Make a batch of classic Southern style Fried Green Tomatoes as a side dish or appetizer! They’re crispy, tangy, delicious, and easy to make.
In the Spring of 2024, my husband and I flew to Tennessee (Nashville and Franklin) to explore the area for a few days before we drove down to northern Georgia to visit my sister and my Mom.
It was our first night in Tennessee, so we went “all in” on “Southern” food. We had a fantastic dinner at Tupelo Honey Cafe, a well-known Southern restaurant located in several states. It was our first time ever going to this restaurant, and wow! We wish we had one here in Oregon because we loved it so much!
My husband and I ordered panko-crusted fried green tomatoes (served on goat cheese grits) for an appetizer, then ordered a “Mac-n-Cheese Waffle with Asheville Hot Fried Chicken” and “Tupelo Shrimp and Grits” for our main dishes. We absolutely loved it all (and the great service) and were amazed at how tangy (but oh so good) the fried green tomatoes were!
I came home from that trip determined to make fried green tomatoes (using our garden tomatoes), but only a simple recipe without grits, etc. A couple months later I picked several GREEN, unripe tomatoes from our little garden and turned to a “Southern” cookbook I’ve owned for many years for a basic recipe.
This is the result… simple fried green tomatoes (no frills) that taste wonderful! Here’s how to use unripe green tomatoes (from your garden or a farmer’s market) to make them.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prepare The Green Tomatoes
Rinse and de-stem 3 firm, unripe green tomatoes, then pat them dry with paper towels. Slice each of the tomatoes into 4″ round slices. Set the tomatoes aside.
In a medium-sized bowl whisk together an egg, milk, salt and black pepper until they are fully combined. Set this mixture aside.
On a large dinner plate, stir yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour together until they’re fully blended.
Dip And Coat the Tomato Slices
Now it’s time to get the green tomato slices ready for frying! Preheat oil to 350°F. in a large skillet (or electric skillet if you have one). While the oil preheats, prepare the tomatoes for frying.
Doing ONE AT A TIME, dip a tomato slice into the egg mixture and turn it until it’s covered. Lift the slice up, letting any excess egg mixture drip back into the bowl.
Immediately lay the tomato slice in the cornmeal/flour mixture and dredge it in this coating, turning until all sides of each slice are covered. Place the prepared slice on the rim of the plate and repeat the process with the other slices.
TIP: Use the same hand for dipping and dredging, because it creates less messy hands! I use a plate for the flour mixture, so I can place coated slices on the rim to rest until they’re all ready to be fried.
Time To Fry The Tomatoes
When the oil has reached 350°F (or 180°C.), it is hot enough to fry the tomatoes. It’s extremely important the oil is at this temperature before beginning so it can crisp and brown the coating on the tomatoes!
Carefully place the tomato slices into the very hot oil (you may have to fry them in batches because you do not want to overcrowd the skillet!
Fry the tomatoes for a total amount of 3-5 minutes per batch, making sure to flip them to the other side about halfway through the frying time. When done, the outer coating should be golden brown in color on both sides and the coating should be crispy.
Remove the fried green tomatoes one at a time from the hot oil with a slotted spatula, to let oil drip back into the skillet. Lay the fried green tomatoes in a single layer on several thicknesses of paper towels, to absorb any remaining oil.
TIP: If you’re making lots (more than one batch), keep the fried green tomatoes warm while you fry up any additional batches. You can do this by placing them on a baking sheet and keeping them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven until you’re done frying and ready to serve all the tomatoes.
Serve The Fried Green Tomatoes
After the fried green tomatoes have rested briefly on the paper towels to absorb any remaining oil, they can be served. Carefully arrange the tomato slices on a serving plate or platter.
If desired, sprinkle them with additional salt or pepper (to taste), then garnish the tomatoes with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve them while they are still hot and enjoy! They should be crispy on the outside and have a slight lemony tartness in each bite.
Note: If you follow the recipe below as written, there should be enough fried green tomatoes for three per serving, but the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to suit your needs.
I hope you have a chance to make these delicious fried green tomatoes, whether you serve them as an appetizer or a side dish! They really are quite simple to make, and I trust you’ll enjoy them as much as we do!
Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!
Looking For More VEGGIE SIDE DISH Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious veggie side dish recipes to choose from, including:
- Fried Okra Fritters
- Country Skillet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Glazed Butternut Squash
- Broccoli Cauliflower Bake
- Brussel Sprout Casserole For Two
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Original recipe source: “The SOUTH – The Beautiful Cookbook”, by Mara Reid Rogers, page 147, published by Harper Collins Publishers in1996
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Make a batch of classic Southern style Fried Green Tomatoes as a side dish or appetizer! They're crispy, tangy, delicious, and easy to make.
- 3 medium firm, unripe green tomatoes cored, each cut into 4 round slices
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoons black pepper
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup sifted all-purpose flour
- vegetable oil, for frying ½" depth in large skillet
Rinse/ de-stem tomatoes and pat dry. Slice tomatoes into 4 slices. Set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk egg, milk, salt and pepper until combined. Set aside.
On a dinner plate, combine cornmeal and flour. Set aside.
Preheat oil to 350°F. in large skillet (or electric skillet). While oil preheats, prepare tomatoes. ONE AT A TIME, dip tomato slice into egg mixture; turn until it's coated on both sides. Lift slice up, letting excess liquid drip back into bowl. Immediately place tomato slice in cornmeal/flour mixture, turning until both sides are covered. Place prepared slice on the rim of the plate; repeat process with remaining slices.
When oil is 350°F (or 180°C.), it is hot enough to fry the tomatoes. Carefully place slices in hot oil (don't overcrowd skillet-fry in batches, if necessary). Fry tomatoes 3-5 minutes per batch, making sure to flip them over halfway through this time. When done, coating should be golden brown on both sides and crispy.
Remove fried tomatoes from the oil with a slotted spatula, to let oil drip back into the skillet. Lay tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels, to drain.
To serve, arrange tomato slices on a serving plate or platter. Sprinkle with salt or pepper (to taste), then garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve warm and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!