Fried Okra Is the Secret to This Vegan Greek Stew

This vegan Greek Okra Stew recipe (called bamia) goes back generations in my family; I remember my Greek-Cypriot grandma (yiayia) making it for me when I used to go to her house for dinner on Saturday nights.

Bamia is a heart-warming Greek stew made up of velvety okra (also known as ladies’ fingers) in a rich tomato sauce.

With my yiayia being a traditional Greek woman, she used to serve up a huge portion of this stew (enough to feed a small village!) along with some bulgur wheat or roast potatoes, a big dollop of thick Greek yogurt, and a thick slice of crusty white bread to mop up all the sauce!

Now that I have transitioned to veganism, it is admittedly hard to eat all the same meals as my family; many Greek meals tend to be based on dairy and/or meat.

This Greek Okra Stew recipe is one of the few plant-based dishes that require no major vegan substitutions (apart from the Greek yogurt to serve, I use Alpro’s Dairy-free coconut yogurt instead).

Even over 15 years later, I still get so excited to visit my yiayia where all the family meets to catch up over a lovely bowl of Greek okra stew.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:193]More Warming Vegan Recipes
If you’re after another soothing, warm recipe like this Greek stew, you could try this fish-free soup with mushrooms and tofu. Inspired by Norweigan fish soup, this vegan recipe “hits all the right notes of smoky, fishy, and chowdery,” says recipe creator Jenny Marie.

Another creamy soup option is this recipe for dairy-free, cheesy broccoli soup by Remy Park. “The main flavour is a savoury cheesy flavour brought to you by our friend, nutritional yeast, which actually packs a protein punch too,” says Park. “The cashews add the creaminess, and miso adds a little umami plus some probiotics for gut health.”

Other warming soup recipes include this Spanish Ajo Blanco recipe by Ombri Sibul, this creamy leek and potato spring soup recipe by the Flexitarian, and this potato corn chowder by Brigitte Dix.

This recipe was republished with permission from Basil & Vogue.