In the Southern United States, crispy fried green tomatoes are a popular side dish, and it's easy to see why. They're crunchy, tangy and full of flavor. However, if you don't live in the South and love to cook at home, you'll be glad to know that this recipe can be made in just a few steps. To make it, you'll need green underripe tomatoes. The availability of green tomatoes depends on where you live. If you live in the North, green tomatoes are more common in the summer and fall. If you live in the South, you'll be able to find green tomatoes all year round! And if you own a tomato plant, you can simply pick the green tomatoes before they ripen.
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Things You'll Need
2 large green tomatoes (underripe and firm)
1 cup white flour or cornmeal
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
Tip
In the Northern United States, crispy fried green tomatoes are often made with white flour. In the South, they're often made with cornmeal. You can even use a combination of 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup corn meal. Feel free to use whatever you prefer or have on hand.
If you want to cook more than two tomatoes, simply double, triple, etc. the entire recipe.
Step 1
Cut away the top and bottom of each tomato. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick pieces.
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Step 2
In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs until combined. In a shallow dish, mix the breadcrumbs and spices together. Place the flour, buttermilk-egg mixture and breadcrumbs next to each other to create an "assembly line."
Step 3
Work with one slice of tomato at a time. First, coat the tomatoes with flour.
Step 4
Dip the tomatoes in the buttermilk-egg mixture until covered.
Step 5
Coat the tomatoes in breadcrumbs. Shake off the excess and place on a plate.
Step 6
Once all the tomatoes are coated, fill a pan with 1/4 inch of oil. Set the burner to medium-high. Fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Tip
If you have leftover batter ingredients, use the same process to make fried pickles.
Step 7
Remove the cooked tomatoes and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
When it comes to dips, anything goes. Ranch dressing, ketchup, guacamole and garlic aioli sauce are delicious options. For a quick and creamy sauce, whip together mayonnaise or sour cream with spices of your choice.
