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Home » Recipes

Shortcut Fried Green Tomatoes

Shortcut Fried Green Tomatoes on 100 Days of Real Food

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In the world of food, few things make me happier than the start of tomato season! Thanks to a greenhouse grower here in North Carolina, we're lucky enough to start seeing locally grown tomatoes at our farmers' market as early as April and sometimes even March (depending on the season). Granted, you have to set your alarm to get in line early, but it's oh. so. worth. it!

Many Fried Green Tomato recipes involve lots of steps, including a milk bath and adding seasonings and regular flour to your corn meal. I'm sure they all taste fabulous, but my goal in the kitchen is almost always quick and easy (and tasting great, of course!). So I literally just coat my sliced green tomatoes in corn meal and fry them up in a cast iron skillet for the quickest and easiest of all Fried Green Tomato recipes. Then I whip together a 3-ingredient sauce, and let me tell you what - they are gone in no time. If you've never tried this southern delicacy, you are definitely missing out! Better late than never, though. So get cooking. :)

Shortcut Fried Green Tomatoes on 100 Days of Real Food
Shortcut Fried Green Tomatoes on 100 Days of Real Food

Shortcut Fried Green Tomatoes

Last weekend at the market my daughters and I were picking through the lovely stock of red tomatoes when my 9-year-old saw the green ones and begged me to make fried green tomatoes. Okay, twist my arm. :) I came up with a quick way to cook these on the stovetop for a tasty snack ... and included a yummy dipping sauce!
5 Average
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 35 minutes mins
Course: Snacks & Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Egg Free, Gluten Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

For the Dipping Sauce

  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

For the Tomatoes

  • 2 green tomatoes (weighing 12-14 ounces total)
  • ⅔ cup whole-grain cornmeal (finely ground)
  • ghee ((aka clarified butter) or other high-temperature cooking oil)
  • salt (to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)

Instructions
 

  • To make the dipping sauce, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Thinly slice the green tomatoes (about ¼-inch thick) and dredge both sides in the cornmeal.
  • Heat a thin layer of clarified butter (ghee) in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook in batches until tender when pierced with a fork and both sides are golden brown, a couple minutes per side. To prevent the skillet from getting dry, add more ghee when necessary. Wipe out the skillet in-between batches (otherwise the crumbs will burn).
  • Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate, season with salt and pepper, and serve warm with dipping sauce.

Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Shortcut Fried Green Tomatoes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 71 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 31mg1%
Potassium 166mg5%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 575IU12%
Vitamin C 15.6mg19%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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1.2K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Amanda R. says

    May 25, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    Not a huge fan of fried green tomatoes, but this is the way to do them. Even the dipping sauce was tasty!

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      May 26, 2020 at 9:25 am

      Glad to hear you enjoyed them! - Nicole

      Reply
  2. Jennie says

    May 25, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    5 stars
    Sounds perfect, I use same recipe except soometimes I add in cayenne and turmeric. But MUST try the dipping sauce. Sounds like a perfect compliment.

    Reply
  3. Kristen Weese says

    May 22, 2016 at 8:02 pm

    and even quicker, fry in coconut oil, and add salt and pepper for seasoning, no flour or cornmeal needed. Though I might need to do cornmeal and sour cream soon!

    Reply
  4. Janice says

    May 22, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    This looks good and I'll give it a try when ours start to come in. Could this be done for eggplant? We planted some in our garden this year for the first time, so I'm looking for ideas.

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      June 03, 2016 at 11:28 am

      Hi. We've not tried this with eggplant. Let us know how it turns out!

      Reply
    • Liz Chilcott says

      June 20, 2016 at 12:31 pm

      I have done pretty much the same with eggplant too.

      Reply
  5. Candi says

    May 22, 2016 at 10:41 am

    I use a mixture of flour and cornmeal. Delish!

    Love love love fried green tomatoes.

    Reply
  6. Emily says

    May 19, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    Oh, yum!! Do they sell tomatoes green at the grocery store? We are undergoing a huge garden remodel right now and I am getting a late start getting my tomato plants in, but I'd love to try this recipe soon!

    Reply
    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says

      June 03, 2016 at 11:20 am

      They do but they are best when you get fresh from the a farmer's market. :)

      Reply
  7. SmartAlex says

    May 18, 2016 at 7:37 pm

    I've always made my FGTs the same way. And I'm looking forward to trying your sauce. But you know what else makes a nice combination? Peach and Pepper jelly. Which is great because I love Peach and Pepper jelly and I haven't found many other uses for it,,,,

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      May 19, 2016 at 12:09 pm

      I love pepper jelly! Never had peach though ...sounds good :)

      Reply
  8. Kimberly Beasley says

    May 17, 2016 at 6:55 pm

    My favorite fried green tomatoes are still the way I grew up eating them. Not fully green...a little orange to make them sweeter. In a bowl you put flour, salt and pepper and mix. Coat the tomato slices and fry in butter or oil. More delicious than any others I've ever had!

    Reply
    • June M. says

      May 20, 2016 at 12:54 pm

      Second the flour! I can't stand fried green tomatoes with cornmeal!

      Reply
  9. Taste of France says

    May 17, 2016 at 3:01 pm

    OK, so have you seen the movie? It's old now, but all the more reason.

    Reply
    • Jessy says

      May 17, 2016 at 3:36 pm

      One of the best movies ever!

      Reply
    • Lisa says

      May 19, 2016 at 12:09 pm

      Long ago! :)

      Reply
  10. Maureen @Raising The Capable Student says

    May 17, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    These look yummy and doable. For me, quick is sometimes more of a requirement than perfection!

    Reply

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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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