Ingredients

Okra - fresh okra is best in this recipe but you can also use thawed frozen. It's easily found in your regular grocery store and often at the farmer's market.

Onion - grated yellow or white onion. I would not use red.

Jalapeño - adds a bit of heat. If you don't want any spice, be sure to remove all of the seeds or omit this ingredient.

Cornmeal - gives the fritters a cornbread like texture.

Flour - all purpose flour or for gluten-free use this measure for measure all purpose gluten free flour.

Baking powder - helps them rise and gives a cornbread like texture.

Egg - holds the batter together.

Honey - just a touch for sweetness.

Buttermilk - adds tenderness and tang. If you don't have buttermilk, use one of these substitutes.

Seasonings - I use Tony Chacere's creole seasoning which has a mix of chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper and other seasonings and salt. You can use whatever kind of seasonings you like.

Oil - avocado oil is my go to. You can also use vegetable oil or canola oil.

Pile of crispy okra fritters on a wire rack.

Okra fritters are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Method

Start by trimming off the tough stems of the okra pods. Chop okra into small pieces. If you don't want them to be too spicy, remove the seeds from the jalapeño pepper and finely mince. Use a box grater to grate the onion.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and seasonings. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and honey. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add the veggies to the batter and use a spoon or spatula to thoroughly combine. The fritter batter will be thick like cornbread.

Step by step process shots of making fritter batter.

Heat a large cast iron or heavy skillet over medium heat and add a few tablespoons of neutral oil. You only need enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan - much like cooking pancakes. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to spoon rounded tablespoons of batter into the hot oil and gently press down to flatten a bit. Pan fry for about 2 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crispy.

Pan fry until golden brown and crispy.

Repeat until all of the batter is used up, adding more oil to the pan as necessary and transferring fritters to a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack to drain excess oil. Serve piping hot.