Fried Green Tomatoes

5 from 3 votes

Southern fried green tomatoes are a delicious snack or appetizer made with tangy green tomatoes and a crispy cornmeal batter. This easy-to-make recipe has been a family favorite for decades and everyone agrees that these fried green tomatoes are addictive!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 314kcal

Author: Ashley Boyd

Equipment

10-inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients

2 medium green tomatoes
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
1 cup buttermilk whole or low-fat
1 large egg
1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Frank's RedHot or Crystal
1 cup 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 small shallow plate or dish, add ½ cup of flour and ½ teaspoon of salt and whisk the ingredients to combine. In a separate shallow dish, such as a baking dish or pie plate, whisk together the other ½ cup of flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper until combined. In a third shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce.
Set up your dredging station by lining up each dish, with the tomatoes first, plain flour second, buttermilk mixture third, and the cornmeal mixture last. Have a large baking sheet nearby to place the tomatoes on after you've breaded them.
Working with one tomato at a time, coat both sides of the tomato in flour, shaking off any excess, then the buttermilk mixture, and lastly 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 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

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 and reheated.
Reheat fried green tomatoes in the oven or an air fryer to crisp the exterior.

Nutrition