Every year around this time we harvest all of the unripe garden tomatoes before the frost hits. Many will ripen indoors but, these Oven Fried Green Tomatoes are a delicious way to use some of them up.
Why You Should Make These In The Oven or Air Fryer
Traditionally, these green tomatoes are fried in oil on the stovetop. But, just like with these Baked Zucchini Fritters, or these Gluten-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites you can achieve a crisp and satisfying result in a hot oven or air fryer. Eliminating the mess of frying in oil, along with all the extra calories and fat.
This recipe is seriously easy, and just as seriously yummy. Prep time is only 10 minutes, and they bake up in 20 minutes. These are an incredibly easy appetizer, especially if you have a garden (or a friend that does) and need to use up some of those unripened tomatoes.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
The first thing you need, of course, is green, unripe tomatoes. If you don't have a garden, these may be a little bit hard to find. (Try your local farmer's market). But since you're here, I am assuming that either you do have a garden, or you know someone who does. And you found this recipe with the intention of using some of them up. So hey, hi, welcome, so happy that you found us!
You'll also need the ingredients for breading the green tomato slices. They are:
- Flour: I use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour, but if gluten isn't an issue for you, simply use regular all-purpose flour
- Eggs: 2 large eggs will give you enough to coat all the tomato slices.
- Panko: I use gluten-free panko crumbs, but again, feel free to use regular panko
- Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan is always best. The pre-grated powdery stuff that's sold in the can may have its place in your kitchen. (See In Defense of Powdered Parmesan). However, it simply doesn't taste as good, or melt as well, as the real deal.
- Seasonings: salt and pepper, of course, as well as basil and oregano. Or if you prefer, use an Italian seasoning blend. Along with the Parmesan cheese, this is going to give our oven fried green tomatoes an Italian twist. (See later in this post for variations).
- Caesar Salad Dressing: for dipping. You can also use ranch dressing.
How To Make This Recipe (Step By Step)
- Slice tomatoes into ¼ inch slices. (discard the rounded end and stem end)
2.Beat the eggs and lemon juice in a small bowl
3.Put the flour into another small bowl
4.Combine the panko crumbs, parmesan, salt, pepper, basil, oregano & thyme in a larger bowl.
5.Set up your breading station: line things up in this order: sliced tomatoes, flour, egg, panko mixture, prepared baking sheet.
6.One by one, dredge each tomato slice in the flour to coat, shaking off the excess.
7.Then dip the flour dredged tomato slice in the beaten egg to coat.
8.Finally put the tomato slice in the panko mixture, turning and pressing to coat
9. Arrange, spaced apart, on the prepared baking sheet.
10. Bake until crisp and golden in a 400° oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway through
Garnish with paprika, if you like, and serve hot, with Caesar dressing for dipping
Tips For Perfect Oven Fried Green Tomatoes
Use tomatoes that are all green and don't have any red yet. The riper the tomato is, the juicier it is. Which we don't want here because we don't want soggy oven-fried tomatoes.
For easy cleanup, use parchment or foil to line your baking pan.
a misting of olive oil on both sides will improve crispness and colour, but if you are using parchment paper to line the baking pan, you can skip the oil.
These are best served hot, but you can make them ahead, cool and freeze them. After defrosting, bake them again for 5-6 minutes at 350° to crisp and warm them.
You can use an air fryer for this recipe. See the recipe for instructions.
Variation Suggestions
Make this recipe gluten-free by using the same amounts of gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free panko.
Make it dairy-free by omitting the parmesan cheese & increasing the panko.
Try a more Southern version by using Cajun spices in place of the Italian ones, omitting the cheese, and using a buttermilk ranch dressing for dipping.
Try a Tex-Mex version. Use lime juice in place of lemon, Omit the cheese and replace with cornmeal, replace the Italian seasonings with chilli powder or taco seasoning and use chipotle mayonnaise for dipping.
How To Eat Them?
These crispy appetizers are a natural choice while sipping on Spiked Iced Tea. We love them for replacing the ripe tomato in BLT's, and burgers like Chipotle BLT Cheeseburgers or Bean & Lentil Veggie Burgers
Oven Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 3-4 tomatoes unripe, green
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 2 eggs large, beaten
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice lemon juice
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs or gluten-free panko
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- olive oil for misting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by spraying with cooking spray, or lining with parchment paper
- In a small bowl, combine beaten eggs and lemon juice
- Put the flour Into another small bowl
- In a larger bowl, whisk together the panko, parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, thyme, salt & pepper.
- Cut tomatoes into ¼ inch slices
- One by one, dredge each slice in flour, shaking off excess
- Dip each flour-dredged tomato slice in the beaten egg mixture
- Put the flour and egg coated tomato slice in the panko mixture, turning and pressing to coat with crumbs.
Oven Method
- Arrange the breaded tomato slices on a baking sheet, spaced apart evenly.
- Lightly mist each breaded tomato slice with olive oil or cooking spray, then turn and do the same on the other side.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway through
- Sprinkle with paprika for garnish
- Serve hot, with Caesar dressing for dipping
Air Fryer Method
- Preheat air fryer to 400°
- Lightly mist the air fryer basket with oil
- Place breaded tomato slices in the basket and mist the tops with oil, keeping the slices separated
- Air Fry for 5 minutes
- Flip, and air fry for 3 minutes more
- Garnish and serve as per Oven instructions
Cathy Combs
If you have little green tomatoes on your plants in the spring when the plants are too small, the tomatoes weigh them down too much. You can remove them and cook them this way, although it is a little more work cutting up little tomatoes. But, if you have the time, they are yummy using this recipe!
Colleen
This is great to know, Cathy! A gardening tip as well as a recipe tip. Thank you for sharing!