Go Back
–+ servings
overhead view of fried green tomatoes on a wire rack.
Print Recipe Add to Collection
5 from 6 votes

Fried Green Tomatoes

“TOWANDA!” These fried green tomatoes are crispy, crunchy, and so flavorful! Coated in crispy cornmeal and fried to golden perfection!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Total Cost: $6.85 recipe / $1.37 serving
Servings: 5 (3 slices each)
Calories: 292kcal
Author: Jess Rice

Equipment

  • Deep Stainless Steel Skillet

Ingredients

  • 4 large green tomatoes cut into ⅓-inch slices, $3.49*
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour divided, $0.09
  • ½ cup cornmeal $0.38
  • 1 Tbsp BBQ rub powder optional, $0.69
  • 1 tsp salt divided, $0.02
  • ½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.03
  • ½ cup buttermilk $0.32
  • 2 eggs $0.60
  • 1⅓ cups canola oil $1.23**

Instructions

  • Cut the tomatoes into ⅓-inch slices horizontally, discarding the end with the stem and the very bottom which is smooth.
  • Combine ¼ cup flour, ½ cup cornmeal, 1 Tbsp BBQ seasoning powder, and ½ tsp salt in one small bowl. Whisk to combine.***
  • In another small bowl, pour in the remaining ¼ cup flour by itself.
  • In a third bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.
  • In an assembly line fashion, dip your cut tomatoes into the flour, then the buttermilk egg mixture, and finally the cornmeal BBQ seasoning mixture. Place each slice of tomato off to the side and continue this assembly line process until all tomatoes have been dredged in this magical trio!
  • Once your tomatoes are dredged and off to the side, heat up the canola oil in a thick bottom pan on high heat until it is very hot! (Take a droplet of water on your finger and drip it into the pan. Once it lands, if it pops and hisses, it’s ready to fry the tomatoes!)
  • Gently place 3-4 tomatoes (depending on the size of your frying pan) into the hot oil using a spatula. Let the tomatoes fry in the shallow oil for 2-3 minutes. Flip and fry the other side for around the same time, sometimes a minute longer.
  • Remove tomatoes as they are done to a paper towel lined plate or cooling rack so they aren’t sitting in any excess oil.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Green tomatoes have a tart flavor and a firmer texture than fully-ripe tomatoes. These underripe tomatoes can be found at farmers’ markets and the grocery store in early springtime and towards the end of tomato season. If you grow your own tomatoes, don't be afraid to pluck a few before they ripen!
**You want the oil to cover about half of the tomato’s height when it’s in the pan. These aren’t deep fried (completely submerged) so the other side will get nice and crispy when you flip them.
***If you like a thicker crispy fried coating, you can add ½ cup of panko breadcrumbs. The version I tested with ½ cup cornmeal and ½ cup panko also came out fantastic!

Nutrition

Serving: 3tomato slices | Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 539mg | Fiber: 4g