OVEN FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (OR AIR FRIED)

We always gather all of the unripe garden tomatoes at this time of year before the first frost. The Oven Fried Green Tomatoes are a fantastic way to use some of the tomatoes that won't mature indoors.

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THESE IN THE OVEN OR AIR FRYER

These green tomatoes are typically cooked in oil over the stove. However, you can produce a crisp and pleasant finish in a hot oven or air fryer, just like with these Baked Zucchini Fritters or these Gluten-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. removing the mess and extra calories and fat that come with oil-based cooking.

This dish is equally as delicious as it is simple. They just require ten minutes for preparation, and twenty minutes to bake. If you have a garden (or know someone who does) and need to use up some unripe tomatoes, these appetizers couldn't be simpler.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Of course, you must start with green, unripe tomatoes. These could be a little challenging to locate if you don't have a garden. (Try the farmer's market in your area. However, given that you are present, I will assume that either you or someone you know either has a garden. You looked up this recipe in an effort to use some of them. So hello, welcome, and thank you for finding us!

The ingredients for breading the green tomato slices are also required. As follows:

If gluten isn't a problem for you, just use standard all-purpose flour. I use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.

Two large eggs will be sufficient to cover all of the tomato slices.

Panko: I use standard panko crumbs, but feel free to substitute them if you want.

Parmesan: The best parmesan is always freshly grated. The powdered pre-grated food offered in cans may have a place in your kitchen. (Read In Defence of Powdered Parmesan). However, it doesn't melt or taste as well as the genuine article.

Seasonings include basil and oregano in addition to the obvious salt and pepper. Alternately, if you'd rather, use an Italian seasoning mix. This will provide an Italian flair to our oven-fried green tomatoes together with the Parmesan cheese. For variants, see this post's conclusion. For dipping,

Caesar salad dressing. As an alternative, use ranch dressing.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE (STEP BY STEP)

1. tomato slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. (Remove the stem end and rounded end)

2. In a separate dish, whisk the eggs and lemon juice.

3. Add the flour to a different little bowl.

4. In a bigger bowl, mix the panko crumbs, parmesan, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme.

5. Arrange your ingredients for the breading station in the following order: sliced tomatoes, flour, egg, panko mixture, and ready baking sheet.

6. One at a time, cover each tomato slice with flour and shake off any excess.

7. Next, coat the flour-dusted tomato slice with the beaten egg.

8. Finally, turn and press the tomato slice into the panko mixture to coat it.

9. Spread out on the pre-prepared baking sheet.

10. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, rotating once, until crisp and brown.

If desired, top with paprika and serve hot with Caesar dressing on the side.

TIPS FOR PERFECT OVEN-FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Use only green tomatoes without any red color yet. The tomato gets juicier as it ripens. Because we don't want soggy oven-fried tomatoes, we don't want that situation here.

Use foil or parchment to line your baking pan for simple cleanup.

Olive oil can be sprayed on both sides to increase crispness and color, but if parchment paper is lining the baking sheet, you can omit the oil.

Although you may make them ahead of time, cool them, and freeze them, they are best served hot. To crisp and reheat them after defrosting, bake them once more for 5–6 minutes at 350°.

For this dish, an air fryer can be used. For directions, go to the recipe.

VARIATION SUGGESTIONS

Use the same quantities of gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free panko to convert this recipe to gluten-free.

By leaving out the parmesan cheese and upping the panko, you can make it dairy-free.

Use buttermilk ranch dressing as a dipping sauce and Cajun spices in place of the Italian ones for a more Southern take on the dish.

Take a Tex-Mex approach. Use chipotle mayonnaise for dipping, lime juice in place of lemon, cornmeal in place of cheese, and taco seasoning in place of Italian seasonings.

HOW TO EAT THEM?

These crunchy appetizers go perfectly with a glass of spiked iced tea. We adore them for taking the place of a ripe tomato in burgers like Chipotle BLT Cheeseburgers or Bean & Lentil Veggie Burgers.

RECIPE

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

1. Set oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spray cooking spray or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare it.

3. Combine beaten eggs and lemon juice in a small bowl.

4. Place the flour in a separate little bowl.

5. Combine the panko, parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper in a bigger bowl.

6. Tomato cuts to 1/4-inch thickness

7. Dredge each slice in flour one at a time, shaking off extra.

8. Each slice of flour-dusted tomato is then submerged in a beaten egg mixture.

9. The tomato slice should be placed in the panko mixture and turned and pressed to fully cover in crumbs.

Oven Method

1. Arrange the breaded tomato slices on a baking sheet, spaced apart evenly.
2. Lightly mist each breaded tomato slice with olive oil or cooking spray, then turn and do the same on the other side.
3. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway through
4. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish
5. Serve hot, with Caesar dressing for dipping

Air Fryer Method

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°
2. Lightly mist the air fryer basket with oil
3. Place breaded tomato slices in the basket and mist the tops with oil, keeping the slices separated
4. Air Fry for 5 minutes
5. Flip, and air fry for 3 minutes more

6. Garnish and serve as per Oven instructions

Notes

Here is a breading tip because the breading procedure can leave your fingers sticky: Put the dry ingredients in one hand and the wet ones (the beaten egg) in the other. When you get the hang of it, it can seem a little strange at first, but it actually speeds up the process. One tablespoon of chopped fresh basil can be used in place of the dried kind.

The number of pieces you can air fry at once depends on the size of your air fryer, which varies in size. Keep them in a low oven as they cook as you'll be cooking them in batches.

Nutrition

recipe