Fried Green Tomatoes
intro
Crispy, tangy unripe tomato slices coated in seasoned cornmeal, fried to golden perfection: a beloved Southern American comfort food.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and slice tomatoes
Wash and dry 680g firm unripe green tomatoes, then slice into uniform 1cm (1/3-inch) thick rounds. Lay slices on a paper towel-lined tray, sprinkle both sides with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and let rest 10 minutes at room temperature to draw out excess moisture, then pat completely dry with fresh paper towels.
Set up breading stations
Arrange three shallow dishes in a line. In the first, whisk 1 large egg and 120ml buttermilk until completely smooth. In the second, place 80g all-purpose flour. In the third, mix 120g fine cornmeal with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper until evenly combined.
Heat frying oil
Pour 240ml neutral vegetable oil into a 10-inch cast iron skillet, and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 175°C (350°F). Test readiness by dropping a pinch of cornmeal into the oil: it should sizzle immediately and turn pale golden in 10 seconds without burning.
Bread tomato slices
Working one slice at a time, dredge a dried tomato round first in flour, shaking off all excess. Next, dip fully in the buttermilk-egg mixture, letting excess drip off for 2 seconds. Finally, press the slice firmly into the seasoned cornmeal on both sides to create an even, thick coating, then set coated slices on a clean plate for 2 minutes to let the breading adhere.
Fry in small batches
Carefully place 3-4 coated tomato slices into the hot oil at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry 2-3 minutes per side, until the crust is deep golden brown and crispy, adjusting burner heat as needed to maintain a steady 175°C (350°F) oil temperature. Use a slotted metal spatula to transfer fried slices to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain.
Season and serve
Lightly sprinkle the hot fried green tomatoes with a pinch of flaky sea salt immediately after removing them from the oil, then let rest 2 minutes to allow the crust to set and the interior to cool to a safe eating temperature before serving.
Tips
2.Avoid crowding the skillet when frying; adding too many slices at once drops the oil temperature rapidly, leading to greasy, limp crusts instead of crispy ones.
3.Drain fried tomatoes on a wire rack rather than paper towels: resting slices on paper towels traps steam against the bottom crust, making it turn soft and soggy within minutes.
OMG these crispy fried green tomatoes are a GAME CHANGER! I made them for our family Sunday dinner last night and my kids loved it — even my super picky 8 year old asked for seconds. The crust stayed so crunchy even after sitting out for 20 minutes while we finished the rest of the meal, no soggy mess at all! So easy too, I didn’t even have to run to the store for special ingredients, I had everything in my pantry already. 10/10 will be making these for our next neighborhood potluck for sure!
As someone who grew up eating my grandma’s fried green tomatoes every summer, I was skeptical a random online recipe could measure up. Y’all. THESE DID. The seasoning in the breading is perfectly balanced, not too much salt, just the right amount of paprika kick. I served them with a side of homemade pimento cheese dip and my whole crew raved. Easy enough for a weeknight side, fancy enough for a cookout. Perfect!
Made these on the Blackstone last weekend for our camping trip with the guys and they got demolished in 10 minutes flat. Pro move: toss a little extra cajun seasoning in the breading if you like a little heat, it pairs so well with the tangy green tomatoes. Cook time was spot on, 3-4 minutes per side and they were perfectly crispy without being burnt. I mix up a big batch of the breading ahead of time for quick meal prep during the week, it works great for chicken tenders too! Will be a regular on our weekend cookout rotation.
I’ve been wanting to try fried green tomatoes for years but was always intimidated, but this recipe said it was easy so I gave it a shot! So glad I did — they came out perfect on my first try! The instructions were so clear, no confusing steps, and the cook time was exactly what the recipe said. I made a quick garlic aioli to dip them in and it was chef’s kiss. Only thing I’ll do different next time is make a double batch, my roommate ate half the plate before I even sat down!
Solid recipe, but I wish it noted that you should let the oil get to 350F before dropping the tomatoes in! I put my first batch in too early and they got super soggy and soaked up a ton of oil. Once I waited for the oil to heat up properly the rest came out great, really crispy, great flavor. Would be 5 stars if the temp note was front and center!
Brought these to my office potluck today and I had three people ask me for the recipe before I even left the break room! I cut the slices a little thicker than the recipe said (about 1/2 inch instead of 1/4) because I like a little more juicy tomato bite under the crust, and they turned out amazing. Held up great for the 20 minute drive to the office too, no sogginess even in the takeout container. SO good.
Uh, guys? I’m 22 and have never cooked anything more complicated than microwave mac and cheese before, and I made these for my girlfriend’s birthday dinner and she thought I was a literal chef. They were SO CRUNCHY, the tang from the tomatoes is insane, I even made the comeback sauce the recipe linked to go with them. Easiest fancy-looking side ever, I feel like I can actually cook now lmao
So happy this recipe works with gluten free flour and cornmeal! I swapped the all purpose flour for a 1:1 GF baking flour and used regular yellow cornmeal, and you literally couldn’t tell the difference. My husband who hates all GF “swaps” went back for thirds and didn’t even notice until I told him after he finished eating. Game changer for our summer cookouts since I have celiac and can never eat the classic fried sides.
Made these in my tiny dorm kitchen with a cheap electric skillet and they still came out crispy as hell! I didn’t have buttermilk so I used regular milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar like I saw people do online, and it worked totally fine. Super cheap to make too, I got a big bag of green tomatoes from the campus farmers market for $3 and had enough for me and my three roommates. Great cheap, easy meal that feels way fancier than it is.
My grandma used to make fried green tomatoes every August when the tomato plants were still producing unripe fruit, and I’ve been chasing that flavor since she passed. This recipe is so close to hers it made me tear up a little when I took the first bite. The cornmeal crust, the simple seasoning, that perfect tang — it’s exactly how I remember them. Thank you so much for sharing this, it’s going to be a staple in our house from now on.
Tried these last night as a side with fried catfish and hushpuppies for a full southern spread, and they were the star of the whole meal. The crunch is no joke — I was worried they’d get soft under the catfish but they stayed crispy all through dinner. Cook time was exactly 25 minutes start to finish like the recipe said, no extra fussing around. Absolute banger of a recipe, no notes.
This recipe looks so good I’m already grabbing green tomatoes from the store on my way home! Quick question before I make them: has anyone tested these in the air fryer? I hate dealing with splattering hot oil on my stovetop if I can avoid it, and I’m curious if they still get that perfect crispy crust with an air fryer instead of pan frying.