How To Make the Best Southern Fried Green Tomatoes

Ripe red tomatoes sandwiched between slices of white bread is the quintessential taste of summer. But if you’re only eating ruby-hued tomatoes, look to the South to find summer’s unsung hero. Stubbornly unripe green tomatoes take a dip in tangy buttermilk, are breaded in cornmeal coating, and then fried until golden in a slick of hot oil. It’s time to try this easy Southern specialty at home.

Wondra, the brand name for instant flour developed in the 1960s, initially appealed to me due to its retro blue canister, but has since proved its usefulness and earned a spot in my pantry. Instant flour is low-protein wheat that is pre-cooked, dried, and finely ground, resulting in flour that easily dissolves — lump-free! — in both hot and cold liquids. The low protein content and fine, even texture gives fried foods a crisp crunch while absorbing less of the frying oil. Here, that also means a coating that won’t slip off the tomatoes.

Learn more: What Is Wondra Flour?

Make this classic Southern side in three simple steps: slice, coat, fry.

1. Slice green tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. You’ll need about 3 large green tomatoes for this recipe. Make sure to choose unripe green tomatoes (ones that haven’t yet turned red) and not tomatillos or heirloom tomatoes, like Green Zebras, that remain green even when ripe. Use a serrated knife to slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
2. Coat the tomato slices in breading. You’ll need three shallow dishes or plates to bread the tomato slices. I like to use metal pie pans because they’re shallow, wide, inexpensive, and easy to clean. Fill the first with flour, salt, and paprika — this layer seasons the tomatoes and gives the eggs something to cling to. Whisk buttermilk, egg whites, and hot sauce together in the second, and combine cornmeal and remaining flour in the third. The key to breading the tomatoes (and not your fingers) is to designate one hand for dry ingredients and the other for wet. Alternatively, use tongs or two forks to handle the tomatoes. Arrange the breaded tomatoes on a wire rack to set the coating as you go. If you substitute all-purpose flour for Wondra, wait an additional 5 minutes before frying.
3. Fry the tomatoes. A cast iron skillet retains heat, making it the best choice for frying. While the oil temperature won’t drop rapidly as the tomatoes are added, it’s good practice to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once the oil shimmers, you can test the temperature and timing by frying the (unbreaded) top and bottom slices of the tomatoes, then snack on them as you continue to cook. Once the oil is hot, continue frying, starting with the tomato slices that were breaded first.

No serving of fried green tomatoes is complete without a dipping sauce, the best of which is a variation of French remoulade sauce — a pale pink sauce consisting of mayonnaise, mustard, lemon, hot sauce, and seasonings. Mississippians developed their own variation, “comeback sauce,” a not-so-subtle nod to the culture of Southern hospitality. Comeback sauce is also a mayonnaise-based sauce, but with a milder, sweeter flavor from ketchup and chili sauce. Spoon some sauce onto the bottom of the serving platter and stack the cornmeal-crusted tomatoes on top.

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