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Home » Recipe Index » Appetizers

Classic Fried Green Tomatoes

Published: Jul 11, 2021 · Modified: Apr 8, 2025 by Kris Longwell · This post may contain affiliate links

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Green tomatoes have a tangy taste, but also a hint of sweetness. Find them during the summer months, just before tomatoes peak. We love serving them with our homemade ranch, which can be made several days before!

A platter filled with freshly made classic fried green tomatoes with a bowl of Ranch dressing sitting next to them.
Jump to:
  • 🍶 The Ingredients
  • 🍅 Substitutions and Variations
  • 👩🏼‍🍳 How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes
  • 🔥Methods for Cooking Fried Green Tomatoes
  • 🍽️ When And How To Serve
  • 🙋🏽‍♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
  • 😎 Other Spring or Summer Appetizer Recipes
  • Fried Green Tomatoes

🍶 The Ingredients

The simple ingredients come together beautifully to create a slightly sweet and slightly tangy appetizer that delights the palate with every bite.

The ingredients for fried green tomatoes displayed on a white background, including sliced green tomatoes, cornmeal, flour, eggs, buttermilk, salt, and pepper, all arranged neatly for easy preparation.

🍅 Substitutions and Variations

  • Tomatoes – Green tomatoes are plentiful in the spring and early summer. You want under-ripened tomatoes. If you can’t find green, look for any tomato that is not fully ripened. This recipe will also work for pickles, zucchini, or squash.
  • Cream – Buttermilk is traditional, however, whole milk or half and half will work great, too. For extra crispy, dredge them in the buttermilk and breading twice.
  • Flavor Enhancers – There is a lot of flavor in the green tomatoes, but you’ll want to bump up the flavor of the breading. Regular paprika can be substituted for smoked. Cayenne pepper gives a little ‘zip’ to the breading, but not much. For no heat at all, simply omit the cayenne.
  • Breading – We find that a combination of Panko breadcrumbs and fine cornmeal delivers the best breading for texture, flavor, and crunch. Regular breadcrumbs can be substituted for Panko. We don’t recommend coarse cornmeal (it’s just too coarse).

Expert Tip

When in season, many types of fresh tomatoes are available at markets, vegetable stands, and possibly even in your garden! You can find tomatoes that are green in color and fully ripened.  Although extremely delicious, these aren’t the ones we want for this dish. Under-ripe is best!

👩🏼‍🍳 How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes

A person using a chef's knife to slice a green tomato on a wooden cutting board.
  1. Step 1: Slice the green tomatoes.
A person dredging a sliced green tomato in all-purpose flour in a square pan.
  1. Step 2: Dredge in flour. 
A person submerging a floured slice of green tomato into buttermilk that is in a square metal pan.
  1. Step 3: Dip into buttermilk and shake off excess.
A person dredging a slice of green tomato through a cornmeal and breadcrumb mixture after it has been dredged in flour and then buttermilk.
  1. Step 4: Dredge in cornmeal mixed with breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. 
Several fried green tomatoes being deep fried in hot oil in a large cast-iron skillet.
  1. Step 5: Fry in hot oil until golden
A person plunging half of a fried green tomato into a small white bowl filled with homemade Ranch dressing.
  1. Step 6: Serve hot with Ranch dressing.

🔥Methods for Cooking Fried Green Tomatoes

  • Fry – Pour enough vegetable oil in a sturdy skillet, such as cast-iron so it’s about ½-inch to 1 inch in depth. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and use a candy thermometer (if possible) to get the oil to 350°F. Fry the breaded tomatoes in batches, 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels
  • Bake – Preheat your oven to 375°F and place the breaded tomatoes on a baking sheet. Cook for 15 minutes, then carefully flip them, and then cook for another 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
  • Air-Fry – Preheat your air-fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the basket and breaded tomatoes with oil. Working in batches, air-fry them for 5 minutes, open the basket and flip them, then fry another 3 minutes.

🍽️ When And How To Serve

  • We love serving these as an appetizer for guests on a warm summer afternoon. Serve them piping hot. Since they cook so quickly, you can prep them an hour before serving and then fry them right up as guests arrive.
  • They are beautiful on a platter with a bowl of our easy homemade ranch dressing or Cajun remoulade.
  • These are wonderful served with classic summer favorites like best-grilled chicken, Southern baked beans, and finished off with banana pudding trifle.

🙋🏽‍♂️ Frequently Asked Questions

When and where can I find green tomatoes?

Typically, green tomatoes are in season in spring and early summer, before tomatoes are fully ripened. You can find them in the produce section of many supermarkets, vegetable markets, or farmstands.

Are fried green tomatoes healthy?

Since they fry very quickly in the oil, they are not overly saturated with the oil. For an even healthier version, you can bake them or fry them in your air fryer.

Can fried green tomatoes be reheated?

Yes. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the basket and breaded tomatoes with oil. Working in batches, air-fry them for 5 minutes, open the basket and flip them, then fry another 3 minutes. Or, simply reheat them on the skillet in a little oil until crispy.

A person holding up two halves of a fried green tomato so the green interior is visible as well as a platter of the fried tomatoes nearby.

😎 Other Spring or Summer Appetizer Recipes

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    Fried Asparagus
  • An overhead view of four large tomatoes that have been split in half and roasted with bread crumbs in the cavity.
    Stuffed Tomatoes
  • An assortment of deviled eggs in a white deviled egg tray.
    Deviled Eggs (3 Ways)
  • A molcajete filled with fresh guacamole topped with tomatoes and bacon
    Best-Ever Guacamole

Ready to make the best summer dish this side of the Whistle Stop Café (Google it)? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a picture of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

A platter filled with freshly made classic fried green tomatoes with a bowl of Ranch dressing sitting next to them.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes are a celebration of all that's delicious in summer. Find green tomatoes at markets, vegetable stands, or even your own garden, before tomatoes are ripe and red. If you can't find them, ask someone at your local vegetable market to get some for you.
4.50 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 304kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

  • Large, sturdy skillet (ie, cast-iron)

Ingredients

  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup cornmeal finely ground, heaping
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs heaping
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 3 medium green tomatoes sliced about ¼" to ½", usually 3 slices each
  • Ranch dressing for dipping

Instructions

  • Add enough of the oil to a large sturdy skillet (ie, cast-iron) to fill it to about ½-inch to 1-inch in depth. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F.
    vegetable oil
  • Meanwhile, set up a dredging station with three small to medium-sized baking pans or bowls. Place the flour in the first pan, buttermilk in the second, and mix in the third pan the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
    1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup cornmeal, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Place the sliced tomatoes first in the flour, flipping to coat and cover. Shake off excess and then lower into the buttermilk. Shake off excess and then add to the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use your fingers to help the breading adhere to the tomato. It's okay if the tomato is not 100% coated with the breading.
    3 medium green tomatoes
  • Working in batches, carefully add the tomatoes to the hot oil. Cook them for about 2 minutes, and then use a fork and metal spatula or tongs to carefully flip the tomatoes over. Fry for another couple of minutes, or until they are golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining tomatoes.
  • Serve at once with homemade ranch dressing (or your favorite dipping sauce).
    Ranch dressing

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video near the top of the recipe for visual guidance.
Be sure to select green tomatoes that are unripe vine tomatoes.  Don’t use naturally green tomatoes, such as heirloom. 
You’ll typically get about 3 slices per tomato, yielding 9 fried tomatoes. The recipe can easily be doubled if serving a group. 
See instructions in the blog post for baking or air-frying the tomatoes.
The tomatoes reheat perfectly in an air-fryer for just a couple of minutes at 400°F.  Though they won’t be nearly as crunchy, they’re still delicious at room temperature. 
The homemade ranch can be made several days in advance, and we think is the perfect accompaniment for the tomatoes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 757mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

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Comments

  1. Mary L OConnor says

    July 25, 2021 at 9:01 pm

    Kris and Wes–Just made these for dinner–absolutely delicious! I’ve made fried green tomatoes several times, and this is the best recipe I’ve tried. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      July 26, 2021 at 5:00 pm

      Hi Mary!! That is so wonderful to hear! They really are quintessential summer deliciousness, right? Thank you so much for letting us know!! We appreciate that very much!! Best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply
  2. Stephen McAnally says

    July 11, 2021 at 10:33 pm

    4 stars
    These are also great with Tzatziki sauce.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      July 14, 2021 at 4:57 pm

      Oh, yes indeed, Steve!! Sounds wonderful!!! We need to whip up a batch with our next round of FGTs! Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  3. Clem says

    July 11, 2021 at 3:22 pm

    I just saw this recipe arrive into my Inbox, and I had to say something. My wife and I love green fried tomatoes. The first time I tried them was in August of 2001 at a couple’s house we went to visit in Ohio. Since childhood, I always ate green tomatoes in salads. We lived in NYC, and my mother told my uncle that if he went to New Jersey, to look for green tomatoes because they were difficult to find in NYC. This older couple new that I like eating green tomatoes. Since I was the guest of honor. Roberta made green fried tomatoes for us. After getting back home from the visit, Claire (my wife) tired making them with some tomatoes a friend of hers gave her from her garden. That was the last time we had green fried tomatoes. In the Fall of 2019, we moved down to North Carolina (Durham/Chapel Hill border). Now we can find green tomatoes everywhere; and I can even plant tomatoes in my gardens. There will be no shortage of green tomatoes now! When I saw the email, I told Claire that: “There is a recipe for green fried tomatoes from the guy of the Chicken Francese, and the Fried Mozzarella recipes.” (That is how she knows who you are.) “Get it!”, she said. So I did! Thank you for so many wonderful recipes. One quick question…is there a recipe for the sauce somewhere on your site?

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      July 16, 2021 at 3:13 pm

      Hi Clem! Just realized we didn’t respond to this wonderful comment! So so sorry about that! We LOVE that your wife knows who we are by our recipes! That’s awesome! Fried green tomatoes are not only delicious, but they bring back so many wonderful many memories for so many people. We really hope you both love this recipe as much as we do! Please let us know if you make them (or have made them) and what you think of them! I think you’re asking about the Homemade Ranch Dressing…click the link for the full recipe! Best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply
      • Clem says

        July 17, 2021 at 7:27 am

        5 stars
        Hi Kris. That is quite alright! Thank you for the link to the Homemade Ranch Dressing!!!

  4. Vivian says

    July 11, 2021 at 2:54 pm

    I am not a big fan of these but my husband LOVES them so I will make them for him. However; I do love ranch dressing, so thank you for the addition of that recipe!

    Reply
4.50 from 2 votes

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