I’ve had plenty of BLTs in my lifetime, but this is my first ever Fried Green Tomato BLT.
And lemme tell ya: I’m a convert.
This book-inspired recipe for Surviving Savannah is a Southern lunch staple.
Although much of this novel is historical fiction, there’s a present-day timeline in which I could see main character Everly sitting down to a fried green tomato BLT and a glass of lemonade after rustling around in a dusty, old attic for historical records.
First of all, thank you to my local friend for providing me with the green tomatoes. Living in NJ, it’s mighty hard to get your hands on the state “vegetable” before it ripens.
Luckily, I know someone with her own garden, and she set aside these gorgeous homegrown Jersey tomatoes for me.
Despite my recent trip to Charleston and gorging myself on quintessential Southern cuisine, I somehow missed out on trying fried green tomatoes.
I’m heading to Savannah in a few months, and I’ll definitely be trying them to see what an authentic version has to offer.
But if my Fried Green Tomato BLTs are anything to go by, Savannah’s restaurants have a lot to live up to.
This BLT is based on one I had at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, which was slathered with a lemon basil mayo and garnished with spicy arugula.
For my version, I whipped up a homemade lemon basil aioli (using Greek yogurt instead of mayo) and upped the ante by using a fried green tomato for the “T” in “BLT.”
Y’all, I am loving these fried green tomatoes. (Y’all. See how Southern I am??) They’re thick and warm and jammy. I’ve never had a tomato taste like this before.
I’ve heard that green tomatoes are supposed to be slightly tart, but I found these to be on the sweeter side. It was a great contrast to the salty bacon and creamy aioli.
A bite of this BLT is pure Sandwich Heaven. You get a ton of crunch from the crispy bacon strips and toasted bread, then your teeth sink into the meaty fried green tomato in the center of it all.
The lemon basil aioli adds a tangy zip and pulls everything together.
These BLTs are a perfect make-ahead meal since they don’t need to be served piping hot. You can cook the tomatoes, mix together the aioli, fry the bacon, and toast the bread ahead of time.
When you’re ready for lunch, all you have to do is assemble.
Fried Green Tomato BLTs are perfect picnic fare, whether you’re spending the day at the beach, or on a boat, or just lounging in your own backyard. They’re hearty and satisfying, and while this recipe makes two sandwiches, I found that half is more than enough for one person.
A friendly tip? There’s only one good way to eat a Fried Green Tomato BLT: messily. This sandwich calls for big, honkin’ bites.
If you don’t get at least a little schmear of aioli around your mouth, you’re not doing it right.
Blogger’s Note: These photos were taken using the Beechwood and Biscotti Linen surfaces from Replica Surfaces. I’m a Replica Surfaces Ambassador! Visit http://replicasurfaces.com/awellreadtart and use code Photos12 to get a 12% discount off your order.
Fried Green Tomato BLTs
Ingredients
FRIED GREEN TOMATO INGREDIENTS
- 2 large green tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch thick rounds
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cupq cornmeal
- 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp seasoning salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
LEMON BASIL AIOLI INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- zest of one lemon
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
BLT SANDWICH INGREDIENTS
- 4 slices of bread, toasted
- 8 slices of cooked bacon
- slices of fried green tomatoes (see above)
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- lemon basil aioli (see above)
Instructions
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice the tomatoesinto ½-inch thick rounds. Lay on a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let rest 5 minutes.
- Beat eggs and milk together in a medium dish.
- Whisk together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, and seasoning salt in a medium dish.
- Dip a tomato slice in the egg wash, then dredge in the cormeal mixture so both sides are evenly coated. Repeat with remaining slices.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Once your oil is really hot – i.e., immediately sizzles when you drop a few breadcrumbs in – place your battered tomato slices in the pan, about 4 slices at a time. Let tomatoes fry 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown, on each side.
- Remove fried green tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Repeat process with remaining slices until all tomatoes are cooked.
LEMON BASIL AIOLI INSTRUCTIONS
- Spoon the yogurt into a small bowl.
- Chop basil and add it to the yogurt.
- Zest the lemon into the yogurt. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then mix all ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
ASSEMBLING THE FRIED GREEN TOMATO BLTs
- Take two slices of toasted bread. Spread one side of each slice with the lemon basil aioli.
- Pile a handful of arugula onto yogurt-covered slice, then add 4 slices of bacon. Add 1-2 slices of fried green tomato.
- Add a little bit more arugula on top of the tomato, then place other slice of bread on top, aioli-covered side down. Press down lightly, then cut sandwich in half. Serve warm or at room temperature.
OMG, I’d heard of fried green tomatoes, but never actually knew what they turned out like! They do look mighty tasty, I must admit 😋 And they don’t give you tummy ache, as they’re still green?
I’ve heard of them all my life — mainly because of the movie! — but this was my first time trying them. ZOMG. So good. Y’know, my stomach was fine afterward. I was wondering about that, too. But everything was good. Well, as good as one can be when being 35+ and eating fried food. LOL. I highly recommend them, tho! So good.