Fast delivery
Get in as fast as 1 hour
It’s all local
Shop your favorites
Direct chat
Connect with shoppers
Green Okra Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to green okra
About green okra
Although most people call green okra a vegetable, it's actually a fruit from the hibiscus family. It's the light green seed pod of an okra plant, and it's most commonly eaten sliced, though eating it whole is an exceptional experience. Farmers and stores sell fresh okra by the pound in the U.S. during the summer. It becomes pricey in the winter months, though, because it's imported.
Green okra is known as Lady's Fingers in some parts of the world because of its tube-like, slender shape. The plant is native to Ethiopia, and settlers and enslaved peoples brought it to North America centuries ago. The okra plant is at home in hot, humid climates like those in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, and Mexico. It's grown in Florida and other southeastern U.S. states as well. Southern, Caribbean, and Indian cuisines use okra as a staple in gumbo and stew.
How to tell if green okra is ripe
When choosing green okra, a good rule of thumb is the smaller, the better. As the pods grow, they get tougher, so bright green, small pods do best in the kitchen. The ideal length is between 2 and 3 inches, and the pods should be firm to the touch.
If they're squishy or turning brown, the okra has gone bad. While the ripeness of okra is important for your dish, it's equally important to avoid overripe okra. Big okra pods are fibrous, almost woody, and unpleasant to chew. They also lack the flavor we expect from green okra because as the plant and pods mature, their sugars break down into starches to feed the seeds, preparing for reproduction.
How to store and preserve green okra
The sooner you use okra, the better. It won't stay fresh for long in the fridge, but it should stay good for up to three days, tightly wrapped, or stored in an air-tight container. Fresh okra that's ready to eat preserves well frozen. After washing and trimming the pods, you'll want to blanch them before freezing. Using a gallon of water for every pound of okra, boil the pods for around 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the pod. Package the okra in a freezer bag, label, and freeze. It will last a few months this way.
In the southern U.S., another preservation method, and pantry staple, is pickled okra. There are three types of okra pickle: a fridge pickle, quick pickle, or a hot pack canning pickle. Pack prepped okra into clean jars, cover them with a hot brine made from vinegar, sugar, and water, and toss the jars in the fridge to make a fridge pickle. This type of pickled okra will last for a few months so long as the seal on the can remains unbroken.
Hot pack canning involves specific equipment like a pressure canner, but a quick pickle is a straightforward way to keep okra for another week or two.
Green Okra Near Me
Buy your favorite Green Okra online with Instacart. Order Green Okra from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about green okra
No matter what you're making with your green okra, it's absolutely necessary to wash it. This removes dirt and any sprays that may be on the skin, but it also serves another purpose! Run large okra pods under cold, running water, and rub them with a scrub pad, vegetable brush, or similar tool. The larger okra gets, the more fibrous it becomes, and the larger pods grow fuzzy spines that have an unpleasant texture. The next absolutely necessary step is to dry your okra. Drying the okra thoroughly before cooking prevents "mucilage." More on that below.
The last step before cooking is to remove the stem and top. This part of the plant is woody and fibrous, which is no good for eating. So use a paring knife to snip the tip, and your okra is ready to cook!
The flavor of okra is fairly unique. It has a mild flavor that's sometimes compared to green beans or eggplant. The texture of okra gets more attention than its flavor, though. If cooked quickly, okra becomes crunchy, but if it's cooked slowly, the pods become mouthwatering, tender, and almost creamy.
Yes, you can! As mentioned above, one of the best ways to avoid this sliminess, or "mucilage," is to dry your okra pods before cooking them completely. A Southern trick for reducing slime is to soak the okra in vinegar for thirty minutes. Overcrowding okra in the pan is another common culprit for mucilage. Choose a cooking method, like roasting or frying, that allows you to give the okra ample space for heat circulation. Doing so reduces the liquid they release, preventing the slimy texture you want to avoid. Frying, grilling, or sauteing over high heat helps with liquid release as well.