Golden brown cornmeal crust, firm yet tender center, Fried Green Tomatoes are a wonderful appetizer with incredible flavor and crunch.
This classic Southern dish is a summer staple as iconic as sweet tea, porch swings and fireflies. Serve these with a glass of Frozen Lemonade and a slice of Mock Pecan Pie.
Busting with vibrant tangy flavor, once you try these fried green tomato slices, you’ll wonder why you’ve never had them before.
Are green tomatoes just unripe red tomatoes?
Yes, they are. Green tomatoes are firmer and less juicy allowing them to hold up to being battered and fried. Green tomatoes are also slightly tangier than a ripened red tomato.
Unripe tomatoes tend to be in abundance early in the growing season and then again towards the end season as the weather begins to cool.
Tangy green tomatoes ripen quickly, so if you don’t grown your own tomatoes and are buying them at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, don’t buy them more than one day in advance.
Recipe Ingredients
- Self-rising flour — provides a light coating but all-purpose flour will work too.
- Cornmeal — we used yellow but white is fine.
- Batter — buttermilk and well-beaten eggs.
- Seasonings — black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Green tomatoes – the star of the show, use your favorite varietal. We love beefsteak and heirloom tomatoes.
- Peanut oil — high smoke point for frying with a neutral taste. Canola oil or vegetable oil are good substitutes.
- Ranch dressing — for dipping the fried green tomatoes into, but it’s optional.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One — Add 1 tablespoon of flour, the buttermilk, and seasonings to a medium shallow bowl.
Step Two – Add the well-beaten eggs to the seasoned buttermilk mixture.
Step Three – Stir together until well combined and smooth.
Step Four – Add the remaining flour and cornmeal to a separate medium shallow bowl.
Step Five – Stir the dry goods together until evenly blended.
Step Six – Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices discarding the stem. Using paper towels, pat dry any released juices.
Step Seven – Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet (or a heavy bottom frying pan) over medium heat to 350°F while battering the tomatoes. Dredge tomato slices into the seasoned buttermilk mixture, thoroughly coating the slice.
Step Eight – Coat the dredged tomato slice into the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess coating.
Step Nine – Place the breaded tomato slice into the hot skillet and fry for about 2 1/2 minutes per side or to your desired crispiness. Place on a paper town lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack in a single layer to prevent them from becoming soggy. Repeat with remaining tomato slices.
How to serve fried green tomatoes
Ranch is a classic choice for dipping most fried foods and these crispy crust fried tomatoes are no exception. However, there’s other great dipping sauce options too.
- Remoulade sauce — a French dip that’s a close cousin to tartar sauce. This is the classic choice.
- Garlic aioli — a garlicky mayonnaise type sauce.
- Flavored ranch — jalapeño ranch, sriracha ranch, or hot sauce ranch.
- Comeback sauce — a Southern sauce of mayo, ketchup, chili sauce, and other spices. A slightly spicier thousand island style dip.
- Hot sauce — skip the creamy dips altogether and shake a few drops of your favorite hot sauce on your fried green tomato.
Recipes FAQs
Yes you can. Buttermilk helps bring out the natural tang in unripe tomatoes. Also, you can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for every cup of needed buttermilk to milk. In the measuring cup, add the vinegar and then fill to the one cup line with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes and you’ll have buttermilk.
Technically, yes. Should you? No. Fully ripe red tomatoes are soft and juicy. The coating will not adhere causing them to fall apart when trying to fry.
Cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, smoked and/or hot paprika instead of sweet, cajun seasoning blend, or creole seasoning blend. Add your favorite dried herbs to dry mixture. Or even some parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning blend.
Yes. After coating your tomatoes, place them individually on a plate in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer them to an airtight container or zip-seal bag. When ready to cook them, simply take them from the freezer to the hot oil, thawing isn’t necessary. Additionally, you can slice and freeze green tomatoes as well without coating.
To be perfectly honest, they don’t hold up well to reheating. Fried green tomatoes generally should be eaten immediately otherwise they get soggy, but if you do want to reheat them, place them on a baking sheet with wire rack in a 350°F oven for a few minutes. Additionally, you could do a quick refry.
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Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour divided (can you all purpose, though self rising makes a lighter crust).
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3-4 green tomatoes medium to large size
- 1-2 cups peanut oil for frying depending on the size of your pan (can use canola or vegetable oil)
- ranch dressing for dipping
Instructions:
- Put one tablespoon of the flour into a small bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs, pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Mix together until smooth, and set aside.
- In another small bowl or plate add the remaining flour and cornmeal, mix together.
- Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Cut a notch out of the stem portion.
- Add enough oil to a large pan, skillet, or cast iron pan, 1/4 – 1/2 inch up the side of the skillet.
- Heat the oil over medium heat to 350°F. Use an oil or candy thermometer if you aren't used to frying foods.
- Dredge tomato slices into the seasoned buttermilk mixture, thoroughly coating the slice.
- Then coat it in the flour/cornmeal mixture, letting the excess flour mixture fall off.
- Place the tomato into the hot oil and fry for about two minutes per side or to your desired color.
- Take the fried tomatoes out of the skillet and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up the excess oil. Place the cooked tomatoes on a wire rack so the tomatoes don't get soggy on the bottom. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve immediately with your favorite ranch for dipping.
Recipe Notes:
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for every cup of needed buttermilk to milk. In the measuring cup, add the vinegar and then fill to the one cup line with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes and you’ll have buttermilk.
- Freeze before cooking – After coating your tomatoes, place them individually on a plate in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer them to an airtight container or zip-seal bag. When ready to cook them, simply take them from the freezer to the hot oil, thawing isn’t necessary. Additionally, you can slice and freeze green tomatoes as well without coating.
- Reheating – To be perfectly honest, they don’t hold up well to reheating. Fried green tomatoes generally should be eaten immediately otherwise they get soggy, but if you do want to reheat them, place them on a baking sheet with wire rack in a 350°F oven for a few minutes. Additionally, you could do a quick refry.
- Other seasonings – Cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, smoked and/or hot paprika instead of sweet, cajun seasoning blend, or creole seasoning blend. Add your favorite dried herbs to dry mixture. Or even some parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning blend.
Nutrition:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Cindy Monnier says
Your directions do not make sense in some areas?? Words missing??
Retro Potluck says
Thank you for pointing that out, we clarified the directions.