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    Home » Recipes

    Mediterranean Baked Okra

    Published: Aug 20, 2019 by Sonila · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

    • 103
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    I have to admit that okra was not one of my favorite vegetables while growing up. However, I also grew up in a culture that fed children whatever the adults were eating. No special meals, no food replacements. Everyone ate the same thing. So I had not choice but to learn to eat it. As I got older, I started liking several dishes made with okra. My favorite is this Mediterranean Baked Okra or Tave Me Bamje (how we called it in Albania).

    Jump to Recipe
    Baking dish just out of the oven with Mediterranean Baked Okra (Tave me Bamje) served with Greek Salad.
    Mediterranean Baked Okra Served with Greek Salad

    Some links in my posts may be affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you purchase items by clicking on these links. I will always disclose when a product in a post has been gifted by a company as well as when a post or product is sponsored.

    What Is Okra?

    Okra is a green summer vegetable used in many countries around the world for its health benefits and unique characteristics. Okra is also called gumbo or ladies’ fingers, in my native country of Albania okra is called ‘bamje’. Other words for Okra in other languages are ‘bamia’, ‘bamya’, ‘gombo’, ‘el quingombo’ etc

    In most Mediterranean countries okra is served as a stew with beef or lamb. Usually the stew uses cut okra and lots of tomatoes. The cut okra will release a viscous, slightly sticky liquid that makes the stew thicker and it gives it a typical taste.

    Okra is known for its many health benefits: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial etc. It’s also talked about to help with heart health because of it’s iron, fiber and vitamin K levels.

    Okra Casserole with ground beef, tomatoes, parsley, onions, green pepper etc.
    Okra Casserole

    How To Buy The Right Size Okra?

    If you have ever visited any Mediterranean, Balkan or Middle Eastern countries who use okra in their cuisines, you most probably have noticed that okras there are a lot smaller. I was suprised when I first moved to US how big the okras, eggplants, peppers and most vegetables were. I mean my whole concept of stuffed vegetables or casseroles took a little bit of adjusting until I found the right farmers’ markets or stores that sold a little bit more decent size vegetables. Big size okras taste dry and will take forever to cook. You want to pick the okras as small as possible.

    Pick the smaller okras, always!
    Different Okra Size

    How to Cut Okra?

    This Mediterranean Baked Okra is slightly different from the usual stews in that that it tries to preserve the okra intact so it doesn’t release much of the gooey liquid. You still have to clean the top of the vegetable without exposing the seeds. So you have to cut around it in a conic shape until you are done. Then you place the okra in a bowl of water with a little bit of vinegar to help smooth the outer fuzz.

    How to cut okra? Cut the top in a conic shape without exposing the inner seeds.
    How to cut Okras for the Mediterranean Baked Okra dish?

    Mediterranean Baked Okra Recipe Notes

    Here are several notes about this recipe that might help you cook okra this way. I promise you, you won’t regret it.

    • Once you clean and wash the okra, place it in a bowl of water with a splash of vinegar. It helps smooth the fuzz in the okra’s surface. Some people don’t like it, but if cooked well you won’t feel it.
    • This version of baked okra needs to have less of the slimy okra juice. So try to cut the okra as described above so it doesn’t release that liquid.
    • In my family we cook this dish either with ground beef or beef chunks. You can also make it vegetarian. In that case, omit the meat and add more olive oil to the recipe below.
    • If you are going to use beef chunks, try to brown them well before you start adding the rest of the ingredients. Other than that, follow the same steps as below.
    • Alternatives to below steps:
      • You can bake the okra with some olive oil while you do steps 2-6. Then you can pour the mix over okra and keep baking until ready.
      • You can fry the okra separately, then add in step 7 and bake. This method takes less than 45 minutes to bake. Keep in mind that in this case okra will absorb a lot more oil so it will provide a more calorific meal, but it is also excellent in taste.
    Mediterranean Baked Okra (Albanian Tave me Bamje)

    Mediterranean Okra Bake

    Sonila
    This Mediterranean Okra Bake is an excellent summer, dinner casserole. Explore the taste of the Mediterranean and Balkans with this Okra Bake recipe:). Serve with Greek Salad, rice or side dishes of your choice.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Albanian, Balkan, Mediterranean
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 353 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb ground beed or beef chunks (stew type)
    • 1.5 lbs okra you can add up to 2 lbs
    • 2 medium size onions
    • 4 tomatoes
    • 1 tbsp tomato sauce
    • 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 bell pepper (optional)
    • 1 tsp salt more to taste if needed
    • 0.5 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp oregano
    • 4 tbsp olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Wash and cut the okra as described in the post. Put in a bowl of water. Add a splash of white vinegar to water if the fuzz of the okra bothers you.
      How to cut Okra?
    • Chop the onions and tomatoes in small cubes. Mince the garlic.
    • Saute chopped onions in medium to high heat while stirring and mixing with a wooden spoon. Add the meat once onion is translucent.
    • Depending what meat you're using, use your judgement in cooking time but stir often, mix it well so onions don't burn but you want to get it to where meat is browned.
    • Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped parsley and mix well until tomatoes start to cook with the meat. Lower heat to medium.
    • Then add salt, pepper and chopped green pepper. Turn oven on at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
      Ground beef cooked with vegetables for the Okra Bake
    • Lastly add okra which have absorbed water from the bowl they were in. Place them carefully in the pot but don't stir vigorously at this point because you want the okra to keep their shape. Let cook for a few minutes. Check how thick or watery the mix is. This depends on the type of tomatoes your used and how much water the okras absorbed. Usually I have to add anywhere from 0.5 – 2 cups and since the quantity varies so much I want you to know how to decide what's needed. You want it to be like a thick stew but not as watery as a light soup.
      Adding Okras to the beef and vegetables mix.
    • Pour the okra mix into a baking dish. Bake it for about 45 minutes in the middle rack. If you like the okra to be a bit crispy on the surface, add broiling for 5 minutes at the end.

    Video

    Nutrition Label

    Nutrition Facts
    Mediterranean Okra Bake
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 353 Calories from Fat 225
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 25g38%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 14g
    Cholesterol 54mg18%
    Sodium 471mg20%
    Potassium 899mg26%
    Carbohydrates 18g6%
    Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 17g34%
    Vitamin A 2387IU48%
    Vitamin C 69mg84%
    Calcium 148mg15%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 17gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 471mgPotassium: 899mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2387IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 148mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword Albanian Food, Balkan Cuisine, Bamje, Bamya, Mediterranean Casserole, Okra Bake, Okra Casserole, Tave me Bamje
    Tried this recipe?Mention @mediterranean_latin_love or tag #mediterraneanlatinloveaffair!

    If you would like to save this recipe for later, please save this image to Pinterest. Thank you:)

    A delicious Mediterranean Okra Casserole - Albanian Tave me Bamje
    Mediterranean Okra Casserole

    Check out this other Okra recipe from Jas, one of my favorite food bloggers: Mediterranean Okra Stew.

    Other Mediterranean Casseroles

    • Tave me Presh (Mediterranean Leek Casserole)
    • Albanian Stuffed Peppers
    • Tave Kosi (Yogurt, Lamb Bake)

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    • 103

    Filed Under: Albanian, Main Dishes, Mediterranean Food, Recipes

    About Sonila

    Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Radtech

      June 04, 2021 at 8:32 pm

      5 stars
      Going to try this for sure! I grew up in the south, North Carolina, so i have eaten tons of okra. I like the Mediterranean aspect of this recipe

      Reply
      • Sonila

        June 06, 2021 at 10:19 am

        Thank you:), hope you like the recipe!! Feel free to add more seasonings, even spice to it. In the Mediterranean we use more fresh herbs but since I live in Florida I know most people here like the food well condimented. Thank you for your comment and reading the post!

        Reply
    2. Andrea Minski

      October 08, 2019 at 8:16 pm

      Mediterranean baked okra + greek salad = happiness

      Reply
    3. Silvia

      October 08, 2019 at 1:05 pm

      5 stars
      Okra is such a beautiful veggie. This Mediterranean baked okra is divine!

      Reply
      • Sonila

        October 08, 2019 at 5:30 pm

        Thank you Silvia, I appreciate it!!

        Reply
    4. Erika

      October 08, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      I have never tried okra but this recipe looks so tasty now I have an excuse to try it. Thanks

      Reply
      • Sonila

        October 08, 2019 at 5:30 pm

        It’s a rare vegetable but I thought if i share this recipe than maybe more people will try it, even if it is in a restaurant cooked differently.

        Reply
    5. Enriqueta E Lemoine

      October 08, 2019 at 12:07 pm

      5 stars
      I only had okra one time. It was in Barbados. I haven’t cooked it. But know that I have your Mediterranean Baked Okra, I’m going to five it a try!

      Reply
      • Sonila

        October 08, 2019 at 5:28 pm

        Thank you Enriqueta:). I know you like Mediterranean food so you’ll like this. Some people have an issue with the outside texture of this vegetable, warning just in case:)). Also there’s a way to fry them or pickle them so there’s a lot of variety on okra, just not a lot of people use it.

        Reply
    6. Blanca D

      October 08, 2019 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      Can you believe I had never tried okra before? but I think I’ll start soon because it looks good! they look like serrano or jalapeno peppers though.

      Reply
      • Sonila

        October 08, 2019 at 5:31 pm

        They taste diffently from peppers and I have to admit that they are an acquired taste. I wasn’t happy to eat them when I was little, but then as I grew up I learned to eat okra and now I love them so go figure lol. Hope you get to try them:)

        Reply
    7. Lusine

      August 22, 2019 at 1:46 am

      Had no idea you had an Albanian origin. Like this recipe, thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Sonila

        August 22, 2019 at 5:40 am

        Thank you:). Yes I grew up in Albania and that’s what inspires several of my Mediterranean recipes.

        Reply
      • Aracelis

        October 08, 2019 at 12:20 pm

        5 stars
        This Mediterranean baked okra looks delicious! I like this recipe.

        Reply
        • Sonila

          October 08, 2019 at 5:29 pm

          Thank you Aracelis:)

          Reply

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    Sonila Zarate
    Sonila Zarate

    Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami.

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