Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (2024)

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by Morgan 21 Comments

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I have been waiting for a whole year to make and share this recipe with you.

Last summer, James and I went down to North Carolina to visit my cousin, Ashley, and her fiance (now husband), Evan. We planned on jetskiing and picnicking and walking downtown, but we didn't get to experience much beautiful Carolinian weather since weoh so perfectlytimed our trip for the only week full of rain in the entire year (what luck)! But you know what we did experience? Quality Southern food.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (1)

And if you know anything about me, you know that this was going to be my favorite part of the trip anyway. Well, second favorite. Obviously seeing my cousin and her fiance was my favorite part.

And I'm not just saying thatbecause I know you're reading, Ashley.

So we went to this place called The Pit and we gorged ourselves on Southern food. Gorged. We had cornbread, hush puppies, brisket, ribs, okra, collard greens, baked beans, mac n' cheese, fried chicken, pulled pork, and a lot of local beer, and it was all amazing. But our favorite thing of all was an order of Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette. Oh man, did we love those Fried Green Tomatoes.

Yes, there were only four of us. Yes, we really did eat all of that food. Every single bite. I'm not ashamed.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (2)

Anyway, the Fried Green Tomatoes were perfectly crisp and had the crunch of a pepper- they didn't get mushy at all when fried, which was a relief. The goat cheese added a bit of tang and a great creamy texture to balance out the fried coating, and the Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette was the perfect balance of sweet and acidic. Sprinkled with a little basil, they felt like anItalian-Southern-hybrid, which I've decided might be one of the best ideas in food, ever.

Don't they remind you a bit of Caprese Salad in the first picture up there?

Ever since we ate the Fried Green Tomatoes last year, I have been eagerly waiting for green tomatoesto come back in season so I could make them for the blog, and James has been impatiently begging me to make them. And then one day I went to the grocery store, and they were finally there. The next day, I made these, and three days later I rushed to put this post together to share the recipe with you.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (3)

Usually there'sat least a week between the time I make something and the time it's posted here, because I like to prepare the photos and the post and my schedule, but Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette wait for no one.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (4)

Make them as soon as you can, while they're still in season, and you'll see exactly why we've been craving these for months and months.

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Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (5)

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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Morgan
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
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Ingredients

UnitsScale

For the Green Tomatoes:

  • 4 green tomatoes
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¾ cup plain bread crumbs
  • ¾ cup corn meal (yellow or white both work fine)
  • 2 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Fresh basil, chopped, to top
  • 6 oz goat cheese, crumbled, to top

For the Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

  • 7 oz roasted red peppers
  • 1 ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar (red wine vinegar works, too)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (such as basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice the green tomatoes into ½" rounds, discarding the tops and bottoms.
  2. Combine the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Combine the bread crumbs, corn meal, kosher salt, and black pepper in another shallow bowl. Pour the flour on a separate plate.
  3. Dip the tomatoes in the flour to coat, then the egg, then the bread crumb mixture, making sure to coat the tomatoes well with the breading. Set the tomatoes aside.
  4. Add vegetable oil to a high-walled, heavy-bottomed skillet, to about ½" high. Heat over medium-high heat.
  5. As you wait for the oil to heat up, combine the Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until mostly smooth, with just a few small chunks of red pepper remaining.
  6. When the oil is hot (you can test this by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil and seeing if it bubbles), add in 3-4 green tomato slices, depending on how large your pan is. Fry until golden brown on each side, flipping once. Remove the Fried Green Tomatoes from the oil using a slotted spoon or tongs and place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
  7. Reduce heat to medium and fry the remaining slices, 3-4 at a time.
  8. Once all of the tomatoes have been fried, top with crumbled goat cheese and fresh basil. Serve with the Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette.
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins

Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (6)

Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette - Host The Toast (2024)

FAQs

What is so special about fried green tomatoes? ›

Now, I know that most things that taste good taste even better when battered and deep-fried. But something about this dish was extraordinary—the combination of firm-fleshed tomato with crunchy cornmeal coating, the slight tartness of the unripe fruit balancing the oiliness of the exterior.

What variety of tomato is best for fried green tomatoes? ›

Beefsteak tomatoes remain mild and have a relatively low acidity, even before they ripen. Their large size and firm texture make them a popular choice for harvesting and preparing while still green.

What is served with fried green tomatoes? ›

Dip fried green tomatoes in a zesty remoulade

A zesty sauce popular in New Orleans cuisine, remoulade is often served with crab cakes, fried shrimp, or po' boy sandwiches. Notice that each of these dishes are fried or have fried components that cry out for something cool and creamy.

Where did fried green tomatoes originate? ›

Distribution of the dish and popularity from the film

The articles were from the Northeastern United States and Midwestern United States. Moss believes that the dish originated from those areas, "perhaps with a link to Jewish immigrants".

Are fried green tomatoes healthy? ›

Even though they do not taste like red, ripe tomatoes, green tomatoes do have their own merits that deserve just as much attention as their red counterparts. Ripe green tomatoes are a very good source of vitamins A, C and potassium. They also contain iron, calcium, dietary fiber, magnesium, and other minerals.

Does Idgie marry Grady? ›

She cared for him for 30 years. In the movie, Idgie did not marry, nor have any children. Is 'Fried Green Tomatoes' based on a book?

Where do people eat fried green tomatoes? ›

Every day seems like a celebration of fried green tomatoes when you're dining in South Carolina. Served hot from the skillet, these crispy, spicy slices star as appetizers and in tantalizing entrees at restaurants across the state.

What do Mexicans do with green tomatoes? ›

Crispy, crunchy on the outside, tender and full of fresh, tangy flavor on the inside… Mexican Fried Green Tomatoes are a twist on the classic, and a perfect side dish for your healthy Mexican mains!

Are fried green tomatoes the same as red tomatoes? ›

For the most part, when you hear the term “green tomatoes” or see it on a restaurant menu, it usually refers to unripe red tomatoes, which have an entirely different taste and texture than when ripe.

How old is Fried Green Tomatoes? ›

Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg's 1987 novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

Are Fried Green Tomatoes true? ›

The "Whistle Stop Cafe" is loosely based on the Irondale Cafe in Irondale, Alabama, a suburb near Flagg's birthplace. The cafe was bought by Flagg's aunt, Bess Fortenberry, in 1932 and run for four decades by her and two friends. It is still operating and, like the fictional cafe, is known for its fried green tomatoes.

Did they remake Fried Green Tomatoes? ›

As it turns out, McEntire discussed the fate of her “Fried Green Tomatoes” show during a 2021 appearance on the podcast “Taste of Country Nights, On Demand.” The series was never a done deal, McEntire told host Evan Paul. “It just kinda went away, unfortunately,” McEntire said.

What is the message of Fried Green Tomatoes? ›

The major themes are lesbianism, female aging, and racism. Ruth and Idgie's relationship is never expressly mentioned as a lesbian relationship, but all the characters and the town accept them. The story also follows the trials of Evelyn and Ninny's aging, which is not often explored in literature.

Are fried green tomatoes just unripe? ›

Southern-style fried green tomatoes are the crisp, tangy, and boldly savory appetizer you should be making all year. This classic, down-home dish features sliced unripe tomatoes that are dredged in flour and cornmeal before being skillet-fried to buttery-brown perfection.

What is the story behind Fried Green Tomatoes movie? ›

Written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski, and starring Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker and Cicely Tyson, the film tells the story of a middle-aged housewife who, unhappy with her life, befriends an elderly lady in a nursing home and is enthralled by the tales she tells of people she ...

What are some fun facts about green tomatoes? ›

Green tomatoes are simply unripe Red tomatoes that are harvested at an early point in their growth. Green tomatoes are large plump tomatoes that are hard to the touch. The Green tomato has a similar flavor than the ripe Red tomato, but is less mature and has a light sweet savor.

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