Last Updated December 16th, 2020 at 12:52 pm by Lisa
Fried Green Tomatoes can be a snack, lunch, or a side for family dinner. Dip in remoulade sauce or buttermilk ranch dressing, and use up green tomatoes from your garden.
You can buy green tomatoes in the store, I found beautiful firm unripe heirloom tomatoes in my local grocery produce section. The secret to this recipe is the golden crisp coating, and of course the dipping sauces...
Why This Recipe Works:
- Use up green tomatoes so they don't go to waste in your kitchen.
- The crunchy and crisp coating on these tomatoes is just right. The combination of cornmeal and Panko bread crumbs adds a nice thick coating with crunchy edges.
- The trick is in the oil temperature, get your oil temperature to 350 degrees for the best results, otherwise, your tomatoes will fry soggy. I recommend peanut oil, as it has a high smoke point and is flavorless.
- The method of triple dipping and post frying rest also helps get and keep that gorgeous golden exterior crust. I'll give you all the tips and tricks to get them right in the recipe below.
- This is a cost-effective recipe, especially if you have green tomatoes from your garden, or a friend gives them to you! I grew the little ones, and also got a couple from my grocery store.
- All I can say, is these are even better dipped or drizzled. Try a hot sauce you love like Tabasco or sauces like remoulade or buttermilk ranch dressing.
- Enjoy your fried green tomatoes as a lunch, or side dish at family dinner. I have heard people even love to eat them for breakfast!
How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes:
- Clean and slice the tomatoes ½" thick, sprinkle with sea salt.
- While the salted tomato slices are resting, set out three shallow bowls with coating ingredients: 1rst dip-flour and Cajun seasoning 2nd dip-buttermilk and egg 3rd dip-breadcrumbs and cornmeal.
- Dip each green tomato slice in 1) flour/cajun seasoning 2) buttermilk/egg, then 3) breadcrumbs/cornmeal. Set on a platter or plate.
- In a large cast-iron pan or heavy skillet, heat the peanut oil on medium heat to 350-375 degrees. The OIL MUST BE HOT OR IT MAKES THEM SOGGY, this takes about 5 minutes.
- Fry about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Flip using tongs and a spatula to work safely. Let the oil come back up to temp between batches.
- Set the cooked tomatoes on the wire rack over a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt or a flake salt like Maldon. Serve warm with hot sauce like Tabasco, remoulade, or buttermilk dressing.
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3-6 Step 6-8 Step 9 
- Tomatoes: You want firm (not ripe) green tomatoes. I found that I could fry both small and large tomatoes, but the big slices are easier to get the coating to stick and prettier in my opinion than the small ones, but both are delicious!
- Sea salt: When you salt the green tomato slices, it is doing two things. One it pulls extra moisture from the tomato prior to frying, and it also flavors the tomatoes.
- Flour: AP flour is fine, it helps to coat and bind the other coatings and seasoning onto the tomato slices.
- Cajun seasoning: You can buy or make your own Cajun seasoning. Take a look at my recipe for Cajun seasoning, it is a great way to use up your spices.
- Buttermilk: I use buttermilk (and also use this when making fried chicken) but you can substitute milk.
- Egg: The egg acts as a binder for the wet dip.
- Cornmeal: Add a smoother coating texture to the fried green tomatoes.
- Panko dry bread crumbs: Add a crunchy exterior coating to the fried green tomatoes. I love to mix Panko and cornmeal for the best-fried food results.
- Peanut oil: I think peanut oil is the best to fry in, it really does the job and gets a crisp golden coating. Peanut oil has a high smoke point, and a neutral flavor, which is important. You can use vegetable oil, canola, or sunflower oil as well.
- Dipping sauces: You can serve either remoulade or buttermilk ranch dressing drizzled or in little bowls to enjoy your fried green tomatoes.
- Garnish: Drizzle sauces and sprinkle with chives.
What You Need...
What You Will Need...
Yummy Dipping Sauces...
The crunchy and crisp coating is achieved with a combination of cornmeal and Panko bread crumbs it adds a nice thick coating with crunchy edges.
The trick is in the oil temperature, get and keep your oil temperature to 350 degrees for the best results. Use a thermometer to check it, otherwise, your tomatoes will fry soggy. Peanut oil is a great choice, as it has a high smoke point and is flavorless.
The method of triple dipping and resting post fry on a wire rack without overlapping keeps that gorgeous golden exterior crust from getting soggy.
Macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, shrimp and cheese grits, BBQ chicken, cornbread, biscuits and gravy, pork chops, corn on the cob, chicken fried steak, gumbo, chicken and dumplings, or jambalaya.
Serve a classic remoulade sauce, a hot sauce like Tabasco and or buttermilk ranch dressing. You can garnish with flake sea salt and some finely snipped chives.
Fried green tomatoes are a Southern United States side dish usually made with firm unripe (green) tomatoes and coated typically in a cornmeal coating with seasonings and fried. They are usually served for lunch or a dinner side dish.
More Fried Green Tomato Recipes:
- Fried Green Tomatoes + How To Freeze Them! by Maebelles
- Fried Green Tomatoes by All Recipes
- Fried Green Tomatoes by Southern Living
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Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
green tomatoes
- 3 firm green tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
dry dip mix
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
wet dip mix
- ½ cup buttermilk or milk
- 1 egg
crispy coating mix
- ⅓ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup peanut oil
optional dips and garnish
- remolaude sauce
- buttermilk ranch dressing
- Maldon salt for finishing
- chives finely diced
Instructions
prep the green tomatoes
- Wash, and remove the tomato stems using a melon baller or small knife. Slice unpeeled tomatoes into ½ inch thick slices. Lay on a tray, and sprinkle both sides of tomato slices with sea salt. Let tomato slices stand for 5 minutes. This adds flavor and removes some of their liquid.
dip the tomatoes
- While the salted tomato slices are resting, set out three shallow bowls with coating ingredients: 1rst dip bowl -flour and Cajun seasoning (if using) 2nd dip-buttermilk and egg - whisk together well 3rd dip-breadcrumbs and cornmeal
- Dip each green tomato slice in 1) flour/cajun seasoning 2) buttermilk/egg, then 3) breadcrumbs/cornmeal. Set on a platter or plate.
fry the tomatoes
- In a large cast iron pan or heavy skillet, heat the peanut oil on medium heat to 350-375 degrees. The OIL MUST BE HOT OR IT MAKES THEM SOGGY, this takes about 5 minutes. Use a thermometer or stick the end of a wood spoon and if it bubbles, the temperature is high enough.
- Fry the green tomatoes: Place a wire rack over a sheet pan. Fry half of the coated tomato slices at a time, for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Flip using tongs and a spatula to work safely. Let the oil come back up to temp between batches.
- Set the cooked tomatoes on the wire rack. Sprinkle with sea salt or a flake salt like Maldon. Serve warm with hot sauce like Tabasco, remoulade, or buttermilk dressing.
I can't wait to make these again. The remoulade sauce was so good and the crunch crust was absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing.
We absolutely love these Fried green tomatoes!! Such a simple and delicious recipe!