Indulge in a healthier version of this popular appetizer. Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes are crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside - perfect for dipping in ranch salsa!
Each year in our garden we try growing tomatoes. We usually use starter plants instead of seeds, but this year my husband wanted to start from seed. He wasn't too optimistic that they would take, but pushed ahead with them nonetheless.
After a few weeks, we noticed tomato sprouts popping up, which gave us hope. Though we know it doesn't guarantee a good crop. Well, to make a short story short after a long summer of tending to the garden we had SO MANY tomatoes! I mean A LOT of tomatoes!
At the beginning of October we still had so many growing, but there was to be a hard freeze. We went out and picked as many tomatoes as we could - ripe or not. We gave a bunch away and still had bags of tomatoes - many of which were green.
We let some sit and ripen over the course of the next week or so, but I couldn't let all of the green tomatoes just sit there. I had to make fried green tomatoes! I love fried green tomatoes, but not all the extra fat that comes with them from the deep frying. Instead, I decided to use the air fryer we purchased earlier this year (we have this model and LOVE it! affiliate link)
Healthier Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes with Ranch Salsa Share on XUsing the air fryer, the amount of fat is drastically cut. These delicious air fryer fried green tomatoes are the perfect appetizer for any dinner or party - or could be a yummy afternoon snack. Pair them with some simple ranch salsa and you may not want to stop eating them!
Watch the recipe video below to see just how easy they are to make!
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Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes with Ranch Salsa
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Description
Indulge in a healthier version of this popular appetizer. Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes are crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside - perfect for dipping in ranch salsa!
Ingredients
- ½ cup flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 4 medium green tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
- ½ cup salsa
- ¼ cup ranch
- paprika, for garnish
Instructions
For the Air Fryer Green Tomatoes:
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F. Spray your air fryer tray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a shallow bowl or plate, stir together ¼ cup of the flour, the salt and pepper.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg.
- In a third shallow bowl, stir together the remaining ¼ cup flour and the panko bread crumbs.
- Taking 1 tomato slice at a time, dredge them in the flour, then dip into the buttermilk mixture. Dredge the buttermilk coated tomato slices in the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring they are completely coated.
- Place the breaded tomato slices in a single layer in your air fryer (you will have to work in batches to cook all of them). Spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray. Close the lid and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, then flip them over and continue cooking an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Serve with ranch salsa.
For the Ranch Salsa:
- Stir together the salsa and ranch in a small bowl. Add more or less of each to reach desired flavor. Sprinkle with a pinch of paprika, for garnish, if desired.
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Tiffany La Forge-Grau says
Oh man this is making my cheeks water! This is such a great recipe idea! Perfectly done too!
janna says
I"ve been curious about the air fryer because I typically avoid fried foods since they're unhealthy. I've also never had ranch salsa before - sounds interesting! Home grown tomatoes are the best and I'm sure yours were delicious!
Tammy - Travelling Tam says
Great little recipe! We always have loads if tomatoes in our garden too and I never know what to do with them - I always end up giving some away! This will be a very useful receipe, thank you!
Whitney Kutch says
What a great idea! I love using the air fryer - it's so much healthier!
Ciera says
Yum!! I need to try out this salsa ranch recipe 🙂
Jenny says
Thanks for sharing! They look delicious