Okra Stew with Beef, Onions, and Tomatoes

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This hearty and flavorful okra stew features tender pieces of beef cooked in a rich tomato-and-onion-based broth. It’s an easy recipe that practically cooks itself, and leftovers the next day are even better than the freshly cooked dish.

Okra stew served in a large white stockpot with a white napkin and a serving spoon.

This stew is so good. Tender pieces of meat, onions, and creamy okra are swimming in a rich tomato broth. The spices – paprika and cumin – add depth and warmth. It’s a wonderfully comforting dish and it’s just perfect when it’s cold outside.

Although this is not a quick recipe, it’s very easy to make. You brown the meat and onions, add spices and liquids, then pretty much let it cook for a while. Add the okra and in just a few more minutes, your lovely stew is done!

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Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty stew. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.

Stew meat: You can buy it already cubed, or you can buy a chuck roast and cut it into one-inch pieces.

Chopped onions: You can use frozen chopped onions, but then they will release quite a bit of water into the pan, preventing the meat from browning. It will still be delicious (you can see in the video below that’s how I made it for the video). But if using frozen onions, consider cooking the meat separately, then removing it and adding the onions.

Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work.

To season: Cumin, paprika, cayenne, and – of course – salt and pepper. The amount of cayenne pepper I use doesn’t make the dish very spicy, but if you like spicy food, you can obviously increase the amount you use.

Canned tomato sauce: It greatly enhances the flavor of the stew and also improves its presentation. It gives it such a pretty color.

Beef broth: Homemade or store-bought. I prefer not to use a low-sodium broth. The brand I use, Pacific Foods, has 500 mg sodium per cup.

Fresh okra: Okra is in season in the summer (July through September), but this is the perfect winter recipe… so I often use frozen okra. It works really well in this recipe.

Instructions

Making this rich okra stew is truly easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

You start by cooking the meat and onions in olive oil. The stockpot will be a bit crowded, so if you’d like you can cook them in batches – two batches for the beef, setting it aside, then cook the onions. But I’m a super lazy cook so I just cook them together with excellent results.

Next, you briefly cook the garlic and spices, then add the tomato sauce, beef broth, and salt & pepper. Your work is pretty much done – now just let the stew simmer until the meat is tender – this should take about 45 minutes.

The last step is to add the okra and keep cooking for about 10 more minutes, until the okra is tender.

A photo collage showing the steps for making a beef and okra stew.

Frequently asked questions

How to take the slime out of okra?

Okra is one of my favorite vegetables. I just love the way it tastes.
Okra roasted in olive oil is amazing. It’s almost like a snack, so delicious and crispy. Roasting also helps with the one issue that many people have with okra – its texture. Okra contains a clear goop called mucilage, which many people find quite objectionable.
In this recipe, the mucilage actually works with us cooks, not against us, because it helps to thicken the stew.
In addition, the acidity of the tomatoes gets rid of some of the sliminess. So I think you will find that the okra in this recipe ends up not slimy at all.

How can I thicken the stew?

There are two ways to do that:
1. Cook the stew partially covered to allow some of the liquids to evaporate.
2. Stir in cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water, then stir the slurry into the stew.

How should I serve okra stew?

I usually serve it in bowls with a spoon in addition to a fork and a knife. It’s also good on cauliflower rice or with thick slices of almond flour bread.

Storing leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

Okra stew served in a white saucepan with a serving spoon.

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Recipe card

Okra Stew with Beef, Tomatoes, and Onions

This rich and aromatic okra stew is the perfect winter comfort food! It features okra, tender pieces of beef, onions, and tomatoes.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 360kcal

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large and heavy-bottomed 5-quart stockpot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and onions. Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes.**
Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato sauce, beef broth, and salt and pepper.
Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then cover and turn the heat down to low, keeping the dish at a steady simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes.
Stir in the okra, cover again, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

NOTES

*You can use frozen chopped onions, but then they will release quite a bit of water into the pan, preventing the meat from browning. It will still be delicious (you can see in the video below that’s how I made it for the video). But if using frozen onions, consider cooking the meat separately, then removing it and adding the onions. **The stockpot will be a bit crowded, so if you’d like you can cook in batches – two batches for the beef, setting it aside, then cook the onions. But I’m a super lazy cook so I just cook them together with excellent results. If you’d like a thicker stew, there are two ways to achieve that:
1. Cook the stew partially covered to allow some of the liquids to evaporate.
2. Stir in cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water, then stir the slurry into the stew.

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