Fried green tomatoes aren’t just a Southern favorite. Each region has it’s specialties, and many families have their favorite fried green tomatoes recipes handed down the generations. I fondly remember my grandmother’s fried green tomatoes. They were melt in your mouth delicious.
Some use egg and/or milk, others don’t. Some use a cornmeal flour mix and others use just flour. A few add a little sugar, like Grandma Horton in the recipe shared below. For seasonings, most use just salt, or salt and pepper, but some use fresh or dried herbs like dill or Italian seasoning.
If you want to try making healthier fried green tomatoes, we have some tips for that too.
Healthy Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe
Okay, so fried foods are known to not be that healthy, yet we all (or most of us) tend to love them.
We try to eat healthier as much as possible, so when we make this fried green tomatoes recipe we adjust a few things.
If you have an air fryer, you can try these same fried green tomato recipes in the air fryer.
Healthier Ingredient Swaps
Flours & Meal
- Organic whole wheat flour
- Organic cornmeal
Low Glycemic Alternative Sweeteners (when using sugar)
For the hint of sweet we use low glycemic sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia or erythritol. If substituting with a liquid sweetener variety, you can add it to the egg batter.
Healthiest Cooking Oils
These are our favorites because they’re touted as healthiest cooking oils that stand up to high heat.
- Olive oil – We use Kirkland’s; the best price is typically at Costco
- Avocado oil
As you can see in our photo below, we use a lot less oil and the fried green tomatoes still taste great.
Serving Suggestions – Foods That Go With
What are your favorite foods to enjoy with your fried green tomatoes? Here are some of ours.
What to Eat With Fried Green Tomatoes
- Mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, grilled chicken
- Glazed carrots, collard greens, asparagus and cornbread
- Fresh tomato sandwich or grilled cheese and tomato sandwich
- Fresh cooked salmon with asparagus
- Stuffed chicken pita
- BBQ Shortribs and mashed potatoes
- Roasted Zucchini and Summer squash sandwich
We could keep on going but we’re getting hungry just thinking about it, so time to head to the kitchen. 😉
If you want to know more about growing tomatoes please visit our gardening website.
Grandma’s Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 whole green tomatoes sliced
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar (sprinkled on tomatoes or add to flour mix)
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste, or omit
- 2 eggs whisked
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes
- Sprinkle sugar lightly on tomato slices
- Whisk egg/s in a bowl
- Mix cornmeal and flour, 1-1 ratio In another bowl with salt & pepper (to taste)
- Add oil to skillet and heat on medium heat until oil sizzles when sprinkled with drops of water
- Dip tomatoes into whipped egg
- Drop egg-dipped tomato into flour-cornmeal mix and turn to coat meal
- Heat oil in skillet
- Fry meal-mix coated tomatoes in hot oiled skillet, turning as needed until golden brown on each side
Notes
MORE FRIED GREEN TOMATOES RECIPES
Fried Green Tomatoes With Fresh Herbs
Fried Green Tomatoes With Fresh Herbs
~Deb Milton
Ingredients
- 4 whole green tomatoes sliced
- 1.5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt or regular salt and use fresh minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste, or omit
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme or 1.5 teaspoons dried
- 1.5 teaspoons fresh rosemary or 3/4 tsp. dried
- 1.5 teaspoons fresh oregano or 3/4 tsp. dried
- 1.5 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped (or 3/4 tsp. dried)
- 2 eggs whisked (optional – use if thicker batter is desired)
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or more as needed
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes and place in a single layer in a colander or on a cutting board or cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
- Sprinkle with salt and set aside to drain, which improves cooked consistency.
- Whisk egg/s in a bowl (if using eggs)
- Mix flour in another bowl with all seasonings and herbs
- Add oil to skillet and heat on medium heat until oil shimmers
- Dip tomatoes into whisked egg (or straight into cornmeal if not using egg)
- Drop egg-dipped tomato slices into seasoned flour mixture and turn to coat; lay on parchment papers on cookie sheet or cutting board as you go.
- Heat oil in skillet
- Fry flour-herb coated tomatoes in hot oiled skillet, turning as needed until golden brown on each side
- Line in single layer on paper towels to absorb excess oil