These Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes are crisped to perfection either in the air fryer or baked in the oven. Don't forget the delicious sweet and tangy mayo + BBQ sauce dip.
While you could pick green tomatoes all summer long, it is usually at the end of the season, when frost is threatening the precious tomato plants that we gardeners pick off any remaining unripe tomatoes. Some may still be able to ripen off the plant, but if they are still fully green, it's best to find a use for the green tomatoes in that unripe state. Chow chow - a green tomato relish is one popular way to use green tomatoes.
Another great use are fried green tomatoes. Green tomatoes are firm and less watery than ripe tomatoes, so they are perfect for holding their shape and not causing too much splatter when frying. Thick slices of green tomatoes are breaded and usually shallow or deep fried in a lot of oil. This recipe gives 2 alternative methods to prepare fried green tomatoes with less oil: Air fryer fried green tomatoes and oven baked green tomatoes.
Ingredients
For this recipe you need firm green tomatoes, and the ingredients for the breading which include flour, egg, Panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Use an olive oil spray or mister to spray the breaded tomato slices, or a silicone brush to brush on a thin layer of oil.
For the Air Fried Green Tomatoes:
- green tomatoes
- flour
- egg
- Panko bread crumbs - regular bread crumbs can be substituted
- Parmesan cheese
- salt & pepper
- dried parsley - use other seasoning/herbs like garlic powder etc.
- oil - to brush, or use a cooking spray
The optional sweet & tangy BBQ dipping sauce is made with mayo and plain yogurt, BBQ sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and soy sauce.
For the Tangy BBQ Dip:
- mayonnaise
- plain yogurt
- barbecue sauce
- lime juice
- brown sugar
- soy sauce
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Wash the green tomatoes and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
- Dredge each slice in flour, dip in egg, and cover with breading mix of Panko, parmesan, and seasoning
- Spray oil or brush the tops with a light coat of oil
- Air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes. Flip, coat with another oil layer and air fry another 3-5 minutes
- Whisk together all ingredients for the BBQ dip and serve with the hot air fried green tomatoes
Hint: Make sure the green tomato slices aren't overlapping. Air fry them in a single layer, in several batches as needed.
See recipe box below for oven baked instructions.
Other Dips
I love the optional sweet & tangy BBQ sauce dip with these fried green tomatoes. If you don't like mayonnaise based dips, you can also pair them with this Thai Sweet Chili Sauce or my Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing Dip.
Equipment
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Use a basket-style air fryer or an air fryer lid (to be placed on top of a pressure cooker) or an Actifry (ideally with snacking grid basket insert) to make these air fryer green tomatoes.
Storage
Fried green tomatoes are best enjoyed hot soon after making. If you end up with leftovers, place them in a airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
TIP:
To reheat, place the fried slices back into the air fryer until hot and crispy again.
FAQ
Green tomatoes take about 8-10 minutes to cook in the air fryer. 5 minutes from one side, and another 3-5 minutes on the other.
This air fryer or oven baked version of fried green tomatoes is certainly healthier than the deep fried counterpart due to a much lower use of oil. If the flour and breadcrumb coating doesn't align with your diet, you might try ground up pork rinds for a low carb or keto breading alternative.
Recipe
Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes - oven baked option
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer or use oven method
Ingredients
- 4 medium green tomatoes
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg beaten
- ⅔ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- salt & pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ tablespoon oil or mister spray
For the Dip:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup yogurt plain
- 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Wash and dry the green tomatoes. Cut off the ends, then cut into ¼ inch or ⅔ cm thick slices.
- Prepare three little plates. Place the flour in one shallow dish. Beat the egg in another. And combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt & pepper, and dried parsley in the third bowl.
- Dredge the tomato slices in flour and shake off excess. Then dip in the beaten egg mixture and place in the bread crumb mixture. Turn to coat from all sides and press in to make the crumbs adhere.
- Spray the top of the breaded tomato slices with a light coating from the oil mister, or lightly brush on a little oil onto the outside.
Air Fryer Method
- Place the breaded green tomato slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer. You'll have to work in batches. Air fry at 400°F/200°C for 5 minutes.
- Then flip the tomato slices and coat with another thin layer of oil. Then air fry for another 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Repeat with subsequent batches.
Oven Baked Method
- Preheat your oven to 450°F/230°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat.
- Place the breaded green tomato slices on the prepared baking sheet and bake on the lower middle rack for 10 minutes. Flip the slices and bake for another 10 minutes.
Tangy BBQ Dip
- To prepare the BBQ dip in a small bowl stir together until combined the mayo, yogurt, BBQ sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
- Serve the air fryer or baked fried green tomato slices hot with prepared dip.
Notes
Nutrition
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Ruth Landeen
this is the best ! can't do any fried foods so this is super for me my husband likes it as well. we love the dip and put on our salads as well. thanks so much for tis recipe
Regina
Awesome! So glad to hear this baked green tomato recipe is working well for you and your husband as well. I LOVE that dip too over everything!
Christy
I love this recipe! I try to avoid frying whenever possible and these crisp up so nicely. I love to serve them with a simple salad, using the dipping sauce as dressing to tie it all together. I've also found that mozzarella is the perfect compliment to fried (or baked) green tomatoes so I like to slip some fresh sliced mozzarella in between every couple of tomato slices and drizzle the whole thing with the dip. Amazing!
Regina
Thank you for your glowing review Christy. You are making me want to make another batch right this instant and try them with mozzarella. Sounds so yum!
Jacquee @ I Sugar Coat It!
I absolutely LOVE fried green tomatoes. Having spent my younger years in the South, bcr8tive read my mind. I like most things baked, but tis dis you MUST try fried and a cast iron pan is the way to go. That dip though...YEAH!!
Jacquee @ I Sugar Coat It!
tis dis??? LOL meant to type 'this'
Regina
Haha...I definitely got you there 🙂 And now with 2 votes I will HAVE to get a cast iron pan for fried green tomatoes 😉
Nicole @ Vanilla and Beans
Wow, finally something for these "leftover" tomatoes. Great idea!
Regina
Yes! So glad you like this idea 🙂
bcr8tive
Hi.
Had to stop in on this one. They look yummy - and baked is always good for healthy eating so I will have to try them.
Though, I just have to admit that I loved them fried - especially since a Southern friend of mine taught me how the Southerners do it!
#1 Select Green tomatoes with hints of red in them - a little bit of both (best flavor)
#2 - Fry in cast iron - with a lid - or at least a screen.
If what you're frying isn't really wet you won't get the splatter - and if you do a screen or lid, it will catch it if it does.
Also, if you use the cast iron and its deep enough (small, round, deep) you don't have to flip - you just don't put in too many at a time and generally you can reuse the oil.
#3 I've found different oils smell differently or not at all.
The one I like best for cooking - Filippo Berio all purpose olive oil
❤
Regina
Thank you so much for this very informative and helpful comment. You are right, no one has ever really taught me to fry. Having a real Southerner introduce you to that art must be such a privilege. I don't own a cast iron pan at the moment but it has been on my kitchen wish-list for a long time. Once I get one I will go back to your tips and try some real fried food 😀
Melissa Belanger
I totally agree with you about frying things yourself! It always makes a house smell like grease and it takes so much effort. Not my thing. These tomatoes look perfectly crispy without all the oil anyway. 🙂 Delicious!!
Regina
Thanks Melissa. Hope you are doing great in these last weeks of pregnancy 🙂