Description
A quick, weeknight-friendly dinner featuring firm green tomatoes dredged in buttermilk and cornmeal, shallow-fried until golden and crispy, and served with a tangy, spicy homemade remoulade sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large firm green tomatoes (about 600g), sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal (fine or medium grind)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and black pepper
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot or Tabasco)
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside in the fridge.
- Set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls. Mix flour with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in the first bowl. Pour buttermilk into the second bowl. Mix cornmeal with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in the third bowl.
- Pat tomato slices dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Dip each tomato slice in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then dip in buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Finally, press firmly into the cornmeal mixture to coat both sides.
- Heat ¼ inch of oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or until a pinch of cornmeal sizzles immediately.
- Fry tomato slices in a single layer without crowding the pan for 2-3 minutes per side, until deep golden brown.
- Remove fried tomatoes to a wire rack to drain.
- Serve immediately with the remoulade sauce.
Notes
Pat tomatoes dry thoroughly to ensure crispiness. Do not crowd the pan; fry in batches if necessary. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour and cornmeal. For a vegan version, use vegan buttermilk and mayo. Leftovers can be reheated in an air fryer or toaster oven at 375°F for 3-4 minutes to restore crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1-2 slices with sauc
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
Keywords: fried green tomatoes, remoulade sauce, weeknight dinner, vegetarian, southern recipe, quick dinner, crispy tomatoes