Fried Green Tomatoes and Tangy Basil Mayo by Mehreen Karim
Food52
Photo by Emma Fishman
- Serves
- 4 to 6
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 Minutes
"Green tomatoes are some of summer’s finest produce—they’re flavorful yet uniquely sturdy, making them a great contender for frying. Resourceful Southerners in the nineteenth century fried underripe green tomatoes when ripe tomatoes were inaccessible. The fried green tomatoes provided a delicious use of the crop before they ripened into red tomatoes. Making a plant-based version of the classic dish substitutes for the usual eggy coating by dipping the slices in a chickpea flour batter. Chickpea flour’s natural binding agents result in a crispy coating all around."—Mehreen Karim
Ingredients
TANGY BASIL MAYO
- 1/2 cup (120ml) Magic Mayo (page 151)
- 5 pepperoncini peppers
- 1 tablespoon pepperoncini pepper liquid from the jar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, peeled, or ½ teaspoon Garlic Paste (page 163)
- 1 ½ tightly packed cup (30g) fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
- 4 or 5 medium or large green (unripe) tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (25g) chickpea flour
- 1/2 cup (120ml) unsweetened plant-based milk
- 3/4 cup (100g) cornmeal
- 1/2 cup (65g) cornstarch
- 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cup (480ml) neutral oil, for frying
Featured Video
Excerpted from Make It Plant-Based! Southern by Mehreen Karim (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2025. Photographs by Emma Fishman.
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Place the mayo, peppers, pepper liquid, oil, garlic, basil, maple syrup, salt, and paprika in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and light green in color. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- Step 2
Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch-thick (1cm) slices and lay them out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1½ teaspoons of the kosher salt to draw out excess moisture. Let the tomatoes sit for at least 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Set up coating and dredging stations: Whisk the chickpea flour, milk, and the remaining 1½ teaspoons kosher salt in a medium bowl until no chickpea flour lumps remain. Combine the cornmeal, cornstarch, flour, paprika, cumin, pepper, and sugar in a shallow baking dish or pie dish and set it next to the batter. Place a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack next to the dredge mix. Top another wire rack with paper towels and place it near the stove.
- Step 4
Pat the tomato slices dry, then, one at a time, dip a tomato slice in the batter, coating it completely. Place it in the dredge and lightly press it with a clean hand; flip to coat both sides. Place the coated tomato slice on the wire rack on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices. Place the coated tomatoes in the refrigerator to set while you heat the oil.
- Step 5
Pour oil into a 10-inch (25cm) cast-iron skillet and set it over medium heat. Once the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) on a deep-fry thermometer, gently place 3 or 4 tomato slices into the oil. They should immediately begin to bubble and brown lightly. Fry for 2 minutes on each side, flipping once, or until they’re deeply golden brown on both sides. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the slices to the paper towel–lined wire rack. Let the oil return to 350°F (175°C) before repeating with more tomato slices. Serve the tomatoes hot with the basil mayo alongside.