Got a green thumb for Green Tomatoes? This Southern Fried Green Tomatoes recipe is just what you need to handle that bumper crop of fresh, tart goodness this summer. Crispy on the outside, juicy and tart on the inside, with a creamy, spicy remoulade dipping sauce that makes this the best of summer.

A stack of fried green tomatoes on plates with green tomatoes in the background in a basket


Fried Green Tomatoes

Long, lazy summer days are coming to an end a little too soon this year. BUT we do have the flavors of summer still floating around in the form of waaaayyy too many GREEN tomatoes. I mean, really, I don’t know HOW to make these things turn red.

With a much warmer summer, my tomatoes are growing out of control but stopping short of turning red as a form of survival. And I’m not going to let one single tomato go to waste!

If you ever saw the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, apparently, the restaurant (named the Whistle Stop Cafe, I think) served their namesake Fried Green Tomato recipe which I don’t know much about. But what I DO know is that I have had a lot of practice creating what I would think is the BEST Fried Green Tomatoes recipe around because that’s all I know how to grow. I have perfected the art of Fried Green Tomato making.

A bowl of green tomatoes on a blue background

What are Green Tomatoes?

Basically, in a nutshell, Green Tomatoes are unripe tomatoes. Given time, or the appropriate amount of sunlight which is part of my problem, the tomatoes would turn red like a normal tomato.

Green tomatoes are much firmer than a red tomato so they hold up well during the dredging and frying process. You should start to see green tomatoes popping up at the markets in the fall when the temperatures start to cool and it’s not quite warm enough for the tomatoes to turn red. But you can pick green tomatoes off the vine at any time.

photo of sliced green tomatoes on a blue

What do green tomatoes taste like?

Green tomatoes are firm and very acidic giving them a tart flavor. The acidity does mellow out during the frying process leaving you with a slightly sweet/tart very juicy tomato.

Overhead shot of pile of fried green tomatoes with remoulade sauce on a marble board

How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes

The process of making fried tomatoes is super simple. A quick dredge in a flour/egg/breadcrumb mix before frying in a very hot pan until crisp is about all it takes. I had my fried green tomatoes on the table in about 15 minutes.

  1. Wash, dry and slice your tomatoes.
  2. Whisk together the dry dredging ingredients. Set aside.
  3. Whisk together milk and eggs.
  4. In a third bowl, add the panko.
  5. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet.
  6. Dredge the tomatoes slices in the flour mixture, then the milk and finally the panko.
  7. Fry the tomato slices in batches until golden and crispy.
  8. Serve with the spicy remoulade.
Fried Green Tomatoes on a speckled plate with remoulade sauce on a blue background

What Sauce To Serve with Fried Green Tomatoes

You definitely are not required to offer up a fried green tomato sauce but I like to whip up a quick and easy Spicy Southern Remoulade. It’s just a few pantry ingredients that balances the tartness with a sweet creaminess. It’s great as a little topping for your green tomatoes or you can serve it in a big bowl for dipping.

Stack of fried green tomatoes with a wooden fork

What to Serve with Fried Green Tomatoes

I have to say, these are simply the Best Fried Green Tomatoes I ever had and I LOVE to serve them alongside a simple grilled chicken or go totally all southern dinner with this easy Chicken Fried Steak.

More Easy Tomato Recipes

If you’re lucky to get some red tomatoes this year you HAVE to make this super easy (and very popular) Tomato Jam!  It’s great on top of the Fried Green Tomatoes for a double punch of tomato flavor. Or use it like I did for these simple savory cheesecakes that are out of this world!

Fried Green tomatoes with a bite taken on a fork

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A stack of fried green tomatoes on plates with green tomatoes in the background in a basket

Get the Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

Super easy to make Fried Green Tomatoes make the best out of your remaining garden tomatoes. Serve with the Spicy Southern Remoulade for a fun appetizer or side dish.
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

  • 6 Green Tomatoes
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

For the Spicy Southern Remoulade Sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp creole mustard, or other spicy brown mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp capers, minced
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Equipment

  • 1 skillet
  • 3 shallow dredging bowls

Instructions 

  • Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch rounds and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a third small shallow bowl, add the panko. 
  • Heat the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. 
  • Dredge the tomato slices by coating in the flour mixture, the egg mixture and the panko. Working in batches, place the dredged tomatoes in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. 
  • Place the fried tomatoes on a cooling rack to drain and repeat with the remaining tomatoes. To keep warm while working, you can place the fried tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment in a 275 degree oven.

To make the Spicy Southern Remoulade Sauce

  • Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, capers, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt and cayenne to combine. Cover and chill until ready to use.
  • Serve the tomatoes with the sauce, if desired.

Notes

Remoulade sauce can be made up 3 days in advance.
Leftovers are fantastic on sandwiches and fried chicken!
Calories: 401kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 752mg, Potassium: 296mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1250IU, Vitamin C: 24.1mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2.3mg