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White bowl containing cabbage and okra on black granite counter.
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5 from 11 votes

Steamed Cabbage and Okra

This is one of the best sides dishes you will ever make! Combining green cabbage and okra is an easy and delicious way to enjoy these two vegetables. Full of flavor with a hint of garlic, this is the perfect side dish to any meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 48kcal
Author: Amanda Mason

Ingredients

  • 1 head of fresh green cabbage
  • 15 pieces of okra, fresh or frozen cut into bite size pieces OR whole - just cut the ends off
  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • cup water

Instructions

  • Place ⅓ cup of water in large pot.
  • Cut the cabbage into bite-size pieces discarding the hearts. Wash thoroughly and place pieces in the pot on top of the water.
  • Add in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Stir well to coat.
  • Turn the burner on medium-high heat and when water starts to get hot (not boiling), turn heat down to medium and place lid on top of the pot.
  • Steam team for about 10-15 minutes, until it is starting to just turn soft.
  • After that 10-15 minutes is up, place the raw okra on top of the cabbage. Let it sit on top without stirring for about 10 more minutes, again with the heat on medium temperature. You want this to steam, not boil.
  • After 10 minutes, stir once and place top back on pot.
  • You will know this dish is done when the liquid is starting to dissolve from the bottom of the pot and the cabbage and okra are soft.

Notes

  • Don't boil it - The key to making cabbage and okra is to steam it.
  • Don't overstir when making this dish. Avoid the temptation of stirring this one too much. If you do, your okra is going to become slimy. Stirring occasionally is key.
  • Cabbage makes water naturally so only add ⅓ cup to this recipe.
  • Whole okra or bite-size pieces - I like to cut my okra into bite-size pieces. My husband likes the entire piece of okra in (with the ends cut off). I often times do both. I cut some fresh okra into bite-size pieces and leave a couple of whole pieces in for him. 

Nutrition

Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 312mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg