Fried Green Tomatoes
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In this fried green tomatoes recipe, unripe tomatoes are coated with a seasoned cornmeal breading and pan-fried until crispy. These super crunchy tomato slices are addictive and can be enjoyed as a snack, side dish, or sandwich topping.
Late summer storms and early frost can wreak havoc on a vegetable garden. We had a line of thunderstorms rip through our area that knocked off a bunch of unripe tomatoes from the vines. This fried green tomatoes recipe is a great way to make use of unripened tomatoes.
I had never heard of fried green tomatoes until the movie came out in 1990’s. It just wasn’t a typical thing here in New England. Green tomatoes harvested at the end of the season were usually turned into jarred green tomato relish, called piccalilli.
Now I love to fry up a batch of these fried green tomatoes every now and then. These super crunchy tomato slices are addictive. Enjoy layered on a burger or sandwich, as a side dish, or snack dipped into your favorite dipping sauce. Here are a few sauces to mix up quickly:
- Garlic Aioli Sauce: Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 cloves grated garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Sriracha Mayonnaise: Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce. 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 clove grated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Comeback Sauce: 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chili sauce, 1 clove grated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried green tomatoes made using unripe red tomatoes. Instead of deep-frying the tomatoes in lots of oil, we are going to shallow fry them in a skillet with just enough oil to make them crunchy.
A full printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but here are the basic steps for making fried green tomatoes.
Step 1: Selecting Green Tomatoes for Frying
Green tomatoes are firm, have very little moisture, and hold up well being breaded and fried. The key to this recipe is to use unripe tomatoes that are just about ready to change color.
A sure indication that your tomato is likely to to turn red soon is it lightens in color from green to a gray-green to yellow. This is the perfect time to pick green tomatoes for fried green tomatoes.
I’ve used smaller immature tomatoes from broken branches, but the flavor is really sour. Since tomatoes ripen from the inside out, full-sized green tomatoes sweeten slightly to help balance the tart flavor.
Step 2: Prepare the Tomatoes
Rinse the tomatoes well under cool running water and air dry. Cut into 1/4-inch slices. The breading won’t stick to the smooth ends, so you can compost these.
Blot the excess moisture from the tomato slices with clean kitchen towels and let sit while you prepare the breading.
Step 3: Prepare the Breading
You will need three medium bowls for the breading process:
- Bowl 1: Add the flour, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Mix well.
- Bowl 2: Crack the egg into a medium bowl, add milk, and scramble lightly to combine.
- Bowl 3: Combine the cornmeal, panko breadcrumbs, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
Step 4: Bread the tomatoes
Drop each tomato slice into the flour bowl and coat completely with flour.
Lift the tomato from the flour, shake off extra flour, and drop into the egg mixture. Flip to coat entirely.
Remove the tomato, let the extra egg drip off, and then drop it into the cornmeal mixture and coat completely.
Remove the breaded tomato slices and place it on a plate. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices.
Step 5: Fry the green tomatoes
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Place the breaded tomatoes into the frying pan in a single layer without touching. Fry until brown, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and fry the other side. Drain on paper towels and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
Baked Fried Green Tomatoes Variation:
Frying adds a delicious crispy and crunchy texture, but you can bake green tomato slices instead of frying and use less oil.
Place the breaded green tomatoes on two large baking sheets coated well with olive oil non-stick spray or line with parchment paper. Spray the tomatoes with olive oil spray to encourage browning, and bake in a preheated 400˚F oven for about 15 minutes. Flip halfway through to brown on both sides.
Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes Variation:
Air fryers are an amazing way to enjoy crunchy-coated foods with less oil than frying. Preheat the air fryer to 400˚F for 5 minutes. Spray the tomato slices lightly with olive oil spray. Place the breaded tomato slices in a single layer, sprayed side down on the air fryer basket. Spray the tops, and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes. Flip halfway through to cook evenly.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large green tomatoes
Bowl 1: Flour Coating
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Bowl 2: Egg Coating
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
Bowl 3: Crumb Coating
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or your favorite oil for frying
Instructions
Prep the ingredients:
- Rinse the tomatoes and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Discard the ends.
- Place the tomato slices in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel, cover with another towel, and press gently to blot excess moisture. Let sit while you prepare the breading.
- Bowl 1: Add the flour, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Mix well.
- Bowl 2: Crack the egg into a medium bowl, add milk, and scramble lightly to combine.
- Bowl 3: Combine the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
Bread the tomatoes:
- Drop each tomato slice into the flour bowl and coat completely with flour.
- Lift the tomato from the flour, shake off extra flour, and drop into the egg mixture. Flip to coat entirely.
- Remove the tomato, let the extra egg drip off, and then drop it into the cornmeal mixture and coat completely.
- Remove the breaded tomato slices and place it on a plate. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices.
Fry the green tomatoes:
- Heat about 1/4 inch of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss a bit of the cornmeal breading into the oil to test the heat. If it sizzles, the oil is ready.
- Place the breaded tomatoes into the frying pan in a single layer without touching. Fry until brown, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and fry the other side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Repeat with the remaining breaded slices. Add more oil if needed and give it time to heat up in between batches.
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
• Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes Variation: Preheat the air fryer to 400˚F for 5 minutes. Spray the tomato slices lightly with olive oil spray. Place the breaded tomato slices in a single layer, sprayed side down on the air fryer basket. Spray the tops, and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes. Flip halfway through to cook evenly. Here are a few dipping sauces that mix up quickly:
- Garlic Aioli Sauce: Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 cloves grated garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Sriracha Mayonnaise: Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce. 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 clove grated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Comeback Sauce: 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chili sauce, 1 clove grated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
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