reusable options if you want more eco friendly choices.

How to use frozen okra

In general frozen okra can be used as is and there is no need to thaw it. You can use it as is in soups, stews, or roast it in the oven or an air fryer. You can check out how to make frozen okra in air fryer.

If your recipe calls for defrosting frozen okra then you can leave it at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight. Place it in a strainer so that you can get rid of excess moisture.