This Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe will soon be your “go to” snack on those days you are craving a simple dish from your garden. Fried green tomatoes are a Southern classic, with crispy fried breading on the outside and tender, fresh tomato on the inside for that tart flavor. The creole seasoning and the underripe green tomatoes provide the perfect balance of savory flavor with a touch of tanginess.
For a California girl, the concept of fried green tomatoes was once a mystery in the classic movie. But after a few trips to the American South, I’ve sampled the real deal enough to know I need to be able to recreate them back at home. The only trick is sourcing green tomatoes – which are simply underripe tomatoes, not a special variety. I select green tomatoes from my garden or find a local farm with “u-pick” produce so I can get a sack of big, hearty tomatoes. The batter is simple and they fry up in just 1-2 minutes. The blend of the Cajun seasoning, a southern staple, gives this fried snack the perfect amount of seasoning in each bite. Enjoy with your favorite remoulade sauce or try our Copycat Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Recipe or, if you are fan of dill, try our Creamy Dill Dip Recipe.
We have enjoyed these as a perfect summer appetizer on game day along with our other favorite garden fresh foods like Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta or blueberry caprese salad.
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🍅 Ingredients:
This recipe for fried green tomatoes contains a number of basic ingredients, and most of them are easy to find at your local grocery store. Let’s talk about the most important ingredients.
- Green tomatoes – unripe tomatoes – choose a large hearty variety with a firm texture, preferably one with fewer seeds and juice. Varieties like Big Beef, Brandywine, or Celebrity work well. Roma or San Marzano are great, too, although they are smaller. My understanding is that green tomatoes are sold in the market in Southern states, but if you’re in a different region (like me!), tap into your local gardening friends or find a U-pick farm. I frequently use Roma or Early Girl from my own garden, but have had great luck finding nice big tomatoes at a nearby farm.
- Buttermilk and egg– these make up our wet ingredients for our dredging station. You can use regular milk. Buttermilk has a nice tang to it that complements the tangy green tomatoes.
- All-purpose flour, cornmeal, and cornstarch – for breading the tomatoes – cornmeal adds some nice crunch in there while the cornstarch lightens up the breading. I like a combination of flour and cornmeal for a good breading that has crispness and clings to the tomatoes well.
- Creole seasoning, divided – this gives the breading a nice warm southern seasoned taste, it adds salt and spice. You can also use Cajun seasoning. We like Tony Chacere’s creole blend.
- Garlic salt and Onion powder – enhances the flavors (or use garlic powder and onion powder to lessen the total salts)
- Vegetable oil or cooking oil for frying
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
- You can try a fresh cut slice of provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese on top – allow to melt. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Equipment Needed:
- Large heavy stockpot, Dutch oven, or deep cast-iron skillet to deep fry the tomatoes. You can also use a deep fryer if you have one – this makes it super easy. to heat and maintain the temperature of the oil.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you are not a fan of Creole seasoning, you can use Italian seasonings. We have tried with dried thyme, dried rosemary, and dried sage, or even oregano. Regardless of the spices you choose, we always use a good helping of fresh ground black pepper!
- If you are a fan of hot sauces, put a few dashed of your favorite hot sauce on the finished tomato!
- Substitute two fried tomatoes instead of bread and make a delicious vegetable sandwich. We love ours with cheese, cucumbers, roasted red peppers and sprouts!
- Make this a brunch item by covering the fried green tomatoes with scrambled eggs and shredded cheese.
- Gluten Free: Substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten free flour such as almond flour or a gluten-free blend. Be sure to double check your seasonings to ensure they are gluten free as well.
- Add a slice of ham and cheese to the fried tomatoes and turn them into a sandwich or use them in our classic eggs benedict recipe.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Heat the oil in a large heavy stockpot, Dutch oven, or deep cast iron skillet. Heat to precisely 375°F. You will want your oil thick enough that the tomatoes can float while frying.
Step 1: Slice tomatoes into thick slices, about ½” thick. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture from the slices. Set aside.
Step 2: Make a dredging station with three shallow bowls:
- In one bowl, combine the milk and egg by whisking together.
- In the second bowl, combine ½ cup of flour and 1 teaspoon of creole seasoning.
- In the third bowl, mix together the remaining ½ cup of flour, the cornmeal, remaining ½ teaspoon creole seasoning, garlic salt, onion powder and cornstarch.
Step 3: Coat the tomato slices first in the flour mixture, then dredge in the egg mixture, and finally coat by dipping them in the cornmeal mixture. Place breaded tomato slices on a cooling rack or sheet pan while dredging the rest. They need to be in a single layer.
Step 4: Working with a few tomato slices at a time, carefully place into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until the tomatoes are golden brown.
Step 5: Use a slotted spoon to lift tomatoes from the skillet and place on paper towels on a baking tray to absorb the excess oil.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Enjoy these as a snack just as they are, or dip in remoulade or an aioli sauce.
Recipe Tips for Green Tomatoes Fried
Frying oil should be several inches deep so that the tomatoes can float in the oil without touching the bottom. If they touch the bottom, the breading tends to stick to the pan instead of staying on the tomato slices.
Clip a thermometer on the side of the pan to monitor the oil temperature at all times. The temperature drops when tomatoes are added – this is a good reason to fry just a few slices at a time. Adjust the burner regularly during cooking to maintain the oil temperature as close to 375°F as possible.
You can use any variety of tomato. Green tomatoes are unripe tomatoes. They are firm and less juicy than ripe tomatoes. Use a large beefy variety for big slices. A meatier variety with less juice and seeds works best.
Thin slices also make great fried green tomatoes. If you want more crunch, focus on thinner tomato slices with a thick fried coating.
Fun Fact
Although fried green tomatoes are now considered a Southern classic, their origins are more complex than most people realize. The dish likely has its roots in Jewish immigrant communities in the late 19th century. These immigrants, many of whom settled in the Northeast and Midwest, brought with them a tradition of frying unripe vegetables such as tomatoes in breadcrumbs. Over time, the recipe made its way to the South, where the abundance of green tomatoes made it a natural fit for the region’s cuisine. Crispy Delight: Exploring the Southern U.S. Classic of Fried Green Tomatoes
Recipe FAQs
These will remain fresh for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed airtight container. They do lose their crispness, and are best eaten immediately, like most fried foods.
To reheat, simple place on a baking sheet directly in a preheated oven at 350 for roughly 10-12 minutes. Or, reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 3-5 minutes.
Yes, these are great to freeze. Make in a large batch and after they are fried and cooled completely, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once fully frozen, store in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, defrost at room temperature for 1-2 hours on a paper towel. Place on a baking sheet directly in a preheated oven at 350 for roughly 10-12 minutes.
Another option would be to assemble the fried green tomatoes and then freeze them before cooking. When you’re ready to serve them, carefully drop directly into the hot oil and cook until golden brown on each side.
Enjoy More Delicious Tomato Recipes
If you tried this Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 medium green tomatoes unripe tomatoes
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons creole seasoning divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2-3 cups vegetable oil or cooking oil for frying
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes into thick slices, about ½” thick. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture from the slices. Set aside.
- Make a dredging station with three shallow bowls.
- In one bowl, combine the milk and egg by whisking together.
- In the second bowl, combine ½ cup of flour and 1 teaspoon of creole seasoning.
- In the third bowl, mix together the remaining ½ cup of flour, the cornmeal, remaining ½ teaspoon creole seasoning, garlic salt, onion powder and cornstarch.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy stockpot, Dutch oven, or deep cast iron skillet. Heat to precisely 375°F.
- Coat the tomato slices first in the flour mixture, then dredge in the egg mixture, and finally coat by dipping them in the cornmeal mixture.
- Place breaded tomato slices on a cooling rack or sheet pan while dredging the rest. They need to be in a single layer.
- Working with a few tomato slices at a time, carefully place into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until the tomatoes are golden brown.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift tomatoes from the skillet and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
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