These Southern Fried Green Tomatoes are everything they should be: perfectly crispy on the outside with a tender, slightly tangy center, and a well-seasoned cornmeal coating that fries up beautifully golden. Whether you're serving them as an appetizer with comeback sauce, alongside a fish fry, or adding them to a BLT or a burger, this recipe is one you will come back to every tomato season.
Growing up in Mississippi, recipes like this were never about following trends. They were just the way we cooked. It didn't matter how simple or humble the food was as long as it was made with love. Before a tomato ever had a chance to turn red, a Southern grandma had already found a delicious purpose for it. And I just love that about Southern cooking!
For more nostalgic Southern recipes, try our Southern fried cabbage with bacon and Southern hot water cornbread recipes next.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A true old-fashioned Southern recipe.
- Delicious as an appetizer, side dish, or even on sandwiches and burgers.
- Crispy, crunchy golden coating with tender green tomatoes inside.
- Ready in about 30 minutes.
What Are Fried Green Tomatoes?
Fried green tomatoes are firm, unripe tomatoes that are sliced, breaded, and fried until crispy. Since green tomatoes haven't developed their sweetness yet, they have a pleasantly tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with a crunchy cornmeal coating.
They are especially popular throughout Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and the rest of the South during late summer when gardens are full of tomatoes that haven't ripened before the season ends.
Ingredients You Need
- Green tomatoes. Choose firm, bright green tomatoes with no hints of red. Firm tomatoes hold their shape much better during frying.
- All-purpose flour. Flour and cornmeal give these tomatoes the perfect, crispy coating.
- Yellow cornmeal. The secret to authentic Southern texture. Cornmeal gives fried green tomatoes their signature crunch.
- Seasonings. Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper add the perfect balance of flavors.
- Buttermilk. Adds flavor while helping the breading adhere beautifully.
- Egg. Binds everything together.
- Hot sauce. Just enough to add depth without making the tomatoes spicy.
- Vegetable oil. Perfect for frying because of its neutral flavor and high smoke point.
How to Make Southern Fried Green Tomatoes
Step 1. Wash and slice the tomatoes into ¼-inch slices. Pat them dry with paper towels.
Step 2. Prepare your dredging station. You will need two shallow dishes: one with the flour-and-cornmeal mixture and one with the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce.
Step 3. Coat each tomato in the buttermilk mixture, then in the flour-and-cornmeal mixture. Place them on a baking sheet to rest while the oil heats to prevent the coating from falling off while frying.
Step 4. Heat oil to 350°F. Fry the tomatoes in batches for about 2 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to keep them crispy. Serve immediately.
Ashley's Tips for Success
- Choose firm, green tomatoes, not tomatoes that are beginning to ripen.
- Pat the tomatoes completely dry before breading.
- Let the breaded tomatoes rest for 5 to 10 minutes before frying.
- Keep the oil around 350°F. Oil that is too cool makes greasy tomatoes, while oil that is too hot burns the coating before the tomatoes cook.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet. Fry in batches for the crispiest results.
- Drain on a wire rack to preserve that crunchy crust.
Variations
- Spicy fried green tomatoes. Increase the cayenne or add Cajun seasoning.
- Parmesan fried green tomatoes. Mix a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan into the cornmeal mixture.
- Air fryer fried green tomatoes. Spray both sides of the breaded tomatoes generously with cooking spray and air-fry at 400°F for about 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
What to Serve with Fried Green Tomatoes
These pair perfectly with:
- New Orleans Remoulade Sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Southern fried catfish
- BBQ Ribs
- Pulled Pork
- Creamy grits
- Collard greens
- Southern mac and cheese
- Stacked on a BLT or juicy burger
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead. Bread the tomatoes up to 2 hours before frying and refrigerate them on a baking sheet.
- Refrigerate. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Reheat in a 375°F oven or air fryer until crispy again. Avoid microwaving, which softens the coating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, this means the oil wasn't hot enough, or the skillet was overcrowded, causing the tomatoes to steam instead of fry.
No. Ripe tomatoes contain much more moisture and tend to become mushy during frying.
Pat the tomatoes dry, dredge thoroughly, and allow them to rest before frying.
hey are best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze cooked tomatoes. Reheat directly from frozen in a 400°F oven until crispy.
Table Talk
One thing I love about Southern cooking is that nothing goes to waste. Before a tomato even had a chance to ripen, Grandma was already finding a way to turn it into something delicious. There was a quiet wisdom in the resourcefulness of seeing value where others might have overlooked it.
It reminds me that God wasted nothing either. We may look at our lives and think we have little to offer, but God sees the gifts, experiences, and purpose He has already placed inside us. As our Creator, he never creates without intention. What may seem ordinary or insignificant to us can become something extraordinary when we surrender it to him
Maybe today is a good day to ask the Lord to reveal the gifts He's already placed in your hands. Instead of focusing on what you lack, trust Him with what you have. He has a way of multiplying our humble offerings and using them for his glory in ways we could never imagine.
For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
1 King 17:16
More Southern Recipes You Will Love!
If you tried this Southern Fried Green Tomatoes recipe, leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Don't forget to tag @thepinkowlkitchen on Instagram with your cheesy creations.
📖 Recipe
Southern Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 medium green tomatoes
- 1 cup buttermilk - whole or low-fat
- 1 large egg
- 1 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce - such as Frank's RedHot or Crystal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour - divided
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt - divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - depending on spice preference
- Vegetable or canola oil - for frying
Instructions
- Rinse and slice the green tomatoes into about ¼ inch thick slices. Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture and set them aside.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce. In a second shallow dish or bowl, add flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper until combined.
- Working with one tomato at a time, coat both sides of the tomato in the buttermilk mixture, then in the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess. Allow the breaded tomatoes to sit on the baking sheet while you heat the frying oil. This helps the breading stick to the tomatoes.
- Heat oil in a 10-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottom skillet until it reaches 350°F on a deep fryer thermometer. Working in batches of 3 to 4 tomatoes at a time, carefully place the tomatoes in the hot oil and fry, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices. Carefully transfer the fried green tomatoes to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve the tomatoes warm with your favorite dipping sauce, such as our New Orleans Remoulade Sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Allow the breaded tomatoes to rest before frying to prevent the breading from coming off during cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the frying pan with tomatoes. This can cause them to turn out soggy. Fry three to four tomatoes at a time.
- Leftover fried green tomatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheat fried green tomatoes in the oven or an air fryer to crisp the exterior.
Brenda
I just love your recipes, remind me of the summer's I spent in Fayette Alabama with my grandmother. Do you have a recipe for tomato gravy?
Ashley Boyd
Thank you so much Brenda! Southern food always takes me back to my roots. I do not have a tomato gravy recipe up yet but you have just inspired me to get on that!