What kind of tomatoes do you use for fried green tomatoes?

Firm, fully green (unripe) tomatoes. They’re tart and sturdy, which is exactly what you want — ripe tomatoes are too soft and watery and they’ll fall apart in the dredge.

Why are my fried green tomatoes soggy?

Two usual culprits: you skipped salting the slices (which pulls out water), or your oil wasn’t hot enough. Salt and drain the tomatoes, chill them after breading, and hold the oil at a steady 350°F.

Can I make fried green tomatoes ahead of time?

You can prep ahead — bread the tomatoes and whip the goat cheese up to a few hours in advance and keep both chilled. Fry right before serving, since the crust is best fresh out of the oil.

What do you serve with fried green tomatoes?

They shine as an appetizer just like this, stacked with goat cheese and red pepper jelly. They’re also great alongside southern plates — think collard greens, baked beans, or anything off the grill.

Southern Fried Green Tomatoes with Whipped Goat Cheese

Name: Southern Fried Green Tomatoes with Whipped Goat Cheese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 3 green tomatoes, sliced; Salt, for drawing out moisture; 1 cup all-purpose flour; ½ tablespoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2 eggs; ¼ cup hot sauce; ⅔ cup cornmeal; ½ cup all-purpose flour; ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 tablespoon black pepper; High-heat oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut); 5 oz goat cheese, crumbled; 2 tablespoons honey; 3 tablespoons heavy cream; Red pepper jelly; Crumbled goat cheese; Fresh basil, torn

Description

Crispy southern fried green tomatoes with a cornmeal-panko crust, stacked over honey-whipped goat cheese and a swipe of red pepper jelly. The easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer that always disappears first.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Tomatoes

3 green tomatoes, sliced
Salt, for drawing out moisture

For the Flour Dredge (Bowl 1)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Egg Wash (Bowl 2)

2 eggs
1/4 cup hot sauce

For the Cornmeal Coating (Bowl 3)

2/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

For Frying

High-heat oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut)

For the Honey Whipped Goat Cheese

5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons heavy cream

To Build

Red pepper jelly
Crumbled goat cheese
Fresh basil, torn

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Slice 3 green tomatoes and lay them on paper towels. Salt both sides and let them sit while you set up the dredge.
In bowl 1, whisk 1 cup flour, ½ tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
In bowl 2, beat 2 eggs with ¼ cup hot sauce.
In bowl 3, stir together ⅔ cup cornmeal, ½ cup flour, ⅔ cup panko, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper.
Dredge each tomato slice in order: flour, then egg, then the cornmeal mix. Press to coat.
Lay the breaded slices on a plate and chill for 20 minutes.
Heat high-heat oil to 350°F.
Fry the slices 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply golden. Drain on paper towels.
Blend 5 oz goat cheese, 2 tablespoons honey, and 3 tablespoons heavy cream until smooth and fluffy.
Smear red pepper jelly on the plate. Layer on whipped goat cheese, a fried tomato, more jelly, another tomato, more goat cheese, and a final swipe of jelly.
Top with crumbled goat cheese and torn fresh basil. Serve right away.

Notes

Salting the tomatoes and chilling them after breading are the two non-negotiables for a crust that stays crispy instead of sliding off.

Make-ahead: bread the tomatoes and whip the goat cheese up to a few hours ahead and keep both chilled. Fry right before serving.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Frying
Cuisine: Southern