Sausage and Okra Stew is a fusion of Italian and American flavors. It is a delicious combination of polenta and Italian sausage, paired with fall harvest flavors like potatoes, okra and corn. This stew is rich, thick, hearty and delicious!
Okra Stew Recipe
Okra… love it… or hate it? Never tried? Ahhh yes! That’s who I’m looking for! Someone without preconceived notions of okra.
You know I’m kidding, right? I confess – until I moved to the valley, I had never tried okra either. However once I tried it, I was hooked! It has an earthy flavor and a bright crunchy texture.
Fried okra, YUM! Sausage and Okra Stew? Delicious!
In this recipe okra is coated with polenta and together they make a rich creamy soup. Did you doubt me?
Seriously, this is rich and hearty – all you really need is a great loaf of crusty bread to sop up all this amazing broth!
Shopping list for Sausage and Okra Stew
- Italian sausage
- okra
- Yukon gold potatoes
- onion
- garlic
- polenta
- frozen corn
- chicken broth
- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
How to stew fresh okra
I’m going to address the elephant in the room because I know what you’re thinking. Okra is slimy. True or not, Deb?
When it’s sliced and fresh, yes. But here’s the deal – you don’t eat it raw! (Although I’ve tried it and love the flavor!)
How do you make okra not slimy?
Deep fried or stewed, once it’s cooked the texture is a non-starter. In this stew, the okra is coated with polenta. It’s a crunchy bright flavor. The polenta thickens the stew and when it’s mixed with the sausage? This one is dynamite!
How do I clean okra?
- For this stew you will run it under cold water.
- Slice off the stem and discard.
- Slice the okra into 1/4 inch slices.
- If you are deep frying the okra you’ll want to soak it in a vinegar brine for 30 minutes.
- Drain well and dry completely before frying.
Are okra seeds safe to eat?
- Absolutely! No worries there!
Can you eat the whole okra?
- You bet, you’ll only need to remove the stem.
How long does it take for okra to cook?
If you’re stir frying okra it only takes 3-4 minutes, in the stew it’s simmered with the vegetables until the potatoes are tender.
How do you thaw frozen okra?
No fresh okra, no problem! Use frozen! No need to thaw it beforehand. Add it to the stew when you add the rest of the vegetables.
How to make Okra Stew
Steps to make Okra Stew Recipe
- Brown the sausage in a heavy bottom pot.
- Slice and dice the vegetables, mince the garlic.
- Add in the okra, potatoes and onions.
- Saute then add the garlic and polenta. Mix well and season.
- Increase the heat to high, add the chicken broth, bring to a boil.
- Reduce and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- As the stew simmers it thickens and when the potatoes are cooked through, add the frozen corn and stir
It only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish to make this stew. This is an easy weeknight meal!
More hearty stews I know you’ll love!
More Okra Recipes to try!
- Ropa Vieja Recipe – A traditional Cuban recipe using okra, bell peppers and fresh vegetables!
- Simple Sauteed Okra – earthy flavored okra is highlighted in this simple recipe!
- Southern Fried Okra – southern + fried! Need I say anymore? YUM!
- Zesty Roasted Okra – a lighter take on fried okra, spicy and delicious!
Ready to try some okra? Awesome!
I know you’ll enjoy this recipes! This recipe makes a nice big pot of stew, enough for 6 generous portions or 8 healthy bowls. Plenty for your family – and if you don’t say anything about the okra, they won’t even know, right? Enjoy!
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When you make this please be sure to tag me on Instagram @bowl_me_over or #bowlmeover – I’d love to see your pictures! And if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Okra Stew
Sausage and Okra Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 1/2 lb okra thinly sliced
- 2 yukon gold potatoes chopped into small bite sized
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup polenta
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Start by browning the sausage over medium heat in a heavy bottom pan. Get a good sear on it – you want it to be well browned and broken up into little pieces
- While the sausage is cooking, chop the okra, onions, potatoes and mince the garlic.
- Drain the excess oil from the sausage and add in the okra, potatoes & onions. Sauté for about 4 minutes and add the garlic and polenta. Mix well, seasoning with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Increase the heat to high and add the chicken broth, bring to a boil. Stir well scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. !
- Reduce to simmer and cook for another 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add in the frozen corn once the potatoes are cooked thru.
- The stew will thicken as it cooks. When the potatoes are fork tender, the stew is complete. Enjoy!
Amy (Savory Moments)
I love okra and I think this stew looks like a delicious seasonal dish!
Bowl Me Over
Big fan of okra myself, thanks Amy!
Kaitie
I love one pot meals. They always make the best Sunday dinners… Pair this amazing stew with homemade bread and there you have it!
Bowl Me Over
Nailed it! Great crusty bread – meal made in heaven! Thanks for stopping by Katie!
Marye
I am so looking forward to autumn and the food that comes with it! Stew is one of my cold weather favorites, this sounds delicious!
Bowl Me Over
Thanks Marye – cold weather is just around the corner!
Levan @ Crazy Vegan Kitchen
What an amazing looking stew! So hearty and inviting. Thank you for sharing this!!
Bowl Me Over
You bet Levan – Thanks for stopping by!
Lois
This looks so good. I will be making it the first chance I get. Yum!!
Bowl Me Over
Awesome Lois, please let me know what you think!
felicia | Dish by Dish
Hi Debra! Thank you for your kind words over at my blog 🙂 I popped right over to yours and this gorgeous bowl of stew greeted me – rustic, full of flavor and rich! Wish I had a bowl right now. It’s still kinda chilly here in Buenos Aires as we transition from winter to spring…. this stew would do me much good!
Bowl Me Over
Thank you Felicia – I really enjoyed reading your blog. I can really relate – we have one family member that just lost their battle with cancer and one that is fighting the fight. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
nibbles by nic
Seriously I am shocked your hub didn’t go back for a third bowl at midnight. I would! YUM!!!!
Bowl Me Over
Hahaha! Love that Nic and yes, me too! 😀
Kathryn Doherty
I LOVE okra and am loving everything about this stew! Warming me to the core just looking at it 🙂 Can’t wait to give it a try – thanks for sharing! #FoodieFriDIY
Bowl Me Over
You bet Kathryn – thanks for hosting such a great party!!!
Justine at Full Belly Sisters
This is a fantastic combination of ingredients, it looks amazing!
Bowl Me Over
Thank you so much Justine!!
Susan | LunaCafe
Love everything about this. Okra, polenta, sausage, potatoes, corn, Wow! 🙂
Bowl Me Over
Thanks Susan!!
Rhoda
Oh Wow!! This looks amazing!! I will definitely be trying this one soon!
Bowl Me Over
You’ll enjoy this Rhoda – easy, yummy stew!
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile
What a great recipe. I’m definitely going to make this over the weekend and pop it into the freezer for a quick midweek dinner. Thanks!
Bowl Me Over
Great idea Lucy – I do that with all my soups! Makes life so much easier when you don’t feel like cooking.
peter @feedyoursoultoo
Unfortunately it is time to start thinking about fall vegetables. This is the perfect start to the season.
Bowl Me Over
Thanks Peter!
The Food Hunter
I am craving lovely fall dishes like this!
Bowl Me Over
Me too – it might be hot outside, but a great bowl of stew is so warm & filling.
lizzy
recipes like this are what i grew up on! When I saw you post this on facebook my mouth was literally watering… love this recipe!
Jamie @ Coffee With Us 3
This sounds so good! I love okra and potatoes, and it looks like rain today, so that’s a good enough reason for soup, right?
Joy @ Joy Love Food
I’m a huge fan of polenta, but have never tried it in a stew, this sounds wonderful!
Bowl Me Over
It was perfect to thicken the stew.
christine
Oh, this looks awesome. I’m def. trying this when the cooler weather hits. I love using sausage in soups. I’ve never actually tried okra but I’m willing to give it a shot.
Bowl Me Over
Great – let me know what you think Christine!
swathi
Delicious harvest stew love to do a taste test, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning.
Bowl Me Over
Come on by and bring your spoon, always fun to try new foods! 😀
Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets)
This looks so hearty. Thank you for making it gluten free 🙂
Bowl Me Over
Thanks Sandi, love this stew!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist
I spy okra. I love okra. This looks hearty and delicious.
Bowl Me Over
That it is – love this soup!
Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
What a perfect bowl of comfort! Love it!
Bowl Me Over
Perfect for fall – I hope you give this a try Serena!
Debi @ Life Currents
OH my gosh, yum! I can’t wait to try this. Pinning it now!
Jennifer Mitchell
Omg!! This stew look amazing and delicious too. I can’t wait to try it. We are a turkey family so I’m going to do a little twist by using turkey Italian sausage. I hope it turn out good.
Bowl Me Over
Thanks Jennifer, turkey sausage will be just as amazing, that’s a great substitute – enjoy! If you get a chance, swing back by and let me know what you think of this recipe!!
Lynn CHARNESKI
Really yummy! I used the turkey Italian sausage which may be a little saltier than others. Low sodium broth next time. I didn’t see where to add the corn, so I added it the last 5 minutes. Came together fast and easy. My kind of recipe.
Bowl Me Over
So glad you enjoy this stew Lynn and thank you so much for letting me know regarding the recipe, I’ll update it right now!!
Mike C.
I love okra! I grow, harvest and use it fresh as long as I can in our climate, which is quite a while unless a hurricane kills it with blowing salt water. I cook it fried, stewed with tomatoes and onions, in soups, stews and gumbos. One thing I have learned after many years is this! Unless you are using Okra as and ingredient and thickening agent in a dish, you must cook it first to remove the “slime”. Cooking it first does not remove the subtle flavor nor the texture. Here’s the way I do it: Slice it and toss it into a frying pan with a little bit of butter or olive oil. Have the skillet on medium low heat. Cook and stir the Okra until the “slime” is gone from it. Then you can add it to any recipe that calls for Okra. That’s my way but ya’ll can come up with another technique if you wish!
Bowl Me Over
I’m an okra lover too, so your info is super helpful Mike, I appreciate all of your tips and tricks!!! Yes – in this stew Okra as an ingredient and thickener is just perfect! This is so tasty!
Dan
what do you mean………..2 pieces of potato?
Bowl Me Over
I’m sorry Dan that should read two potatoes. Updating!!
Liza
You always have a great soup recipe to share! This one isn’t an exception! What a great idea!