Easy Air Fryer Green Tomatoes Recipe

Fried green tomatoes are one of those cravings that hit and refuse to subside until you've delivered them to your mouth. Believe it not, you can easily make this beloved appetizer at home with an air fryer. Enter this air fryer green tomatoes recipe that we guarantee will have you hooked in just one batch. Fried green tomatoes are "such a fun summer appetizer or even great on a brunch menu," says recipe developer Miriam Hahn of YouCare-SelfCare.

This air fryer green tomatoes recipe yields six servings, but Hahn tells us, "I think the serving size just depends on the size of your tomato. I was able to find huge ones so even one slice would be a serving. But in the smaller varieties, two or three slices would be considered a serving."

Read on for details on how to make these fried tomatoes perfectly crispy and delicious on your very first go at them.

For this air fryer green tomatoes recipe, you'll need two large green tomatoes, flour, two eggs, salt, pepper, cornmeal, panko or regular breadcrumbs, and avocado oil in a spray bottle. Optional ingredients include the dipping sauce of your choice — even if it's just a bottle of ranch dressing — and/or fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro for garnishing the air fryer green tomatoes.

The prep work for this air fryer green tomatoes recipe is very easy, but you do need to follow the instructions carefully. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Then, using a sharp knife and a cutting board, cut them into ¼-inch thick slices. Once they've all been cut into slices, pat them dry with a paper towel. 

It's important you attempt to get the slices as dry as possible. Why? "I do that because tomatoes are super watery, and if you don't dry them off, the first layer of flour will get lumpy and not coat them evenly for the next step," Hahn explains. "When they have been dried off, they have the right amount of moisture to get the flour to stick in a nice thin layer."

You'll need three small bowls for the next step in this air fryer green tomatoes recipe. In one bowl, you'll combine the ½ cup of flour with the salt and pepper. In another bowl, crack the eggs, and stir them with a fork until they are fully beaten together. Then, in the third bowl, whisk together the ½ cup of cornmeal and ½ cup of breadcrumbs. 

It might also be a good idea to line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack over it, so you have a space where you can immediately set the tomato slices after you coat them with breading and egg in the next step.

Once all the breading and eggs have been prepped in the bowls, you will coat the green tomato slices in a very specific order. This is where it's important to pay attention to the recipe instructions.

First, dip the slice into the flour mixture, then into the eggs, and finally into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. There is a good reason why you should do it this way. According to Hahn, "I do it in this order because it adds crispiness! Because the tomatoes are full of liquid by nature, they easily pick up the flour, then by dipping in the egg followed by the cornmeal, you get an extra layer!"

Once all of the tomato slices have been breaded, it's time to get to work in the air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you will likely need to do these tomatoes in batches. You will place the slices of tomato into the air fryer basket, then spray them with avocado oil. According to the recipe, this is the best oil to use "because it has a high smoke point, and the temperature will be high in the air fryer."

Set the air fryer to 400 F, and cook for about five to seven minutes on each side until you get to your desired level of crispiness. It's not a bad idea to keep the oven on a very low temp to keep these warm while you air fry in batches, but it's certainly not necessary. If anything, you could also serve them as they finish air frying.

Once all of your batches are done frying to your desired level of crispiness, serve the air fryer green tomatoes immediately. 

They are delicious as is, but will be extra tasty with a side of dipping sauce. Per Hahn, "Some ideas for dipping sauce would be guacamole, ranch, Sriracha mayo, or really any dressing!" Fried green tomatoes also pair really well with remoulade sauce, which is often served alongside crab cakes. 

When serving, feel free to sprinkle some fresh cilantro or parsley on top of the tomatoes for a pretty garnish, then enjoy!