Fried Green Tomatoes are a delicious and easy-to-make side dish that are a favorite in the Southern region of the United States.
What’s surprising about fried green tomatoes, is that they’re actually not really a Southern recipe. The story behind it is that they didn’t become popular in the south until January 24, 1992. That’s the day that the movie Fried Green Tomatoes was released (and became a box office smash). They were around in parts of the Midwest before that. Fried green tomatoes topped with rémoulade sauce are now considered to be a classic New Orleans appetizer. And you’ll see them on many restaurant menus all over the Southern states.
Ingredients needed:
- all purpose flour
- salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- freshly ground black pepper
- yellow cornmeal
- buttermilk
- egg
- hot sauce
- green tomatoes
- canola or vegetable oil
How to make Fried Green Tomatoes:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
The first step is cutting the tomatoes. Slice them to 1-centimeter thickness. Pat them dry, so the breading will stick better.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.
- Divide the seasoned flour. Place ⅓ cup of the flour mixture into a separate bowl. And then add the cornmeal to the remaining flour mixture in the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce.
- Dip each slice in the seasoned flour, then the buttermilk mixture and then the cornmeal mixture. Set the coated tomato slices on a wire rack while waiting for the oil to heat.
Then it’s time to fry the tomatoes!
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In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When a drop of water flicked into the oil sizzles, it’s time to fry the tomatoes.
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Carefully place 4 to 5 tomatoes in the hot oil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Then transfer the fried tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Green tomatoes give a tart flavor but for a slightly sweeter flavor use tomatoes that are just turning yellow/very slightly pink. Do not use ripe tomatoes because they will become mushy when frying. To help the batter stick you can pat each slice dry with a paper towel before breading. Also allow breaded slices to sit just a bit before frying (usually the time it takes for the oil to heat is sufficient).
Fried green tomatoes are traditionally served with remoulade sauce, but they can also be served with ranch dressing or another favorite creamy sauce. Enjoy!
They are best if eaten immediately but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in an oven or toaster oven. If reheated in the microwave, the crust becomes chewy rather than crispy.
The Best Tomato Recipes:
- Tomatoes with Asiago Cheese and Fresh Herbs
- Salmon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
- Marinated Tomatoes
- Sautéed Tomatoes with Thyme
- Shallot Mustard Tomato Salad
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
- 3 green tomatoes, cut to about 1-centimeter thickness (patted dry)
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
PREPARE THE THREE DIPPING BOWLS:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.
- Divide the seasoned flour. Place ⅓ cup of the flour mixture into a separate bowl. And then add the cornmeal to the remaining flour mixture in the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce.
COAT AND FRY THE TOMATOES:
- Dip each slice in the seasoned flour, then the buttermilk mixture and then the cornmeal mixture. Set the coated tomato slices on a wire rack while waiting for the oil to heat.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When a drop of water flicked into the oil sizzles, it's time to fry the tomatoes. Carefully place 4 to 5 tomatoes in the hot oil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, and then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Notes
- Green tomatoes give a tart flavor but for a slightly sweeter flavor use tomatoes that are just turning yellow/very slightly pink. Do not use ripe tomatoes because they will become mushy when frying.
- To help the batter stick you can pat each slice dry with a paper towel before breading. Also allow breaded slices to sit just a bit before frying (usually the time it takes for the oil to heat is sufficient).
- Served with remoulade sauce but can also be served with ranch or another favorite creamy sauce.
- Best if eaten immediately but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Best if reheated in an oven or toaster oven. If reheated in the microwave the crust becomes chewy rather than crispy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
