Easy Fried Green Tomatoes

I made fried green tomatoes last Tuesday and they actually turned out right this time. The buttermilk does something to cut through that sour bite green tomatoes have, and the Shrimp-Fri coating gets crunchier than regular cornmeal ever did for me.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Shrimp-Fri coating sticks way better than anything I’ve tried before
• The buttermilk soak mellows out that sharp green tomato flavor without killing it completely
• Takes 35 minutes start to finish
• You don’t need a deep fryer, just a regular pan with some oil works
• That first bite has this loud crunch that regular breading never gave me
• The remoulade sauce is tangy enough to balance all the fried richness

The Story Behind This Recipe

I kept screwing up buttermilk fried tomatoes because I was too gentle with the coating. My mom told me last month to really press the Shrimp-Fri in there, like you’re mad at it, and that’s what finally worked. I picked up green tomatoes at the farmer’s market on a Tuesday morning and tested this after work around 6:30. The firmness matters more than I thought — one tomato was slightly soft and it basically fell apart in the oil. I’m writing this down now because I’ll forget the pressing thing by next week otherwise. My roommate ate four slices standing at the counter so I guess it’s decent enough to share.

What You Need

You need firm green tomatoes that don’t give when you press them. I grabbed three medium ones from the market and sliced them maybe half an inch thick after washing them under cold water. Too thin and they’ll break apart in the oil, too thick and the inside stays raw while the outside burns.

Buttermilk is the only thing that works here. I tried regular milk once and the coating slid right off. You need enough to dunk each slice completely, so maybe a cup and a half depending on how many tomatoes you’re doing. The acid does something to the tomato that regular milk just can’t.

The Shrimp-Fri coating is what makes this whole thing work instead of falling apart. I keep a box in my pantry now because regular cornmeal never gave me that shell-like crunch. You’ll use about a cup but pour extra on a plate so you can really pack it on there.

Vegetable oil for frying, around half a cup if you’re using a regular pan. I heat it to 365°F which sounds specific but it matters — too hot and you get burnt coating with raw tomato, too cool and everything gets greasy and sad.

How to Make Fried Green Tomatoes

Wash your green tomatoes under cold water and slice them into even rounds. I aimed for half an inch but honestly I eyeballed it and a couple came out thicker. The firmness matters way more than perfect uniform slices, so if one feels soft just set it aside for something else.

Get your buttermilk in a shallow bowl and dump your Shrimp-Fri coating on a plate. Dunk each slice completely in the buttermilk until it’s dripping. Then take that wet slice and press it into the coating like you’re really trying to make it stick. My mom wasn’t kidding about the pressing part — I pushed down hard enough that I could see my fingerprints in the coating.

Flip it over and press the other side just as hard. If you see bald spots, add more coating and press again. The whole slice should look thick and fuzzy with that yellowish Shrimp-Fri stuck all over it.

Heat your oil to 365°F in whatever you’re using. I have a deep fryer now but a regular pan works if you have a thermometer. Drop the coated slices in carefully because that oil will pop at you if you’re careless. Don’t crowd them or the temperature drops and everything gets soggy.

They need about 3 to 5 minutes per side. You’re listening for a steady sizzle and watching for the edges to turn this deep golden color that’s almost tan. When you flip them the first side should look crunchy with little bubbles all over the surface.

Pull them out when both sides hit that color and set them on paper towels. The weird thing I noticed is that if you nail it, they don’t really leave much grease on the paper at all. Like the coating sealed itself shut or something.

Hit them with remoulade sauce while they’re still hot. The tang cuts through all that fried richness and makes you want to eat another one immediately.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t press the Shrimp-Fri coating hard enough because I thought I was supposed to be gentle with it. Half the coating fell off in the oil and I ended up with these sad pale patches that were just wet tomato. My roommate watched me flip them and said they looked like they had a skin disease which was accurate but rude. The ones that did have coating were actually good though so I knew the recipe worked, I was just being too timid about the whole pressing thing.

Easy Fried Green Tomatoes

By Emma

Prep:

15 min

Cook:

20 min

Total:

35 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• Green tomatoes, washed and sliced
• Buttermilk, enough to dunk slices
• Shrimp-Fri coating, enough to coat slices thoroughly
• Vegetable oil for frying, about 1/2 cup or use deep fryer oil

Method

1. 1 Slice the green tomatoes into even rounds after washing thoroughly. The firmness is key here, these must hold up during frying or you’ll end up with mush.
2. 2 Submerge each slice in buttermilk until fully coated. The tangy buttermilk softens the sharpness of tomatoes and helps the crust stick later.
3. 3 Press each buttermilk-soaked slice firmly into the Shrimp-Fri coating. You’ll want a thick, even layer stuck well. If it’s patchy, it won’t crisp right. Don’t be shy about pressing.
4. 4 Heat your oil to about 365°F. I prefer my deep fryer, but a sturdy pan with 1/2 cup vegetable oil works fine. Fry the coated slices carefully in batches; listen for the sizzle and watch for a deep golden brown developing around 3-5 minutes per side. The edges will look crunchy and bubbling.
5. 5 Drain fried tomatoes on paper towels to cut any excess oil. The sound should be silent when done properly—not greasy.
6. 6 Hit them with remoulade sauce generously. This punchy sauce adds moisture and a spicy zip everyone craves.

Nutritional information

Calories

200

Protein

4g

Carbs

15g

Fat

15g

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Tips for the Best Fried Green Tomatoes

The oil temperature drops fast when you add cold tomato slices. I started checking it between batches with my thermometer and bumping the heat back up if it fell below 350°F because that’s when things got greasy instead of crisp.

Your paper towels matter more than you’d think. I stack three sheets thick so the bottom ones soak up oil while the top layer keeps the coating from sticking and tearing off when you move them.

If you’re frying more than one batch, keep the finished ones warm in a 200°F oven on a wire rack. Just don’t stack them or the bottoms get soggy from trapped steam, which totally kills that crunch you worked for.

The remoulade tastes better if you make it while the oil heats up and let it sit for 10 minutes. Something about the flavors mixing together while you’re not looking at it.

I noticed the Shrimp-Fri coating tastes different after sitting on the coated tomatoes for more than 2 minutes before frying. It gets gummy. So I coat and drop them in the oil right away now instead of lining them all up first.

Serving Ideas

I put these on top of a green salad with ranch dressing and it actually made sense together. The cold lettuce against the hot fried tomatoes woke up my mouth in a way that felt right.

My roommate made a sandwich with them the next morning. Two slices of white bread, mayo, bacon and a fried tomato slice reheated in the oven for 5 minutes.

They’re also good next to scrambled eggs for breakfast if you have leftovers, which I didn’t think would work but the egg yolk mixing with the buttermilk fried tomatoes coating was better than it sounds.

Variations

You can swap regular cornmeal for the Shrimp-Fri coating but you’ll lose that really tight seal it creates. I did this once when I ran out and the cornmeal was grainier, less crunchy, more like what my mom used to make in the 90s.

Adding cayenne pepper directly to the coating gives you heat without making a separate spicy sauce. Start with a quarter teaspoon mixed into a cup of Shrimp-Fri or it’ll be too much.

Some people dip these in ranch instead of remoulade and honestly that works if you’re feeding kids or people who think mayonnaise-based sauces are scary. The cooling effect is there but you miss the tang.

I tried using half whole wheat flour mixed with the coating once and it made everything taste healthy in a bad way. Don’t do that.

FAQ

Can I use red tomatoes instead of green ones? No, red tomatoes have too much water and they’ll turn to mush in hot oil. Green tomatoes stay firm because they’re underripe and haven’t developed all that juice yet.

What if I don’t have buttermilk? Add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes until it curdles. It’s not quite the same thickness but the acid still helps the coating stick.

Where do I find Shrimp-Fri coating? It’s usually in the seafood section near the breadcrumbs or sometimes with the Southern cooking stuff. If your store doesn’t carry it, you can order it online but honestly cornmeal mixed with some Old Bay works in a pinch.

How do I know when the oil is hot enough without a thermometer? Drop a tiny bit of the coating in the oil and if it sizzles immediately and floats up, you’re close to 365°F. If it just sinks and sits there, the oil’s too cold.

Can I bake these instead of frying them? You can but they won’t taste the same at all. I tried it once at 425°F for 20 minutes and they came out dry with a coating that tasted like raw flour, nothing like the fried version.

Why did my coating fall off in the oil? You didn’t press hard enough or the oil wasn’t hot enough when you dropped them in. The coating needs to seal itself shut in that first 30 seconds of contact with hot oil.

How thick should I slice the tomatoes? Half an inch is what works for me. Thinner and they get floppy, thicker and the inside stays hard and sour while the outside burns.

Can I coat them ahead of time? Not really. The buttermilk makes the coating gummy if it sits longer than a couple minutes and then it won’t fry up crispy.

What kind of green tomatoes should I buy? The really firm ones that don’t give at all when you press your thumb into them. If there’s any softness they’re too ripe and they’ll fall apart.

How do I store leftovers? Put them in the fridge in a container with paper towels on the bottom but know they won’t be as crunchy when you reheat them. I use a 375°F oven for about 8 minutes to crisp them back up.

Can I freeze fried green tomatoes? I tried this once and they came out soggy and sad after thawing. The coating separates from the tomato and nothing tastes right, so I wouldn’t bother.

What’s remoulade sauce? It’s basically fancy mayo mixed with mustard, hot sauce, pickles and whatever else you’ve got. You can buy it at the store near the cocktail sauce or make it yourself in 2 minutes.

Why are mine greasy? Your oil temperature dropped too low, probably because you crowded the pan or didn’t wait long enough between batches. Hot oil seals the coating so it can’t soak up grease.

Can I use a different oil? Yeah, canola or peanut oil work fine. I wouldn’t use olive oil because it smokes at lower temperatures and makes everything taste weird.

How many tomatoes do I need for 4 servings? Three medium ones gave me about 12 slices which was enough for 4 people as a side dish. If you’re making these as the main thing you’ll want more.

Do I have to flip them or can I deep fry them? If you’ve got a deep fryer with enough oil to cover them completely you don’t need to flip. I still flip mine out of habit even in the deep fryer though.

What if my tomatoes are turning brown on the inside? That’s fine, some green tomatoes have that brownish seed area and it doesn’t affect anything. As long as the flesh is firm you’re good.

Can I make these spicy? Add hot sauce to the buttermilk or cayenne to the Shrimp-Fri coating. The buttermilk method spreads the heat more evenly through every bite instead of just on the outside.

Why do some batches turn out darker than others? The oil temperature isn’t consistent between batches or you’re leaving them in too long trying to get the first side as dark as the second. I had this problem until I started actually timing each side.

Is there a way to make these healthier? Not really without changing what they are. You could use less oil in a nonstick pan but then they’re more like pan-fried and that’s a different thing.