Fried Green Tomatoes

There’s something so special about fried green tomatoes. A popular appetizer in the summer, if you see these on a menu and order them, you’ll never regret it. And now you can make your own. Perfect as a snack or appetizer, fried green tomatoes boast all the juiciness of fresh green tomatoes along with a crispy breadcrumb coating. 

There are lots of different dipping sauce ideas to choose from too, including ranch, blue cheese or even thousand island dressing, or you could keep things simple with plain mayo. Served crispy and hot, fried green tomatoes are always popular.

Green tomatoes are simply slices of green tomatoes, coated in a cornmeal-based breading and fried until golden. Green tomatoes are regular tomatoes picked before they’re completely ripe. Because they aren’t quite ripe, they are firmer and hold together while being fried.

They taste just like red tomatoes though, since the frying process softens them.

Why You’ll Love the Recipe:

The dish actually comes from the Northwest and Midwest but most people consider it Southern because of the 1991 movie of the same name. So, whether you liked the movie, you like tomatoes, or you simply want to try this classic dish you are going to love it. Making fried green tomatoes is really easy, as you just have to slice your green tomatoes, dip them and fry them.

How to Serve Them:

Any kind of dip you prefer goes with fried green tomatoes, because they have a neutral flavor. So, serve them as an appetizer or snack with ranch dressing or anything else you like. Hot sauce, green goddess dressing or a buttermilk-based sauce all work. Another idea is to make a gourmet BLT using these instead of raw slices tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• Green tomatoes
• All-purpose flour
• Cornmeal
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• Milk
• Breadcrumbs
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Ranch dressing (or similar), for dipping

How to make Fried Green Tomatoes:

Step 1. Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch thick slices, discarding the ends.

Step 2. Whisk the milk and eggs.

Step 3. Put the flour in one shallow dish or plate.

Step 4. Combine the breadcrumbs with cornmeal, salt and pepper, and put that on another plate.

Step 5. Dip the tomato slices into the flour to coat.

Step 6. Next, dip them into the egg mixture.

Step 7. Finally, dip them into the breadcrumb mixture to coat completely.

Step 8. Add about ½ inch of oil to a skillet and then heat it over a moderate heat.

Step 9. Add the coated tomato slices and cook, in however many batches you need so the tomato slices don’t touch in the pan.

Step 10. Once crisp and golden underneath, flip the tomatoes over and cook the other side.

Step 11. Drain on paper towels and serve hot, with ranch dressing or whichever dipping sauce you prefer.

Fried green tomatoes are always good and there’s never a wrong time to enjoy this Southern treat. So, if you’re growing your own, and you find yourself with a lot of green tomatoes to use up, you simply can’t go wrong with this mouthwatering appetizer recipe.

Can You Make Them Ahead?

Once you’ve breaded the green tomato slices, you can keep them for about 10 hours in the refrigerator, covered with foil or plastic wrap, before frying them, or freeze them uncooked for a few weeks.

Storage Instructions:

This is a recipe that’s best served as soon as it’s cooked. However, if you do have leftovers, keep them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days then reheat them for about 10 minutes in a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F. Once cooked, they won’t freeze well because they’ll get mushy.

Variations and Substitutes:

An air fryer is also good for making this recipe. If you choose to air fry yours instead of using a skillet, spritz the breaded tomatoes all over with nonstick spray oil, then give them about 3 minutes per side in a hot air fryer. When they’re golden, they’re done.