Paula Deen Garden Salad with Fried Okra Croutons

Paula Deen garden salad with fried okra croutons is a crisp, colorful salad with baby spinach, bell peppers and buttermilk-battered okra that comes together in 20 minutes. It's an easy Southern comfort food side for potluck, cookout or Sunday dinner, and it's made with a quick balsamic dressing.

Fry the okra at 350°F until it turns golden brown, because that crisp coating is what lets it stand in for croutons. Fry it too cool and the pieces turn greasy and soft, so they wilt the second they touch the greens.

Paula tosses the greens with a lemony balsamic dressing and saves the okra for the very top, so the croutons stay crunchy. Shaking off the extra flour before frying also keeps the coating light, and it keeps the oil from getting cloudy.

Paula Deen Garden Salad with Fried Okra Croutons

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SaladCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

230

kcal

Spinach, iceberg and sliced peppers get a tangy lemon-balsamic dressing, then a pile of hot, crunchy okra on top. Each bite has soft greens, sweet tomatoes and a crisp cornmeal-free flour crust.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  

• 1/2 juiced, plus 1 teaspoon zest lemon
  

• 2 cloves minced garlic
  

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  

• 3 cups cut into 1/2-inch pieces okra
  

• to coat buttermilk
  

• salt
  

• Black pepper
  

• to coat Flour
  

• for frying Vegetable oil
  

• 3 cups baby spinach
  

• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  

• halved cherry tomatoes
  

• 1 sliced red bell pepper
  

• 1 sliced yellow bell pepper
  

• thinly sliced vidalia onion
  

Directions

• Make the dressing: Combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, the juice of 1/2 lemon and 2 minced garlic cloves in a small bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup olive oil until it emulsifies, then season with salt and pepper.
• Coat the okra: Put 3 cups of 1/2-inch okra pieces in a medium bowl and drizzle in just enough buttermilk to coat them. Toss, then season with salt and pepper.
• Dredge in flour: Add flour to a separate bowl, then drain the okra and drop it in. Toss until each piece is coated, and shake off any extra flour.
• Fry the okra: Heat vegetable oil to 350°F and fry the okra for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Move it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
• Build the salad: Combine 3 cups baby spinach, 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, 1 sliced red bell pepper, 1 sliced yellow bell pepper and thinly sliced Vidalia onion in a large bowl. Then toss it with the balsamic dressing and top with the fried okra croutons.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, OXO stainless slotted spoon, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make the fried okra croutons ahead of time?

They're best within an hour of frying, because the coating softens as it sits. If you need to get ahead, fry them earlier in the day and crisp them back up in a 400°F oven for about 5 minutes.

Can I use frozen okra for the croutons?

Frozen okra works in a pinch, but thaw it fully and pat it very dry first. Extra moisture keeps the flour from sticking and makes the oil spatter.

How long does the balsamic dressing keep?

Store it in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. The olive oil may firm up when it's cold, so let it sit out for a few minutes and shake it well before using.

What can I use if I don't have a Vidalia onion?

Any sweet onion works, and thinly sliced red onion is a good stand-in too. Soak red onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the bite.

Why did my okra croutons turn out soggy?

The oil was probably too cool, or the okra went in with too much buttermilk. Drain it well before dredging, keep the oil at 350°F, and fry in small batches so the temperature doesn't drop.