📍 Where this dish comes from: Meteora, Thessaly · Meteora monasteries
Discover the history of this region →
Discover the history of this region →
This is a dish of pure Greek summer — tender pieces of lamb braised with fresh okra in a tomato sauce fragrant with olive oil and a whisper of cinnamon. Okra is one of the most underrated vegetables in the keto world: it thickens the sauce naturally, provides extraordinary nutrition, and becomes silky and tender in the braise. Together with lamb, it is magic.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 445kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in lamb neck or shoulder
- 1 lb fresh okra caps trimmed (do not cut into pods)
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Salt pepper, red wine vinegar
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Spread okra in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toss with a little oil, vinegar, and salt. Roast at 400F (200C) for 15 minutes — this pre-cooking step prevents them from becoming slimy.
- Brown lamb in olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Remove.
- Saute onion until soft. Add garlic, cinnamon. Deglaze with wine. Add tomatoes.
- Return lamb, cover and simmer 1.5 hours on low. Add pre-roasted okra in the last 20 minutes.
- Simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens and okra is tender. Scatter parsley and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 445kcal | Protein: 36g | Fat: 28g | Fiber: 4g
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Health Benefits
- Okra is an extraordinary vegetable source of mucilaginous fiber that binds to cholesterol and sugar in the gut before absorption, lowering both blood lipids and blood glucose spikes.
- It is also rich in magnesium, which over 60% of people are deficient in.
- Lamb provides complete protein and vitamin D.
Pairs Well With
- Tomato-Cucumber Salad with Herb Oil
- Horta Vrasta — Greek Wild Greens