My Mississippi-born grandmother taught me how to make this recipe.

I watched my grandmother make fried green tomatoes back in the day. I studied her technique because I wanted to learn how to make this recipe myself. I remember my first time eating this dish—they tasted a little sour, warm, crunchy, and yummy.

This recipe is Southern in origin (my grandmother was born in Mississippi). The dish can be made as a main course or as a side dish. If you serve them as a main dish, you can sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top as soon you remove them from the hot skillet. And if you make them as a side dish, you can serve them with chicken, fish, or beef. They also taste great with a small amount of ranch sauce poured on top.

Ingredients

For dredging:

Flour

Yellow cornmeal

2 eggs

Pinch paprika

Pinch black pepper

Pinch seasoning salt

Additional:

Green tomatoes, sliced

2 tablespoons vegetable, for cooking

Instructions

Slice the green tomatoes. In a bowl, add flour. In a separate bowl, add cornmeal (any brand of yellow cornmeal is ok). In a separate (third) bowl, add the eggs, paprika, black pepper, and seasoning salt. Mix until well combined. Add the vegetable oil to a skillet. Set heat to medium. Take the first green tomato slice and pat each side in the flour. Then dip both sides of the tomato slice into the egg mixture. Then dip both sides of the tomato slice into the cornmeal. Place the tomato slice into the preheated skillet. Continue the dredging process for all tomato slices: first flour, then egg mixture, then cornmeal. When the tomato slices in the skillet are golden brown, flip to the other side. When the tomatoes have browned on both sides, transfer them onto a plate with an absorbent paper towel to drain the excess oil. Serve with ranch dressing on the side. Enjoy!

Green tomatoes are a good source of potassium and vitamins A, C, and K. Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

Benefits of Eating Green Tomatoes

Not only are fried green tomatoes yummy, but they have many nutritional benefits, as well. Most people don't eat green tomatoes when they are raw because they are hard and can upset your stomach. They taste much better when cooked.

Green tomatoes are a good source of potassium and vitamins A, C and K. They also contain iron, beta-carotene, calcium, dietary fiber, magnesium, and other minerals.

Vote!

Further Reading

Dean, Sam. "What's the Deal With Fried Green Tomatoes?" Bon Appétit. August 19, 2013.

"9 Ways With Green Tomatoes." Southern Living. June 13, 2011.

University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture. "Green Tomatoes Offer Health Benefits and More." June 19, 2018.

© 2012 Ann810

Hannah Flack on March 16, 2020:

If you want to spend less time just poke holes in the spaghetti squash with a fork and then cook it in the microwave. I haven’t done one in awhile but I want to say it usually takes about 20 mins. Start with 10-15 mins and check it frequently and once you can stick a fork into it easily or press it and it’s soft (with an oven mitt on!!!) it’s done. Let it cool, then cut and scoop everything out!

Ann810 (author) from Sunny Cali on December 07, 2019:

Yes, the tomatoes fo have to be green to fry them, this recipe is classic.

lsevel on November 17, 2019:

do the tomatoes have to be green? My green ones are turning red.

Kimberly Brown on October 04, 2019:

I followed your recipe and my fried green tomatoes were delicious.

Thank you!

Janice Sawyer on August 05, 2019:

We eat fried green tomatoes in the north as well. I am allergic to gluten and adjusted the recipes. I coat in seasoned GF AP flour, then an egg wash, then I use good quality potato flakes (sometimes I add crushed potato chips also .)They're dipped in ranch.

Ron on July 22, 2019:

Just wondering which seasoning salt do you and your grandmother use?

Sheila Smith on July 13, 2019:

My grandmother would fry these and the ladies would eat them before lunch was served, so we could eat all that we wanted before the men came home for lunch. We drank sweet tea and giggled!

This was in the fifties/sixties. I was born in 1948!!!!

Sharon Seiber on July 02, 2019:

Can you use the air fryer for these? It looks like it.

Wayne on June 19, 2019:

The first time I had them, I was visiting in South Carolina. They were served with a sweet corn relish, and they were heavenly. Does anyone have an authentic recipe for the relish?

William Cross on June 07, 2019:

Great site thank you.

Lisa on November 15, 2018:

Very easy, very tasty, very gone! Thank you for sharing!

Cindy Dungan on October 03, 2018:

I made this tonight and it took me back to my childhood. My momma used the same recipe! Very, very good!

Diana on September 29, 2018:

Hi Fran, Try Farmer's Markets, they usually sell them.

Diana on September 29, 2018:

I made this recipe and it is wonderful. I did make a few changes. I salted and peppered the tomatoes before the flour. I added 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of chili powder to the cornmeal mix not the eggs. Also added Parmesan to the cornmeal mix. I didn't have cornmeal so I used masa harina. It takes more than 2 TBSP of oil so be prepared. Takes about 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of cornmeal using 4 tomatoes as towards the end it gets pretty messy. Fried green tomatoes are wonderful, kind of taste like pork cutlets but better.

Cynthia A on October 05, 2017:

I have used this recipe several times - delicious!

Fran on September 28, 2017:

I have been wanting to try fried green tomatoes for a long time but I have not been able to find green tomatoes in my local supermarkets. Any advice would be appreciated.

Virginia T on August 11, 2017:

A pinch of seasoned salt is not enough, underseasoned.

Lena Durante from San Francisco Bay Area on May 02, 2017:

I love fried green tomatoes! I make them exactly the same way, without any measurements, just by feel.

Brooke on September 12, 2016:

Grew up eating them here in Mn as ripe tomatoes were a rarity when I was a kid. weather too cool. My English grandmother used to make them too. Not necessarily a Southern dish. The corn meal may be the southern touch. My Mom just did flour ,egg & flour. I'm 74 now so this goes back a long way with me. My kids love them too.

Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on October 21, 2015:

Ann, I never had fried green tomatoes, but I've heard of it before, even after the movie came out years ago. This recipe looks delicious with the matching photos to go with it. I would love to try it someday, if I'm brave enough.

Ann810 (author) from Sunny Cali on July 14, 2012:

Hi Cristale, glad you like the fried green tomato recipe, thanks.

Cristale Adams from Florida on July 14, 2012:

This is interesting. I always wondered of a good recipe to cook those tomatoes.

Ann810 (author) from Sunny Cali on July 13, 2012:

Hi Moonlake, thanks for you comment.

Hi Rui, most grandma recipes are traditional, thanks for commenting.

Rui Carreira from Torres Novas on July 13, 2012:

There's something unique in grandma recipes.... maybe an ingredient called nostalgia :) Voted up

moonlake from America on July 13, 2012:

Just about the same way I make. Great recipe looks pretty too. Voted Up