Perfectly crispy Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes are the healthy and easy way to enjoy the Southern classic! Thick and tangy slices of green tomatoes lightly battered with homemade vegan dairy-free buttermilk and coated with gluten-free panko and cornmeal. No oil, no mess, and they're ready to be enjoyed in 15 minutes or less!
When it comes to the air fryer, we all know by now that transforming previously deep-fried veggies into a lighter, healthier version is the best idea! Juicy green tomato slices, perfectly air-fried to crispy perfection! A Southern-fried classic made oil-free, vegan, and gluten-free! To get you even more excited, these crispy green tomatoes are so easy, quick, and mess-free to make! Ditch the mess of frying oil and break out your air fryer!
Are Fried Green Tomatoes Just Unripe Tomatoes?
Actually, yes! The type of green tomato you want to FRY is an unripe red tomato. Why? Because these immature tomatoes are firmer and drier than a sweet, juicy, overly ripe red garden tomato. If you tried to fry a ripe red tomato, it would fall apart and disintegrate in your frying oil and/or become a sad soggy mess. Green tomatoes have the ability to hold up to frying; the firmer, the better!
Can You Eat Raw Green Tomatoes?
No. It's not safe to eat unripe green tomatoes due to a toxin called, alkaloid solanine. Just like you wouldn't eat raw potatoes, do not eat raw green tomatoes in copious amounts or risk stomach discomfort. The caveat is certain heirloom tomatoes that are green even when matured and ripe. Those are safe to eat raw, in salads, straight up, etc. Green garden tomatoes that are picked prematurely...save them for cooking and frying!
Are Fried Green Tomatoes Healthy?
When you AIR fry them they are! Not only that, but there's no oil, dairy, eggs, or gluten in this recipe. A once indulgent Southern recipe is no perfectly healthy and allergy-free so everyone can enjoy it during tomato season! These air-fried green tomatoes are...
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan & Vegetarian
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Coconut-Free)
- Sugar-Free
- Oil-Free
- Kid-Friendly
- Quick and Easy
Ingredients For Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes
- Green Tomatoes: From your garden or the farmer's market, grab the biggest and most firm green tomatoes! You'll never have to complain about having too many ripe tomatoes to use up when you purposely pick a few prematurely for air frying!
- Vegan Buttermilk: Buttermilk is essential for Southern-fried tomatoes, but to make it dairy-free all you need is some canned coconut milk and white vinegar!
- Corn Starch: Without eggs, using corn starch helps the cornmeal and panko stick to the tomato slices!
- Cornmeal: Course cornmeal is essential to fried green tomatoes! The classic Southern coating gives so much crispy (corny) flavor to the slices!
- Gluten-Free Panko: For extra crunchy and crispy tomato slices, adding some gluten-free panko crumbs is a great idea and really makes these green tomatoes shine!
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper are all you truly need, but adding in some dried herbs or paprika, even cayenne for a kick can really spruce this recipe up!
Ingredient Substitutions:
- You can swap corn starch with arrowroot starch.
- You can leave out the panko and keep them with just the cornmeal coating.
- You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed crackers, cereal, chips, in place of the panko.
- You can also use all-purpose gluten-free flour if you want to make these without cornmeal or panko.
- Season these however you'd like! From spicy to savory, plain, or herby!
How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes In An Air Fryer
- Prep your ingredients by slicing your tomatoes, mixing together your homemade vegan buttermilk and coatings.
- Dip the tomato slices in buttermilk, starch, then the seasoned cornmeal.
- Place them in the air fryer to air fry, flip, and fry again.
- Repeat for as many batches as you need (varies by the size of your tomatoes and size of your air fryer basket). Let them cool slightly on a wire rack.
How To Keep Them From Getting Soggy
If you have a small air fryer, you'll need to do multiple batches to allow enough room between the tomato slices and prevent overcrowding. By air-frying them on both sides, you allow them to get ultra-crisp and golden brown. When each batch of green tomatoes is done, let them cool on a wire rack, just like you would with cookies to prevent them from getting soggy! There's also no oil involved with this air fryer recipe so you don't have to worry about excess oil making them soggy!
Keep Them Crispy Longer
If you have a large amount to make, place your finished air-fried slices on a cooling rack in the oven at 250°F. They'll be super crisp and warm, just waiting for you to enjoy them when you're done!
What To Serve With Air Fried Green Tomatoes
As an appetizer, side, or slide them right on into a meal!
- Remoulade: This is the classic spicy mayo type of dipping sauce people love with their tomatoes.
- Ranch: Some vegan ranch is fantastic as an oniony and herby sauce to dip in!
- Vegan Mayo: You can add some extra flavors to your vegan mayo and jazz it up like any of the other sauces named here.
- BBQ Sauce or Ketchup: Classic dipping sauces that go with everything!
- On a BLT: Ditch the red tomato slice and use some gluten-free fried green tomatoes in your sandwich!
- Southern Tomato Sandwich: A classic Southern summer lunch stable made even better!
- Alongside Vegan Omelettes or Scrambles for breakfast.
- With Grilled Proteins and Cold Sandwiches.
Try More Air Fried Appetizers:
- Air Fryer Hush Puppies
- Air Fryer Fried Pickles
- Air Fryer Vegan Calamari
- Breaded Air Fryer Artichoke Hearts
- Crispy Air Fryer Potato Latkes
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Air Fryer Tostones
- Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Perfectly crispy Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes are the healthy and easy way to enjoy the Southern classic! Thick and tangy slices of green tomatoes lightly battered with homemade vegan dairy-free buttermilk and coated with gluten-free panko and cornmeal. No oil, no mess, and they're ready to be enjoyed in 15 minutes or less!
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 13 Minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Side, Snack
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
- 2 Large Green Tomatoes
- 1 Cup Light Unsweetened Canned Coconut Milk
- 2 Tsp White Vinegar
- ½ Cup Corn Starch (or Arrowroot)
- 1 Cup Course Cornmeal
- 1 Cup Gluten-Free Panko
- Salt, Black Pepper, Dried Herbs (to taste)
Instructions
- Slice your tomatoes into ¼ inch thick rounds and set aside.
- In one bowl mix together the coconut milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle. In another bowl add the starch. In a third bowl or plate, mix together the cornmeal, panko, and seasonings.
- Take a tomato slice and dip it in the buttermilk (let excess drip off), then into the starch on both sides, and finally into the cornmeal mixture to coat.
- Space out as many battered tomato slices as you can fit comfortably in your air fryer basket.
- Air fry the slices at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until they are golden brown.
Notes
- Between batches, place finished tomato slices on a cooling rack in the oven at 250°F
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
No oil, no grease, just perfect crispy gluten-free green tomatoes! Easy and air fried in minutes, without the mess or the fuss! Who knew unripe tomatoes could be so delicious?
So tell me:
+ Do you grow tomatoes at home? I'll leave it to the professionals!
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Donna
I didn't know about the difference in using green tomatoes for this type of recipe. Thanks for sharing that information.
Rebecca Pytell
Hurry before the season ends!
Sara LaFountain
What a great way to make fried green tomatoes without all the mess of frying.
Rebecca Pytell
Right? An even tastier!
Linda
Love these fried green recipes - so easy and delicious
Rebecca Pytell
They are super easy to make!
Martina
Oh my gosh, this is so timely!! I just got a new air fryer and I've been looking for new recipes to try xx Thank you for this!!
Rebecca Pytell
This one will be a keeper!
Michelle
I love fried green tomatoes and I can't wait to give your recipe a try! Especially since using the air fryer is a healthier way of making them than deep-frying!
Rebecca Pytell
Mmhm! They are such a fun dish and now so much healthier!