Cornmeal-crusted slices of tart green tomato, fried until crisp and golden, a beloved Southern appetizer or side dish.
Fried green tomatoes make use of unripe, firm tomatoes that hold their shape well when sliced and fried, their tartness a pleasant contrast to the crunchy, well-seasoned cornmeal crust that coats each slice. The tomatoes are dredged in flour, dipped in buttermilk, then coated in a seasoned cornmeal mixture, a three-step breading process that ensures the crust adheres firmly and fries up properly crisp. Fried in a shallow layer of hot oil until deeply golden on both sides, they're traditionally served with a simple remoulade or ranch-style dipping sauce, best eaten immediately while the crust is still crackling.
Serves 4
Lay the sliced tomatoes on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and let sit 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture; pat dry.
Place flour, buttermilk and seasoned cornmeal (mixed with garlic powder, paprika and black pepper) in three separate shallow dishes.
Dredge each tomato slice in flour, dip in buttermilk, then coat thoroughly in the cornmeal mixture.
Pat the tomatoes dry after salting and before breading — excess moisture prevents the cornmeal crust from adhering properly.
Heat oil in a skillet and fry the tomato slices in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp.
Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
Whisk mayonnaise, hot sauce and lemon juice together.
Serve the fried tomatoes hot with the dipping sauce.
Salt the tomato slices and let them sit briefly before breading — this draws out excess moisture that would otherwise make the crust soggy.
Use genuinely green, unripe tomatoes rather than just underripe ones; their firmer texture holds up much better to frying.
Fry in a single layer without crowding the pan so the oil temperature stays consistent and the crust crisps evenly.
Some versions add a bit of cayenne to the cornmeal for extra heat.
A version dipped in an egg wash instead of buttermilk is common in some households.
Serving atop a salad with shrimp or crab is a more modern, elevated presentation.
Best eaten immediately after frying; they lose their crispness quickly and don't reheat particularly well, so fry only what you plan to eat right away.
Fried green tomatoes are a signature dish of Southern American cuisine, historically a practical way to use tomatoes still on the vine before frost, and the dish gained wider popularity nationally following the 1991 film of the same name.
Farmers markets often carry them in late summer, or you can simply pick tomatoes from your own garden before they fully ripen.
Yes, bake at 220C/425F on a well-oiled tray for about 20 minutes, flipping once, though the texture will be less crisp than fried.
The tomatoes likely had too much surface moisture, or weren't dredged in all three stages — flour, then buttermilk, then cornmeal — for proper adhesion.
Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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