This Fried Green Tomato Sandwich is a twist on a BLT sandwich using a green tomato that's been fried. A classic Southern recipe, this sandwich is a crowd-pleaser any time of the year and only takes 30 minutes to make.
Is there anything better than a juicy tomato sandwich? Actually, yes. And it's this Fried Green Tomato Sandwich - where slightly tart green tomatoes are dredged in a crunchy cornmeal coating and then fried to golden perfection. Layered onto toasted bread with smokey bacon, crunchy lettuce and a slather of mayo, this twist on a BLT is simple, satisfying and oh so delicious.
Simple ingredients plus a quick fry make this Fried Green Tomato BLT easy to assemble, and even easier to enjoy. Serve it for the perfect lunch or as a light dinner with a few of your favorite sides or salads and be prepared to add this into your regular recipe rotation!
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if you like this tasty sandwich, check out some of our other favorite lunch recipes, like this flavor-packed Viral Southern Chicken Salad, this delicious mash-up recipe which is the top recipe on our site: Tuna Egg Salad, and this delicious and fresh Chic-fil-A Cobb Salad.
Table of Contents
What Are Fried Green Tomatoes?
Fried Green Tomatoes are exactly how they sound - green tomatoes, which have been coated in a breadcrumb topping and then fried to golden brown perfection!
You can use either unripe or ripe green tomatoes - the unripe variety is ideal for frying (and for this recipe). They are slightly firmer and less juicy than regular tomatoes which makes them the perfect texture and flavor for frying.
They're a bit more tart than regular tomatoes and taste delicious once breaded in a crisp coating and fried. The ripe kind are usually heirloom, and while they're delicious, they don't have the same tang as the unripe ones.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple Southern Sandwich: Made with just a few good quality ingredients, plus quick fried green tomatoes, this sandwich is simplicity at its' finest and a twist on tradition. It's not complicated, it's easy to make, and it's absolutely delicious.
- Full of Texture and Flavor: The crispy fried coating paired with the slightly tart and sweet flavor of the tomatoes makes for a taste and texture sensation you don't get in just any sandwich.
- Versatile: We love this sandwich as is, but this one is great because it's so customizable. Add in or omit anything to your liking. Change up the bread, add a spread, add cheese, or top with your favorite condiments, veggies or sliced deli meat for a different variation on this already delicious sandwich.
Tools You'll Need
- Tomato Knife
- Bread Knife
- Cutting Board
- Prep Bowls
- Large Skillet or Cast Iron Skillet
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Cups
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Full Recipe Card Below
- Green Tomatoes: Find these at most grocery stores or pick them up from a local farm stand or green market. They're green in color, underripe, firm, and slightly tangy in flavor - making them perfect for dredging and frying.
- Buttermilk: Thick and tangy, this will help the cornmeal coating stick to the tomatoes.
- Self Rising Flour Cornmeal Mix: Slightly nutty with great texture, this coats the tomatoes and gives them a great crunch factor.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Light and airy, these are added into the coating, too, and make the tomatoes perfectly golden and crispy when fried.
- Seasoning Salt or Salt & Pepper: Essential when cooking anything, especially here, to season the tomato breadcrumb mixture.
- Oil or Bacon Grease: Use a neutral oil here to fry in. And make sure your oil is hot enough before you add in your tomatoes! If you've got bacon grease on hand, feel free to use this to fry in for even more flavor.
- Bread: Sourdough, ciabatta or white are our favorites. Toast thick slices for extra texture, but feel free to use any type of bread, bun or roll you've got.
- Mayonnaise: Tangy and rich, this is the perfect spread for this sandwich
- Lettuce & Heirloom Tomatoes: Fresh and colorful, these add nice flavor and a cool, refreshing crunch.
- Bacon & Avocado: Optional toppings, but we suggest taking the option! Everything's better with bacon, after all. And creamy avocado will take this sandwich to the next level.
How To Make A Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
- Slice the green tomato into ¼-inch thick slices. Place in a shallow dish and pour the buttermilk over them, making sure they are well coated. Let them soak for at least 10 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour cornmeal mix, breadcrumbs, and seasoning salt or salt and pepper.
- Heat about ½ inch of grease or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Take each tomato slice from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and dredge it in the flour mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Place the coated tomato slices on a plate.
- Once the oil or grease is hot, carefully add the coated tomato slices to the skillet, a few at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Season with more seasoning salt or salt, if desired.
- Toast the bread slices if desired. Spread a generous amount of the mayo on each slice of bread. Layer with lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, fried green tomatoes, bacon (if using), and avocado slices (if using). Top with another slice of bread.
- Slice the sandwich in half and serve immediately.
Expert Tips From a Southern Chef
- Slice Tomatoes Thick Enough: Be sure to slice your tomatoes thick enough. If they're too thin, they won't hold up to the coating and fry well. ¼-inch-thick slices work nicely - you'll get just enough of the tangy tomato flavor with the perfect crunch from the breadcrumb-cornmeal mixture.
- Cornmeal Flour Mix Alternative: If you don't have self-rising cornmeal mix on hand, you can instead use ⅓ cup cornmeal, 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Season The Coating: It's essential to season the mixture you're coating the tomatoes in to give them nice flavor. And be sure to really press this mixture into the buttermilk soaked tomatoes so you've got a nice, thick coating. We suggest salting the tomatoes right after they come out of the hot oil, too!
- Use Hot Oil: Be sure your fry oil is hot enough before adding the tomatoes. You can use a thermometer (degrees is ideal) or sprinkle in a few breadcrumbs as a tester, but if your oil isn't hot enough, your tomatoes will become greasy and won't brown nicely. On the flip side, watch the oil so it doesn't get too hot - a burnt fried green tomato is no one's friend!
- Drain Tomatoes: Once they're fried to golden perfection, remove your tomatoes to drain on a paper towel-lined plate, or on a cooling rack. This will get rid of any excess grease, so your sandwich doesn't taste too oily!
- Bake Bacon in the Oven: This is a simple way to make bacon without splatter and the slices stay flat and cook evenly. Simply place bacon on an aluminum foil lined sheet pan and bake at 400ºF for 16-20. The time will vary based on the thickness of your bacon and preferred level of crispiness.
Variations
- Change Up The Bread: Sliced sourdough, white or ciabatta are our favorites, but you could make this sandwich with any other favorite bread. Try a brioche bun, rolls, or even a crusty baguette - no carb left behind!
- Get Creative With Condiments: Mayonnaise is perfectly simple and delicious, but add any other condiments to change up the flavor profile here. A zesty homemade or store-bought remoulade, "secret" sauce or garlic aioli would be delicious, or add sliced pickles, banana peppers, pickled onions or jalapenos, or even fresh veggies you've got in your fridge. Make this sandwich your own!
- Add Meat: We love smokey bacon in this recipe, but why stop there? Try adding sliced turkey or your favorite deli meat to take your sandwich to the next level.
What To Serve With A Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
This sandwich is absolute perfection when it's served solo, but if you want to add a side, here are a few of our favorites:
- Marinated Vegetable Salad
- Loaded House Salad
- Outback Steakhouse House Salad
- Garlic Bread Caprese Salad
- Charred Vegetable Salad
FAQs
The options are endless! Fried green tomatoes on a sandwich pair well with a creamy sauce or mayo-based dressing, and fresh toppings or condiments. And this sandwich goes great with any salad or side dish, or even just a handful of crunchy potato chips!
They've got a signature slightly tart and sweet flavor that makes them stick out from other tomatoes. When these unripe tomatoes are dredged in a cornmeal coating and fried, they're just perfect.
Green tomatoes are slightly unripe, so they can really hold up to being dredge in a breadcrumb coating and fried. They're firm enough and have a nice tangy flavor that is even more delicious after they've been cooked in the fry oil.
Technically, yes. Green tomatoes are usually young tomatoes that have not ripened yet. They can vary in color and taste but they are usually firmer than regular red tomatoes and they have a nice, tangy, slightly tart flavor that can hold up to being coated and fried. Some heirloom tomatoes are green in color, but these are ripe and have a different flavor profile than the green tomatoes you'd usually use to fry.
More Easy Sandwich Recipes
Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
Ingredients
Fried Green Tomatoes
- 1 large green tomato
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup self-rising flour cornmeal mix
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt or ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- oil for frying bacon grease or a high smoke-point oil
For the Sandwiches
- 4 slices bread sourdough, ciabatta, or a sturdy white bread
- 4 lettuce leaves romaine or butter
- 1 heirloom tomato sliced
- 4 slices cooked thick-cut bacon optional
- ½ sliced avocado optional
- 2 slices cheese optional, cheddar, pepper jack, or provolone
- ¼-1/2 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Slice the green tomato into ¼-inch thick slices. Place in a shallow dish and pour the buttermilk over them, making sure they are well coated. Let them soak for at least 10 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour cornmeal mix, breadcrumbs, and seasoning salt or salt and pepper.
- Heat about ½ inch of grease or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Take each tomato slice from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and dredge it in the flour mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Place the coated tomato slices on a plate.
- Once the oil or grease is hot, carefully add the coated tomato slices to the skillet, a few at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Season with more seasoning salt or salt, if desired.
- Toast the bread slices if desired. Spread a generous amount of the mayo on each slice of bread. Layer with lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, fried green tomatoes, bacon (if using), and avocado slices (if using). Top with another slice of bread.
- Slice the sandwich in half and serve immediately.
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