When the late summer hits, it’s okra time! I try to get my hands on it at the market, but it often sells out fast. Other times, I score! And when I do, I feel so lucky, because it means a delicious dish is on it’s way. And this easy vegan slow cooker okra, sweet corn and tomato stew recipe with either tempeh or seitan is no exception. It’s loaded with Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, fire roasted tomatoes, jalapeño and more. It’s great served alone, but even better over grits or brown rice.
This recipe makes ~6 servings.
A few things…
- ・I use an old school crock pot. It does not allow me to sauté right in it, so I have to use a separate pot to sauté in. My directions reflect this necessity, but if you have a machine with more functionality, use it!
- ・No fresh okra? No worries. Use 1 lb bag of frozen cut okra.
- ・No fire roasted tomatoes? They add something to the flavor of the vegan okra stew, but you can also use a 28 ounce can of petite dice tomatoes. Just adjust the flavor with a little more smoked paprika to bring the smoke, if needed.
- ・I used Spice Hunter Salt Free Cajun Creole Seasoning, but you can also make your own from scratch.
- ・While testing this recipe, I tried tempeh and seitan. Both tasted great. If you’re planning to use tempeh, make sure to blanch it first to remove any bitterness. To blanch, bring water to a boil, add the tempeh and boil it for 3 minutes. Remove the tempeh, let it cool, and slice it however you want (I did triangles).
Please enjoy this vegan slow cooker okra, corn and tomato stew! And don’t miss out on other UVK recipes, like Okra Soup, Grilled Okra with Curry Spices, Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas, Okra and Tomatoes, Cajun Black-Eyed Pea Soup, Slow Cooker Cajun Kidney Beans and Rice and more.
Vegan Slow Cooker Okra, Sweet Corn and Tomato Stew
1 medium onion, small dice (OR ~2 cups small dice onion)
1 Tbsp vegan butter (OR coconut oil)
8 ounce tempeh cake, blanched and chopped (OR 2 cups seitan chunks – use store bought or make your own) – (see notes above)
5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp salt free cajun seasoning (see notes above)
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
Black pepper, to taste
1 jalapeño, seeds and inner membrane removed, finely chopped
28 ounce can of fire roasted petite diced tomatoes (see note above)
1½ fake chicken bouillon cubes (OR 1 Tbsp red miso)
1 lb fresh or frozen cut okra
10 ounce frozen sweet corn (OR ~1¾ cup fresh sweet corn)
⅓ cup water
1. First, you’ll sauté the onions for the vegan slow cooker okra, corn and tomato stew. In a large pot, add the onion, a dash of salt and the vegan butter. Sauté over medium heat for ~7 minutes or until the onion is soft and golden.
2. Add the tempeh (or seitan), garlic, cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper (to taste), and the jalapeño. Sauté over medium low heat for ~5 minutes or until the tempeh (or seitan) is lightly browned. If it starts to stick, add a little more vegan butter.
3. Add the tomatoes and bouillon. Scrape the caramelized bits off the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the contents of the pot to your slow cooker. Add the okra, corn and water. Stir together. Secure the lid. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed (more salt? cajun seasoning?). Serve the vegan slow cooker okra, corn and tomato stew over brown rice or grits.
