American · Side · Easy
Fried Green Tomatoes
Thick slices of tart green tomato in a crunchy golden cornmeal crust, fried crisp and served hot. A Southern classic that turns an unripe tomato into the best thing on the table.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Fried Green Tomatoes, in 5 ideas
- Firm, fully green tomatoes hold their shape; any pink spots will go mushy in the pan.
- A cornmeal-heavy dredge is the signature crunch, do not swap it for plain flour.
- Press the coating on firmly and rest the slices 5 minutes before frying so it sticks.
- Fry in a single layer without crowding or the crust steams instead of crisping.
- Serve within minutes of frying, the crust softens as it sits.
What you need
Ingredients
- 3 large firm green tomatoes, cut into 1cm slices
- 100g fine yellow cornmeal
- 60g all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 60ml buttermilk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 120ml vegetable oil, for frying
How to make it
Directions
- Lay the tomato slices on a tray and sprinkle both sides lightly with half the salt. Let stand for 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Set up three shallow bowls: one with the flour, one with the eggs beaten together with the buttermilk, and one with the cornmeal mixed with the remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne.
- Dredge each slice in flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the egg mixture, then press firmly into the seasoned cornmeal. Rest the coated slices for 5 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the slices in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp.
- Lift out with a slotted spatula and drain on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the bottoms stay crisp. Season with a pinch more salt and serve hot.
Green tomatoes are often cheapest at farmers markets late in the season when growers clear vines before frost. Buy a bag and fry the batch, they reheat terribly so plan to eat them fresh.