Fried Green Tomatoes
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If you’ve never had Fried Green Tomatoes, you are truly missing out! Unripened tangy tomatoes that are coated in perfectly seasoned breading, dipped in buttermilk, and fried until golden and crispy, then served with remoulade sauce. They are a classic Southern snack or side that are impossible to resist, and can easily be made at home with this fantastic recipe!
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5 STAR REVIEWS
I’m pretty sure that back in 1991 after watching the Fried Green Tomatoes movie, everyone rushed to their local market in search of green tomatoes. Unless you lived in the South and grew up with these fried slices of gold, many people didn’t realize unripened green tomatoes could actually be enjoyed.
Ruby-red sweet tomatoes in a salad, a sandwich, or on burgers is a no-brainer, right? But don’t dismiss this fruit before they’ve had a chance to ripen and are still green. While tangy green tomatoes are not ideal eaten raw, they do lend themselves perfectly for being breaded and fried due to less moisture and being firmer.
Coated in a flavorful batter, fried until warm and crunchy, then dunked in a dipping sauce, it’s the most delicious bite! They’re super easy to make at home and never disappoint.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Green tomatoes. These are the star of the show, so make sure you buy firm, unripe, completely green tomatoes (not tomatillos or heirloom tomatoes.) Any red on the tomato indicates they have started to ripen and could not only stand in the way of a crispy crust, but also not hold up to deep drying.
- Cornmeal. Some recipes for fried green tomatoes use regular breadcrumbs, ground up cracker crumbs, yellow cornmeal, or white cornmeal. It’s all personal preference. I prefer white cornmeal, which is a finer texture and blends really well with the flour.
- Panko Breadcrumbs. These breadcrumbs have a dryer and flakier consistency than regular breadcrumbs, so they absorb less oil and produce a lighter and crunchier exterior.
- Cut uniform slices. I slice the tomatoes 3/8-inch thick (that’s between 1/4 and 1/2-inch to be exact.) Too thin and they won’t hold up, too thick and they won’t get tender. Cut each slice evenly, so they cook at the same rate.
- Draw out excess moisture. It’s important to remove some of the juice from each tomato slice to help the breading stick. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 30 minutes, then gently pat dry with paper towels.
- Get the oil temperature right. You’re aiming for the oil temp to be 350 degrees F. If the oil isn’t warm enough, the tomatoes will soak too much of it up. Alternatively, if the oil is too hot, they will burn. Use a thermometer to take away the guess work.
- Fry in batches. Frying only a few at a time, and not over-crowding the pan, helps regulate the oil temperature and ensures each tomato slice fries up nice and crispy.
- Use a cast iron skillet, if possible. Cast iron retains heat so well and is the best choice for frying.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Remoulade Sauce
- 1 & 1/4 cups mayonnaise
- 2 & 1/2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon paprika, (sweet or smoked)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, (or Creole seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice, (dill or sweet)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 clove garlic, , grated
- grind of black pepper
For the Tomatoes
- 3 large firm (unripe) green tomatoes, (about 1 & 1/2 pounds total)
- coarse salt
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, (such as Tabasco)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup fine white cornmeal
- 1 & 1/2 cups vegetable oil, , for frying
Instructions
- Make the remoulade sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Using a serrated knife, cut 3 large firm (unripe) green tomatoes into 3/8" thick slices (that's between 1/4 and 1/2-inch thick.) Sprinkle both sides with coarse salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture (this helps the breading stick better.) Gently pat dry with paper towels.
- Set up the breading station with 3 separate shallow dishes (pie plates are great!): 1st dish: whisk together 3/4 cup flour, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and a 1/4 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. 2nd dish: whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg white, and 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce.3rd dish: combine 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs and 1/3 cup fine white cornmeal.
- Fit a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Dip each tomato slice in the flour mixture (shake off excess), followed by the buttermilk mixture, and finally the cornmeal mixture (press gently to adhere.)
- Place the breaded tomato slices on the rack in a single layer. Let sit while you heat up the oil – this allows time for the coating to set.
- In a large cast iron skillet, warm 1 & 1/2 cups vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F and shimmering. (The oil should sizzle immediately if you sprinkle water into it.)
- Starting with the tomatoes that were breaded first, carefully add 3 to 4 to the hot skillet, taking care not to over-crowd them. Fry until golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side, regulating the heat if the oil gets too hot.
- Transfer the fried tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Fry the remaining tomato slices, replacing the oil if necessary.
- Serve immediately with the remoulade sauce.{NOTE: For helpful tips and directions for cooking in an air fryer, please refer to the full article.)
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
Serving Suggestions
While not mandatory, these green tomatoes are usually served with a sauce for dunking. We always pair them with our classic Louisiana-style remoulade sauce. Two other great sauce options are Tzatziki sauce or chick-fil-a sauce.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Fried green tomatoes are best eaten immediately after frying and it’s highly unlikely you’ll have any leftover because they are so good! But if you do have extra, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To crisp them back up, reheat in the oven or toaster oven for 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Do not microwave or they will get chewy, not crispy.
Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes
You can make these in an air fryer, which is a healthier alternative. To make these fried tomatoes in an air fryer, follow all the prep steps in the written recipe, then proceed with the following steps for air frying:
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Working in batches, arrange tomato slices in a single layer in the basket (making sure they do not overlap or touch.) Spray tops with cooking spray.
- Cook 7 minutes or until crumbs are lightly golden brown and crisp.
- Gently flip them over, spray again, and cook 4 minutes more.
- Remove from the basket and serve with remoulade sauce.
- IMPORTANT NOTE #1: While these do provide a delicious healthier alternative to deep frying, this method does not render the same results as traditional fried green tomatoes, so go in with realistic expectations.
- IMPORTANT NOTE #2: Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your tomato slices and the model air fryer you use. All models run differently, so we highly recommend testing just 1 or 2 slices first and adjust your settings from there, if necessary.
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Fantastic recipie. Perhaps a bit more work than others I’ve tried, but worth it. Especially the delicious remoulade.
It is delicious. Make sure to make the sauce to dip … it’s to die for!!
My husband is a fried green tomato connoisseur. He literally gets them at any restaurant that serves them. The said this recipe was better than any he’s had a a restaurant!
This was the best receipe I ever had for this dish,thank you
These were AMAZING!!
If I could give this recipe more stars I would. These were amazing. Used green tomatoes out of our garden. Can’t wait to make them again. Sauce was wonderful too. Thanks!!!
I made my own sauce, but followed the recipe exactly for these top notch Fried Green Tomatoes. The recipe was easy to follow, and the keep warm tips were spot on. Simply delicious, and I can see eating these for breakfast with an egg, lunch as a main, or as a side for dinner. Thank you, and bookmarking for the future.
This was my first attempt and it was fun! It was delicious and my dad was the judge and really enjoyed them.
I grow a ridiculous amount of tomatoes every year. I’ve never liked fried green tomatoes, but we I still pick a recipe every year and try it out. These are the first fried green tomatoes I’ve ever liked. We will definitely be making them again.
This is the best recipe for fried green tomatoes we’ve ever made. And I’ve literally had dozens of these made every way imaginable. The sauce nails it!
Without question, this is the best recipe we have ever found for green fried tomatoes!! The crunch of the crust is perfect. It’s not soggy. And the sauce is fantastic. My wife and I have searched the Internet for the last couple of years looking for the perfect recipe. We finally found it!
Really good recipe!
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and have been wanting to try these for a long time. But I haven’t seen green tomatoes anywhere I buy food, and have been to lazy to figure out where they are. But we have a plot in the community garden this year, and I have so many tomatoes, I don’t know what to do with them, so this is the year to give it a try. We were not disappointed at all, and the sauce is perfect! They lived up to the hype I have given them in my head.
This recipe is simple and very good. The only thing I did different was used a whole egg instead of just the egg white. I did have some left overs and I reheated in the air fryer and made “green tomato Parmesan” by using a eggplant Parm recipe.
Loved recipe. Easy to make
This is hands down the BEST Fried Green Tomato recipe I’ve ever tried. Thank you so much!
Really enjoyed this recipe. I’ll definitely be using it often this summer.
Loved this recipe! Put my two pieces of cod thru after the tomatoes. Was a great dinner
Perfect Crunch, Perfect Bite! First time making, long time eating. What a great recipe!
This Was so good ! I haven’t made fried green tomatoes in soon long.,they were so easy to make., I’ll be making them often Thank you
Delicious and crisp. The sauce is sooooo good!!!
This was kinda time consuming but well worth the effort. Great recipe, everyone loved the tomatoes.
These were the best, especially with green tomatoes from the garden! The remoulade was excellent,
I made the Fried Green Tomatoe recipe and it was delish!! I did it in my air fryer and it turned out great and the sauce made it even better.
They came out perfect! I made my own dipping sauce and was so happy!
This was a great recipe. They were very delicious. I learned the right way to make this recipe. Thank you.
Great recipe. Everyone loved these !!