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With a crispy flour and cornmeal crust, these easy-to-make, golden-fried green tomatoes taste sweet and tender and totally addicting when paired with my simple, creamy garlic aioli dipping sauce.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I made these exactly as you said, with the aioli sauce and they were delicious. Thank you for a great recipe.” -Amy, FoodieCrush reader

Fried Green Tomatoes on wire cooling rack

Perfectly Crispy, Deep Fried Green Tomatoes

With a short growing season here in Utah, it feels like we just barely get our tomato harvest in full swing when it suddenly stops short. Before you know it, those plump and juicy red tomatoes we’ve been carefully cultivating for summertime BLT’s and the balsamic-drizzled caprese salads, are facing the frost of fall.

Not to go to waste, you’re left wondering what to do with the bounty of green tomatoes from the garden. Don’t delay, fry those tomatoes up!

Or, if you’re like me, this simple fried tomato recipe just might have you plucking your green tomatoes well before the late summer harvest, too.

This recipe makes for the perfect summer appetizer or side, but these ‘maters are also perfect between two slices of buttery, toasted white bread for an epic fried green tomato grilled sandwich.

Heidi’s Tips for Frying Green Tomatoes

Use firm, unripened tomatoes. Look for green tomatoes that are lighter in weight than red tomatoes, since they haven’t developed their juice. They’ll likely be very light green in color.
Choose a good tomato for frying. Beefsteak, celebrity, or early girl tomato varieties work best for frying. Heirloom green tomatoes will be juicier if used and may not hold up to the cooking process.
Skip the egg and use buttermilk instead. Some people use an egg mixture for dredging their tomatoes, but I prefer the rich and tender flavor of buttermilk (and its thick coating, which helps the breadcrumb mixture adhere better).
Use a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature. My candy thermometer does double duty to make sure the oil hits 350°F for the perfect temp to create a golden brown crust. Too low of a temp will result in a soggy crust, and too high and you’ll scorch the suckers.

What You’ll Need for the Tomatoes and Breading

The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.

Green tomatoes — Beefsteak, celebrity, or early girl tomato varieties work best for frying
All-purpose flour + cornmeal — The flour helps the breading stick to the green tomatoes, while the cornmeal adds lots of crunch once it’s fried until golden brown.
Buttermilk — If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup of milk.
Breadcrumbs — Use plain breadcrumbs, not Italian or panko.
Spices — Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne are all you need (paprika or even creole seasoning would also be yummy).
Canola, grapeseed, or vegetable oil — For their higher smoke point.

Why fry green tomatoes and not red tomatoes? Green tomatoes (because they’re younger and firmer) stand up better to frying than red tomatoes, which are too soft and delicate and will likely not hold together for frying.

Breaded green tomatoes, ready for frying

How to Fry Green Tomatoes

A mix of cornmeal and breadcrumbs provides the perfect crunch. A pinch of cayenne gives just the right bite. Whisk your dry ingredients together.
Dip the tomatoes into dry, then wet, then dry. Dip in the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then the cornmeal/breadcrumbs. It’s repetitive and oddly therapeutic.

Heidi’s Tip: Use one hand to do the dip and dredge or you’ll have two gummed-up hands instead of just one.

Use a cast-iron skillet or a heavy bottom skillet for frying the fried green tomatoes. I find cast-iron skillets hold the temperature more consistently than a regular skillet, and won’t discolor the pan.
Don’t crowd the pan. Fry your tomatoes in a single layer and remember that as you add the coated tomatoes to the skillet the temperature will drop but will rise as they cook.

What Do Fried Green Tomatoes Taste Like?

To me and my savory side, fried green tomatoes taste like candy. There’s something magical that happens to firm, green tomatoes when they’re coated in a cornmeal crust and fried:

The sugars inside caramelize and sweeten.
The golden cornmeal crust is crunchy yet light.
They’re frigging delicious

Fried Green Tomatoes with dipping sauce on wire rack

My Favorite Dipping Sauces for Fried Green Tomatoes

As an appetizer, I love these fried green tomatoes dipped with:

Pimento cheese
Buttermilk ranch dressing
Tzatziki dip
Creamy avocado salsa verde
A remoulade sauce would also be delish!
Or, squeeze with lemon and eat in their own glory.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.

Fried Green Tomatoes | foodiecrush.com #fried #green #tomatoes #recipe

4.88 from 25 votes

THE BEST Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

These golden fried green tomatoes are dredged in flour, buttermilk, and a cornmeal and breadcrumb mixture then fried in canola oil for a perfectly crispy bite with a sweet and tender tomato inside. 100% addicting.

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Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword fried green tomatoes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 505kcal

Ingredients

For the Fried Green Tomatoes

¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
4 green tomatoes , sliced into ⅜ inch slices (discard the bottoms and tops)
2-3 cups canola or grape seed oil

For the Garlic Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise
1-2 cloves garlic , pressed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch kosher salt

Instructions

For the Fried Green Tomatoes

Scoop the flour onto a plate or in large bowl. Pour the buttermilk into another bowl. Mix the cornmeal, bread crumbs, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne on another plate or in a bowl.
Dip one tomato slice into the flour, tossing so both sides and all of the edges are coated. Dip in the buttermilk then dredge in the cornmeal breadcrumb mixture, gently patting both sides so the coating adheres. Place on a wire rack and continue with the rest of the tomatoes.
Pour enough oil into a cast iron pan to fill it about ½ inch from the bottom. Heat the oil to 350°F. I test my oil's temperature with a candy thermometer.
Fry the tomatoes in batches, about 4 to 6 at a time, flipping once so both sides are lightly browned.
Drain the tomatoes on another wire rack that's set over paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the tomatoes.
Serve the tomatoes hot with the garlic aioli sauce and a squeeze of lemon if you like.

For the Garlic Aioli

Mix the mayonnaise with the other ingredients until blended. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Fried Green Tomatoes with dipping sauce on plate

Freezing Instructions

Like many fried foods, green tomatoes are a good candidate for prepping ahead, freezing, and cooking later.

Slice the green tomatoes, then layer on a cutting board or cookie sheet that will fit into your freezer, lined with wax paper.
Freeze the slices individually, then store the frozen tomato slices in a freezer bag.
When ready to cook, DO NOT THAW.
Prep the still-frozen tomato slices by dredging in the flour, buttermilk, and cornmeal, and cook as instructed.

What to Serve with Fried Green Tomatoes

More Foods Worth Frying

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