This bacon and okra skillet is a yummy southern side dish for summer! It’s paleo, whole30, and AIP-friendly.

Growing up in New York, I never ate okra growing up. Actually, I never ate it until I was probably 24-25, and I immediately loved it! I’m still learning a lot about Southern cooking, but truly, okra is delicious. It tastes amazing with bacon and is a great way to mix it up from your everyday veggie side dishes like broccoli and sweet potato.

This okra and bacon skillet is a great summer side dish that’s smoky, flavorful, and easy to make! It’s also paleo, whole30, AIP, but will still please a crowd.

 

How to Make This Okra & Bacon Skillet

  • Chop the bacon into small pieces and use a skillet to saute. Once crispy, set the bacon aside and reserve some fat in the pan.
  • Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the chopped okra to the pan and season with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until lightly crispy.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar to the pan along with the bacon to lightly reheat. Stir for a minute and remove from the heat.

 

The Ingredients For the Okra & Bacon Skillet

Okra

Okra is an underrated veggie that I love cooking in the summer! It’s not a nightshade vegetable (though I thought it was for a while) and it’s delicious!

Bacon

Not only do you get the smoky flavor of bacon, but you get to use the bacon fat to cook this skillet

Onion, garlic, and turmeric 

Turmeric gives this just a little bit of a kick and an extra nutrient boost!

Apple cider vinegar  

The ACV gives this just a hint of acid that pairs well with the smoky flavor of the bacon.

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Southern Bacon and Okra Skillet


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb okra
  • 4 strips of bacon, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Prepare the okra by washing well and slice off the tops. Continue to slice the okra into about 4-5 slices per piece of okra and set aside.
  2.  Using a large skillet, saute the bacon on medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan along with about 2 tbsp of bacon fat, reserving the rest of the fat in a glass container.
  3. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
  4. Add the chopped okra to the pan and season with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often and add more fat if needed. Cook until lightly crispy.
  5. Add the apple cider vinegar to the pan along with the bacon to lightly reheat. Stir for a minute and remove from the heat.
  6. Serve warm.

Notes

All nutritional facts are estimations and will vary.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 228
  • Fat: 15.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.7g
  • Fiber: 5.7g
  • Protein: 8.3g