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The BEST Fried Green Tomatoes, Ever.

the best fried green tomatoes you will ever eat —

stacked high with layers of pimento cheese, topping with a comeback dressing drizzle.

 

 

 

Fall is here, and while this recipe may seem like a summertime favorite, there are still plenty of green tomatoes to be purveyed! Because here in the south, we all know fall starts with a heat wave!

 

This recipe was served at my supper club recently — we did a night of Asheville restaurant recreations! {{SO MUCH FUN.}} The recipe come’s from Chestnut, which we also made a knock off of their kale salad. We had Buxton Hall‘s chicken sandwich, which is quite the hot ticket in town. It really does stand up to all the commotion about it! Definitely a must-eat here in town! I’m not ready to publish my version yet here on Sweetpea, but maybe soon… 😉

 

Fried green tomatoes are a southern staple — however, recipes for fried green tomatoes originated in the Midwest & Northeast with links to Jewish immigrants, back in the 19th century. The pimento cheese and comeback dressing are what add the southern flair!  

 

Crispy cornmeal coats every nook and cranny of the tangy unripe tomatoes. The cheese begins to melt once nestle between each tomato and the comeback dressing adds that spicy punch you need to make this an appetizer you won’t forget! We used “boxed” pimento cheese — you know, the kind from our friends at Palmetto… it’s so dang good! Tastes so close to homemade, you won’t know the difference! And if you’ve never had comeback dressing, you are missing out in life! Reminiscent of russian dressing, it combines ketchup and mayo, and this where you have creative liberty. I usually add grated onions, relish, cayenne pepper, LOTS of worcestershire sauce, and several grinds of the pepper mill. For this dressing, you want it smooth, so I left out the onions and relish.

 

Let’s talk about cornmeal for a second. You can buy the paper container with the flour, but go into the breakfast aisle and grab a jar of grits. Seriously, you will thank me, this gives that extra crunch you want. Sometimes cornmeal can be too milled — grits are the first round of the mill, making them more coarse and hearty. 

 

I’m hoping you love this recipe as much as we did. These didn’t even make it to the table — we all just stood around the island and ate them. I had to peel one plate away so I could snap a few quick photos! {{Life of a food blogger — your guests cannot eat until the photos have been snapped. I’m with Ina, no fancy camera tricks here. Real, live food, ready to be eaten as soon as the shutter stops.}}

 

What has you excited for fall?? We still have 80+ degree weather here in Asheville, but the leaves are changing! It makes me so excited — I love this season, especially here in the mountains. The sky is a little bluer, the morning air is crisp, and there is a fog that settles overnight making Asheville quite the idyllic fall home. 

 

Save this pin to your favorite appetizer board so you have easy access anytime you need it!

 

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Fried Green Tomatoes

  • Author: Sweetpea Lifestyle
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 6
  • Total Time: 26

Description

Crispy fried green tomatoes are served layered with pimento cheese and a comeback dressing drizzle.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 unripened green tomatoes
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 tbs milk
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • Pimento cheese

Comeback dressing

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt & pepper, to taste


Instructions

  1. Begin by slicing your tomatoes about 1/4″-1/2″ thick. In three separate shallow dishes, prepare your dredging station: 1. cornmeal 2. eggs + milk 3. cornmeal + spices. Dip you tomatoes into flour, egg, cornmeal, and then set aside to firm up.
  2. Heat a skillet with oil, about 1/4 way up the skillet. Once oil is ready {when a few flecks of flour sizzle when you sprinkle over top), fry your tomatoes. Place on paper towel to drain excess oil, and sprinkle with salt.
  3. To make the dressing combine all ingredients in bowl and whisk until really smooth. Can be stored in mason jar for up to two weeks in fridge.
  4. On your serving platter, layer tomato, pimento cheese, tomato, pimento cheese. After about the fifth layer, add a skewer through the top to hold everything in place. Drizzle dressing over top and serve immediately!


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 8
Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

Cheers, Friends!

sweetpea lifestyle

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15 Comments

    1. Listen, friend! I do NOT like tomatoes either! But, these are worth every single calorie. And there’s a lot of those… 😉

  1. I have only had Fried Green Tomatoes once and thought they were just okay. But layer it with pimento cheese and that dressing and your recipe sounds fabulous.

    Thanks for sharing on #TastyTuesdays.

    1. Make these!!! I think it’s the grits that make this recipe so worthwhile. Most people fry their green tomatoes in either flour, or finely ground cornmeal (like what you fry okra in!), and it doesn’t have the same crunch factor.

    1. Thanks for pinning, Angie! They are slightly over the top — but, such a good over the top!

  2. Every time I see a “southern” recipe I think I must have been a Texas cowboy in a past life because I’m addicted to southern food (or anything Tex Mex!). Thanks for sharing! xx

    1. My mama was born in Georgia, raised in Texas, and raised me in North Carolina — I’m a southern belle through and through! I think every southern recipe makes people see their is a cowboy in us all! 😉

  3. I love fried green tomatoes, these look so delicious! I’ve never had them with the pimiento cheese, but I know it’s good!!! 🙂 #HomeMattersParty

  4. Well, I have to say, those fried green tomatoes look amazinig! I’ve never actually tried a dish like this before, but now I want to. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty 🙂

    ~Lorelai
    Life With Lorelai

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