This authentic Greek Okra Stew (Bamies Laderes) brings Mediterranean comfort to your table in just one hour. Tender okra and juicy tomatoes simmer together in olive oil, creating a hearty vegetarian dish that’s both nutritious and satisfying.
With 341 calories per serving and packed with 8.4g of fiber, this traditional Greek recipe offers a perfect balance of health and flavor. The slow-cooking method allows the vegetables to release their natural sweetness, resulting in a restaurant-worthy main course that’s surprisingly easy to prepare at home.
Ingredients for Greek Okra Stew
- For the Stew Base: 450g frozen okra, 2 medium potatoes (cubed), 2 spring onions, 1/2 red onion, 1 clove garlic
- Vegetables: 1 carrot (sliced), 400g canned tomatoes
- Liquids: 50ml olive oil, 40g white wine, 100g vegetable stock, 300ml water
- Seasonings: 1 teaspoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped), 2 teaspoons sugar, salt and pepper to taste
- For Serving: Dried oregano, 150g feta cheese
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep Work: Cut potatoes into uniform cubes, slice carrots and spring onions, finely chop red onion and garlic
- Sautéing Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a pot over high heat, add all vegetables and potatoes until they develop a lovely caramelized exterior (3-4 minutes)
- Building Flavors: Add tomato paste and cook for additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant
- Creating the Base: Pour wine to deglaze the pot, let it evaporate completely
- Combining Everything: Add tomatoes, okra, stock, water, sugar, and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper
- Slow Cooking: Cover with lid and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes until everything becomes tender
- Final Touch: Serve hot, topped with crumbled feta cheese and a sprinkle of dried oregano
Cooking Techniques
This okra stew uses a wonderful two-step cooking method that brings out amazing flavors! First, we quickly sauté the veggies until they get slightly brown and sweet – this adds such nice depth to the dish. Then comes the gentle simmering part, where everything bubbles away slowly, letting the okra get tender and all the flavors blend together. Don’t rush the simmering step – those 30 minutes are pure magic for developing rich, homey flavors.
Serving Suggestions
While this stew is super tasty on its own, adding crumbled feta cheese on top makes it extra special! The salty, creamy feta melts slightly into the warm stew – so good! Sprinkle some dried oregano on top for that classic Greek touch. Grab some crusty bread to soak up all the yummy sauce. This stew works great as a main dish for lunch or dinner. For a full Greek-style meal, start with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.
Storage Tips
Like many tomato-based stews, this dish actually tastes even better the next day! Let it cool down completely, then pop it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a tiny splash of water and warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave. The feta cheese is best added fresh just before serving, rather than storing it mixed in with the stew.
Quick Substitutions
No fresh okra? Frozen works just as well in this recipe! If you can’t find spring onions, just use a bit more red onion instead. Any kind of potatoes will work here – both waxy and starchy varieties are fine. Out of white wine? Use a splash of lemon juice or a tablespoon of white wine vinegar for that nice tang. Fresh oregano can stand in for dried, just use a bit more since dried herbs are stronger.
Greek Okra stew recipe with Tomatoes (Bamies Laderes)
Equipment
- pot
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
For the Greek Okra stew (Bamies)
- 450 g okra frozen
- 2 medium potatoes
- 2 spring onions
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 carrot
- 50 ml olive oil
To serve
- 150 g feta cheese
- oregano
Instructions
- To prepare this traditional Greek okra stew recipe, start by preparing the vegetables. First cut the potatoes into cubes. Slice the carrot and spring onions and chop the red onion and garlic.
- Heat a pot over high heat and add in the olive oil and the all of the vegetables and the potatoes. Sauté over high heat until they caramelise and become tender, for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and sauté for 1-2 more minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and deglaze. Wait for the wine to evaporate and then add the tomatoes, the okra, stock, water, sugar, parsley and season. Stir with a wooden spoon and put the lid on. Simmer the okra stew for about 30 minutes at low heat, until tender.
- Serve this Greek okra stew with crumbled feta cheese and a pinch of dried oregano. Enjoy!