This traditional Greek Okra Stew Recipe (Bamies Latheres) is comprised of okra, potatoes, carrots and onions stewed in an aromatic, herby tomato sauce. This delicious dish is healthy, naturally vegan, and gluten free too.
Okra is one of those vegetables that you either love or hate. If made the right way though, I am convinced that even an okra hater will change their opinion. This Greek Okra Stew Recipe is one of those recipes that, for me, is absolute perfection. Okra is one of my favorite vegetables, so I am definitely biased but even my okra-hating husband has come around to eating a few forkfuls.
Bamies latheres (sometimes spelled Bamies laderes) is a traditional vegan Greek okra stew recipe that is made in an herb-rich tomato sauce. This stewed okra recipe is packed with healthy ingredients, meaning its also packed with health benefits. It’s also low in calories!
You can make this heart-warming Greek stew with or without potatoes. I prefer to make it with potatoes as a vegetarian main dish, though you could certainly serve it as a side dish as well. It is naturally vegan but if you are not specifically looking for a vegan or nistisimo dish, I highly recommend serving this with a big hunk of feta cheese!
As with most Greek recipes, this Greek Okra Stew Recipe is comprised of simple ingredients that are fresh and easy to find. The dish isn’t fussy at all and can be completed in just 30 minutes. How’s that for a quick, healthy dinner?
If you are looking for more plant-based dishes with a Greek twist, be sure to also check out Spanakorizo Recipe (Greek Spinach and Rice), Horta Vrasta (Greek Boiled Leafy Greens), and Fasolakia (Greek Green Beans) which are just some of my favorites.
Ingredients in this Greek Okra Stew Recipe (Bamies Latheres)
- Olive oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Veggies: chopped onion, carrots, and of course, whole okra. I use frozen okra as it is more easy to find and have on hand but you can also use fresh okra if you prefer. I recommend using whole baby okra, versus any cut okra to reduce the slime factor that can result from cooking okra. Frozen okra also helps cut down on the sliminess as it doesn’t overcook in this time frame.
- Potatoes: I use Yukon gold potatoes in most of my cooking but you can also substitute other varieties.
- Tomato sauce: I use a light, homemade tomato sauce. You can opt for a light store-bought sauce as well or simply replace with tomato paste. To substitute tomato paste, use 1 tablespoon paste plus 1 cup of water.
- Fresh herbs: fresh dill, fresh parsley, and fresh mint are used in this recipe. I use about 2 tablespoons of each but you can omit one if you don’t have it on hand and replace it with more of another herb. There are so many herb options to use, you can really customize this to your own liking. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use dried herbs. As a general rule, use 1/3 of the amount of dried herbs when replacing fresh ones since they are more potent.
- Seasoning: salt and black pepper to taste.
Note: Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Greek Okra Stew (Bamies Latheres)
1. Prep the vegetables: Chop the onion, carrots and potatoes. The carrots and potatoes should be in small bite-sized pieces.
2. Saute the vegetables: To a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and potatoes. Saute them for 3-4 minutes, until the onions turn translucent.
3. Add the remaining ingredients: To the large pot, add the tomato sauce, okra, water, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
4. Cook: Bring the stew to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. If needed, add a little water as it cooks if it has absorbed the liquid.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning: Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve.
How to store leftovers
Leftover stew can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge once its cooled to room temperature. It will last a few days stored this way.
What to serve with Bamies Latheres (Greek Okra Stew)
I highly recommend enjoying a huge portion of this stew with a thick slice of crusty white bread or pita bread to soak up that delicious sauce. My Yogurt Flatbread is a great last minute option if you don’t have pita on hand! I also highly recommend a big hunk of feta cheese. The salty cheese compliments the stew so well.
I often enjoy this as a vegetarian main dish but you can also serve this as a side dish alongside your protein of choice.
I hope you enjoy this easy recipe as much as I do! There is nothing better than a lovely bowl of Greek okra stew to warm you up and nourish you!
Kali orexi!
-Cathy
Are you a fan of Greek cuisine? Be sure to check out these other popular Greek meals:
Fasolada (Greek White Bean Soup) Recipe
Spanakorizo Recipe (Greek Spinach and Rice)
Soutzoukakia Me Patates
Gemista (Greek Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes)
Greek Okra Stew Recipe (Bamies Latheres)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 340 grams okra frozen, (20 oz)
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons dill chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons mint chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables by chopping the onion, carrots and potatoes. The carrots and potatoes should be in small bite-sized pieces.
- To a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and potatoes. Saute them for 3-4 minutes, until the onions turn translucent.
- To the large pot, add the tomato sauce, okra, water, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
- Bring the stew to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. If needed, add more water as it cooks.
- Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
