These Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes are about to become your new summer obsession. We’re talkin’ tangy, crispy goodness with a healthy twist, thanks to our trusty air fryer. Forget greasy frying, these beauties get their golden brown perfection with just a sprinkle of magic (aka hot air). They’re the perfect appetizer for any cookout, especially when those fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes are poppin’.
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This Air Fryer Fried Green Tomato recipe is straight out of my new cookbook, Everyday Grand! It’s one of my favorites, and I just had to share it with y’all on the website! There is no doubt that fried green tomatoes are a quintessential Southern snack. When the summer season hits, you can spot them on the menus of restaurants all around the South.
While frying is still one of my favorite preparation methods, sometimes you have to add a healthy kick, right?! That’s where air fryer green tomatoes come in. This recipe makes use of the air fryer to create a light and crispy texture without the excess oil, resulting in a healthier snack.
It’s super easy to prepare, and the result is just as delicious as the traditional version. Serve them with a classic dip like remoulade or pop them into a BLT sandwich for a truly Southern-inspired meal.
Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
- Easy to make: With an air fryer, you don’t need any fancy cooking skills or techniques. Plus, there is no risk of oil splatters or accidents!
- Uniquely flavored: The combination of tangy green tomatoes and savory seasonings is something you need to try at least once in your lifetime!
- Just as authentic: Even though these fried green tomatoes are made in an air fryer, they still offer the same great textures and flavors as traditional fried green tomatoes.
- Perfect for garden tomatoes: If you grow your own tomatoes, this is a great way to use up the ones that didn’t ripen before the end of the season.
Ingredients To Make Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
- Green tomatoes: Provide a tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the savory coating. Green tomatoes are firmer than their red counterpart, meaning they hold up better to air-frying. Make sure your tomatoes are quite firm and completely green, and double-check that they aren’t tomatillos!
- Breading: I used a mixture of breadcrumbs (store-bought or homemade), all-purpose flour, and yellow cornmeal to create a crispy coating on the outside of the tomatoes. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. You can also use white cornmeal or crushed cracker crumbs if you prefer.
- Seasonings: A combination of seasoned salt, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder add robust flavors. Feel free to adjust the quantities or swap out spices to find out what you like best.
- Eggs: Used to bind the dry ingredients to the tomatoes, resulting in a crispy exterior.
- Hot sauce: Adds a little kick! If you’re not a fan of heat, you can leave out the hot sauce.
- Non-stick cooking spray: To give the outsides of the air fryer green tomatoes a necessary crunch. Opt for neutral cooking oil sprays like canola or sunflower.
How To Make Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
- Prepare your dredging stations: In a shallow plate or bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, a few tablespoons of flour, cornmeal, and seasonings. Add the rest of the flour to a separate bowl, and whisk the eggs and hot sauce in a third bowl.
2. Coat the tomatoes: Season the tomato slices with salt and pepper, then coat each tomato slice in the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, and finally, the breadcrumb mixture. Let them sit on a parchment-lined baking pan.
3. Cook the tomatoes: Lightly spray your air fryer with cooking spray. Add the tomatoes and spray more cooking spray, then air fry them in small batches turning once, cook until they’re golden brown and crispy.
5. Make the remoulade: In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, hot sauce, capers, paprika, mustard, Worcestershire, onion powder, and garlic until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve your fried green tomatoes: Top your air fryer green tomatoes with fresh parsley and serve them with a side of lemon wedges for the ultimate appetizer.
Tips For Making The Best Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
- Dry your tomatoes: Make sure your tomatoes are thoroughly dried before coating them. This will allow the coating to stick much easier.
- Use a fork: Use a fork for the dipping process to avoid removing the breading.
- Let them rest: Take the time to let your tomatoes rest before air frying them. This will help the coating stick better.
- Overcrowding: Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. If you need to cook in batches, it’s better to do that than to cram them in!
- Thickness: Depending on how thick your tomatoes are, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
- Season first: Season the tomato slices with salt and pepper before coating them. This really helps develop their flavor.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Panko: Use panko breadcrumbs for an even crunchier texture.
- Less heat: Replace hot sauce with mild chili sauce if you prefer less heat.
- Cheesy: Add grated Parmesan to the breadcrumb mixture for a cheesy twist.
- Seasonings: Try different seasonings, like Italian or Cajun, for a flavor variation.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
You can enjoy green tomatoes as a mouthwatering appetizer or try serving them alongside these options:
- Dipping sauce: Remoulade, ranch, blue cheese dressing, or even chipotle BBQ sauce.
- Salad: Serve them with a Cobb salad for a well-balanced meal.
- Protein dishes: For a hearty and flavorful Southern pairing, serve your air fryer green tomatoes with fried catfish or oven-fried chicken tenders.
How To Store & Reheat Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
To preserve any leftovers, store them in the fridge, making sure they’re arranged in a single layer within an airtight container or bag. If stacking is necessary, place a piece of parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking.
Once you’re ready to enjoy them again, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees, then reheat the tomatoes for 8-10 minutes until they’re heated through, flipping them halfway through the process for even crispiness.
How Long Will Air Fryer Green Tomatoes Last In The Fridge?
Air fryer green tomatoes can last up to 3-4 days in the fridge when stored properly in an airtight container. Just remember, they will lose most of their crispy texture but that flavor will still be hitting!
Can I Freeze Air-Fried Green Tomatoes?
If you want to maintain the crispy texture, I don’t recommend freezing cooked air fryer green tomatoes. However, you can batter and freeze them for up to 1 year.
Frequently asked questions
Any tomato will technically work for this recipe. However, red tomatoes are softer and sweeter than green tomatoes, which will change the flavor and texture once cooked.
I think the air fryer results in the best texture while keeping the oil content low. If you don’t own an air fryer, you can also bake these in an oven or deep-fry them.
Absolutely! To make this recipe gluten-free, just replace the flour and breadcrumbs with gluten-free alternatives.
Whether you’re an air fryer veteran or just jumping into the fry game, you’ve gotta check out this Air Fryer Green Tomatoes recipe. It’s a game-changer, y’all! The tangy kick of green tomatoes mixed up with those savory spices? Pure flavor fireworks! You’ll be amazed at how it stacks up to the classic Southern fried version. And hey, it’s perfect for using up those almost-there tomatoes from your garden – talk about a win-win! So, snatch up some green tomatoes and let’s get frying!
More Southern Recipes
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Vinegar Coleslaw
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Southern Cornbread
- Fried Zucchini
- Southern Baked Beans
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Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
- 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt such as Lawry’s
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 2 green tomatoes about 1 pound 10 ounces total, sliced ¼ inch thick
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper freshly ground
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
For the Remoulade
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish caper brine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon capers drained and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Creole mustard or yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 garlic clove minced or finely grated
Instructions
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a brown paper bag, large zip-top bag, or shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the flour, the cornmeal, seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne, lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder and shake until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow plate. Put the remaining 1⁄2 cup flour in a separate shallow bowl.
- In a deep pie dish or large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and hot sauce and set aside.
- Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and black pepper on both sides. Using a fork and working with one tomato slice at a time, dip it in the all-purpose flour, followed by the egg mixture, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, dip the coated tomato slice into the seasoned bread crumbs and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices. Let the slices sit for about 10 minutes – this allows the coating to really adhere.
- Set an air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the basket of the air fryer with cooking spray. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the tomato slices to the basket and liberally spray the top of each slice with cooking spray to coat. Air-fry for 5 to 6 minutes, then remove the basket, gently flip the tomatoes, and spray with cooking spray. Air-fry for another 5 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of slices, until golden brown on the outside but still juicy and tender on the inside. Transfer the tomatoes to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices.
- When ready to serve, transfer the tomatoes to a serving plate, garnish with the parsley, and serve with the remoulade and lemon wedges on the side.
For the Remoulade
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, hot sauce, capers, paprika, mustard, Worcestershire, onion powder, and garlic until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Tasted wonderful! So easy, keeper recipe!
Thank you!!! I love how easy it is too.
Such a simple yet delicious and healthy recipe to make. For me, this can be a side dish or snack for me.
This looks so good, I have never tried air fryer green tomatoes but this looks like the perfect recipe to try with my reliable air fryer. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe.
I love green tomatoes but never thought about air frying them! I gave your recipe a try this weekend and they came out amazing!
I’m a big fan of green tomatoes and appreciate how this recipe allows me to make them in such a tasty yet quick and easy way.
I love cooking in my air fryer. These tomatoes came out perfect and I love that they are guilt free!
Oh my, this tomato treat looks amazingly yummy! A perfect snack food that everyone will gonna love especially among kids! I’ll definitely make this at home! Thanks!
I made these Fried Green Tomatoes, and they were absolutely fantastic! The tomatoes were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Just how I like them! Thanks for sharing!
These air fried green tomatoes turned out perfect and the remoulade was delicious. Thanks for all the great tips!