Okra in a salad is a thing. Okra and collard greens in a salad together are a really green and delicious thing. This dish works as a side dish, but pairs well with flank steak for a main entree.
It's pretty much a given that for any major holiday, collard greens in some form are going to be on our menu. The reality is we have collards at least once a week whether it's a salad, condiment, or your typical Southern style collard greens.
A few local area farmers are still harvesting okra. As long as they have them, I'm buying them. Every week I feel like it's the last week so I buy way more than I need with the confidence I'll figure out creative okra recipes to enjoy them. One of these recipes is this collard greens and okra salad.
I figured I'd embrace green and just make a big green ass salad with crazy amounts of flavor. So in addition to the collards and okra, I added cucumbers, baby lima beans, pickled celery, and padron peppers. The pickled celery is so good, you'll want to make enough to keep on hand.
The best thing about these is they actually make celery edible. Ah yeah, I've never had celery that taste halfway good, let alone something I craved. I do not count drowning celery in ranch or blue cheese dressing as edible celery. The difference maker is the Thai influenced pickling brine which consists of coconut water and lemongrass.
Okra can be soft, almost mushy at times, so I wanted some crunch to this dish. The smashed cucumbers and pickled celery both add just the right amount. The lima beans add some heft, as well as good fiber and protein sources. Padron peppers are actually mild so no need to fear any real heat though the vinaigrette has a little zing to it.
The salad ingredients are actually brought together with an Asian vinaigrette I typically use for naked fried chicken. The recipe speaks to the versatility of the dressing. Unlike most vinaigrettes which include a higher ratio of oil to vinegar, this version has a higher amount of vinegar. The extra acidity is perfect for cooking the many raw ingredients including the bitter collard greens. The sweetness and acid breaks down the greens and gets rid of all that bitterness.
How do you get rid of the okra slime?
Any discourse on okra will eventually lead to slime concerns. What's good for gumbo ain't good for other okra recipes. A few things to consider in avoiding the slime factor:
- The smaller the pod, the less slime you'll get
- Wash and dry okra very thoroughly. Drying is key!
- Generally speaking, cook okra at high heat levels using methods like roasting, searing, frying, or grilling. For this recipe blanching works well.
- Cook okra in small batches. Overcrowded pans bring temps down which leads to steam which leads to slime
- Add okra at the very end when you're ready to eat the dish as this will minimize contact with moisture. The acid in the vinaigrette is actually good for slime mitigation.
Do other greens work in this recipe?
Yes, though this is a collard greens recipe the freedom is yours to flip the switch. There are many varieties that make good substitutes, particularly the tougher ones like black kale, chard, or other kale varieties. They stand up well to the vinaigrette relative to dainty greens like spinach.
MORE RECIPES
Collard Greens Based
- Brisket Collard Greens
- Southern Style Greens w/ Turkey
- Collards and Cabbage Pozole Soup
- Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
- Instant Pot Collard Greens with Smoked Brisket
- Curried Collards
- Blackeyed Peas and Collards
- Brazilian Collards
Okra Based Recipes
Or if you're looking for a comprehensive take on different okra recipes read my post on "How To Cook Okra."
- Okra Fried Rice
- Okra and Tomatoes with Sofrito
- Grilled Okra
- Okra Soup
- Crispy Roasted Okra
- Charred Okra w/ Harissa Sauce
- Southern Fried Okra
- Stewed Okra
- 5 Ingredient Blistered Okra
- Callaloo
Collard Greens and Okra Salad
If you make this collard greens recipe, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.
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For another cool collard greens recipe try these Brisket Collard Greens, Southern Style Greens w/ Turkey, or Collards and Cabbage Pozole Soup.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 12-15 Whole Okra pods
- 1 bunch Collard Greens cut into strips
- Frozen Baby Lima beans or edamame thawed
- Cucumbers halved lengthwise then cut into quarters
- Pickled celery optional
- Padron peppers optional
- 1 teaspoon Sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon Asian Vinaigrette
Spicy Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 2 tbsp garlic finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 tbsp red bell pepper diced
- 1 tsp dried herbs thyme, oregano, or basil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers or fresh Thai chiles
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ¼ tbsp paprika
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup Tamari Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pickled Celery
- ½ cup celery thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- ¼ cup coconut water
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ stalk lemongrass cut into pieces and lightly smashed
Instructions
Make The Salad
- Tightly roll Collard leaves into cigars and then cut into strips. Wash and drain.
- Using flat side of chef knife smash the cucumbers by gently pressing down on them with your palm.
- Blanch the okra pods by boiling for 3-4 minutes and then adding them to a pot of ice cold water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking. Slice each pod in half lengthwise.
- Assemble the salad adding okra, collards, beans, and cucumbers in a bowl and mix well.
- Toss with vinaigrette and then top with celery, peppers, and sesame seeds.
Make the Vinaigrette
- Mix all vinaigrette ingredients and a mixing bowl and set aside until ready to use.
Pickled Celery Instruction
- Blanch celery by boiling in a pan of water then removing from heat and allowing to stand in iced bowl of water. Place celery in a mason jar with lid
- Bring remaining ingredients to a gentle simmer long enough to dissolve the sugar and salt
- Remove from heat and add to jar of celery. Allow to cool, preferably over night in the refrigerator, but at least 30 minutes.
Notes
- Collard Greens can be substituted with chard or kale Skirt steak can be added for a more main dish option
- The smaller the pod, the less slime you'll get
- Wash and dry okra very thoroughly. Drying is key!
- Generally speaking, cook okra at high heat levels using methods like roasting, searing, frying, or grilling. For this recipe blanching works well.
- Cook okra in small batches. Overcrowded pans bring temps down which leads to steam which leads to slime
- Add okra at the very end when you're ready to eat the dish as this will minimize contact with moisture. The acid in the vinaigrette is actually good for slime mitigation.