Summary
Fried green tomatoes are a classic appetizer that can be eaten with a dipping sauce, a delicious salad, or even a bowl of creamy grits. Although the origins of this dish can be debated, it’s pretty hard to deny the delicious combination of fresh, tart green tomatoes and the savory crunch that comes from frying them.
Your Shopping List
Produce
- Green tomatoes
Pantry Items/Seasonings
- All-purpose flour
- Cornmeal
- Hot sauce
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Caynenne pepper (optional)
- Peanut oil or vegetable oil
Dairy
- Eggs
- Buttermilk (you can also use whole milk or coconut milk)
Equipment/Tools You’ll Need
- Bowls or shallow dishes, for dredging
- Cast iron skillet, for frying
- Wire rack
- Paper towels
Fried Green Tomatoes
Firm tomatoes coated in seasoned flour and fried until gold brown. A perfect appetizer.
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Rate
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $25
Equipment
- Bowls or shallow dishes for dredging stations
- Cast iron pan for frying
- Wire rack for cooling/draining
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 2-3 firm green tomatoes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- a splash of hot sauce
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- Peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
Prepping Tomatoes for Frying
- Slice tomatoes and set aside on paper towels to dry. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl. Combine eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce in another bowl. Combine the remaining flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper, if using, in a third bowl.
- Carefully coat each slice of tomato. First, in the flour mixture. Second, in the egg mixture. Finally, in the flour and cornmeal mixture. Place coated tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or paper towels for easy clean-up.
Frying the Tomatoes
- Add oil to a cast iron skillet (halfway up the side of the skillet) and bring it to 375º F. Add each tomato slice to the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Remove them from the oil and place on a wire rack and/or paper towels to cool and drain.
Notes
- My preference is to slice the tomatoes between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick, but it’s completely up to you. Just make sure they are all a consistent thickness so they cook evenly.
- Feel free to substitute seasoned salt for regular salt.
- Regular paprika will work if you don’t have smoked paprika.
- If you don’t like the extra texture that corn meal adds, just substitute it for a little more flour or breadcrumbs.
- Whole milk, heavy cream, and coconut milk can all be used instead of buttermilk.
- For an easy dipping sauce combine 1/2 cup greek yogurt and/or mayo with 1 tbsp hot sauce and 1 tsp smoked paprika.
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