What is the name of the traditional Southern dish made by frying seasoned green tomatoes?

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The traditional Southern dish made by frying seasoned green tomatoes is fried green tomatoes.

The dish uses unripe tomatoes, which remain firm enough to slice and cook without falling apart. Slices are commonly coated in cornmeal, flour, or a mixture of both, then fried until crisp outside and tender inside. Seasonings vary by household and region.

Fried green tomatoes are associated with Southern cooking and are often served as a side dish, appetizer, or accompaniment to seafood and other fried foods. Their popularity also spread nationally through the 1991 film Fried Green Tomatoes, although the dish predates the movie by many decades.

They are sometimes confused with fried red tomatoes or tomato fritters. Green tomatoes are specifically unripe tomatoes; their firmer texture and sharper flavor are central to the traditional preparation. The dish illustrates how Southern cooks turned seasonal garden produce into a substantial, inexpensive side.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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