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Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

Fried green tomatoes with a panko-cornmeal blend coating that turns deep golden and shatter-crisp. The tart tomato slices get dredged in flour, egg, and a crunchy cornmeal-panko mix, then served with a tangy blue cheese dipping sauce.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
drain 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fried green tomatoes
  • 4 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick Use firm, unripe green tomatoes for best texture.
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tbsp buttermilk
  • 0.75 cup cornmeal
  • 0.25 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt and pepper Season to taste; amount reflects typical dredging seasonings.
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying Enough to shallow-fry for a deep golden crust.
Blue cheese dipping sauce
  • 0.33 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp chives

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Salt and drain tomatoes
  1. Slice the green tomatoes 1/4-inch thick and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Drain for 15 min, then pat completely dry with no visible moisture.
Mix coating
  1. Combine the cornmeal and panko breadcrumbs, then stir in the garlic powder and smoked paprika to make the coating blend.
Dredge
  1. Dredge each tomato slice in flour, then dip into the beaten eggs mixed with buttermilk, and finally press firmly into the cornmeal-panko coating.
Fry
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet with vegetable oil to 350°F and fry the tomatoes for 2–3 min per side until deep golden.
  2. Transfer fried tomatoes to a rack to drain so the crust stays crisp rather than steaming.
Make dip and serve
  1. Stir together the blue cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and chives until smooth and tangy.
  2. Serve the blue cheese dipping sauce immediately with the fried tomatoes while the coating is crisp.

Notes

For the crunch, pat the salted tomato slices completely dry before dredging; any surface moisture will soften the coating. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 2 days, but re-crisp in a 425°F oven for 5–8 minutes rather than reheating in a microwave. Freezing is not recommended because the texture of fried coating suffers after thawing. If you want a lighter dip, substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream for a tangy, lower-fat option.