Indulge yourself with beer battered fried green tomatoes with dipping sauce. Got to love that crispy crunch on the exterior and creamy zing of sriracha mayo.
Great as an appetizer, main course, or side dish – especially if you prefer a wet batter for your fried green tomatoes!
Some foods are more exciting precisely because of their rarity.
Where I come from, you don't see fried green tomatoes on restaurant menus. So when I'm traveling and am able to get one in a restaurant, I feel a wave of delight and anticipation.
And when my favorite local produce grower brings some green tomatoes to her farm stand, I eagerly fill up my bag.
Because fried green tomatoes with sauce are something special. They are doubly so because I only get to eat them once or twice a year.
In this post:
Why readers love this recipe
“The tomatoes were delicious!”
What do green tomatoes taste like?
Green tomatoes have a slightly tart, acidic flavor.
But they mellow when you coat them in beer batter, deep fry them, and finish with a drizzle of sriracha mayo.
The crispness of the batter and spice of the sauce makes them come to life.
The wet batter is reminiscent of tempura, but with the undertones of ale.
(Looking for even more green tomato recipes? Check out my panko and potato chip crusted vegan fried green tomatoes. They can be made in the air fryer or in a skillet on the stove.)
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
For beer battered green tomatoes
Pantry staples: All-purpose flour, baking powder, and cornstarch. Cornstarch helps to dry the tomatoes out, which aids in browning.
Green tomatoes: Choose unripe tomatoes that would eventually turn red if allowed to ripen. (Dark green is preferable, but if they’re just starting to turn colors, that’s okay.)
Look for green tomatoes at your farmers market, CSA, or in your own garden. Just pluck a tomato or two when they are a good size.
Don’t use green heirloom tomatoes, like zebra tomatoes.
Beer: Adds yeasty flavor and carbonation, which makes the batter more crisp. It can be replaced with sparkling water, if you prefer.
Most beer is vegan. However, some aren’t because of animal-derived fining agents (like isinglass or gelatin) used for clarification, or animal products (like honey) added for flavor. Check Barnivore to be sure.
Seasonings: Dried oregano, granulated onion, granulated garlic, and seasoning salt. (Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning is my go-to choice.)
Avocado oil: Avocado oil is my preference, but any neutral-flavored, high heat cooking oil will work.
For green tomato dipping sauce
Vegan mayonnaise: Vegenaise is my favorite, but use whatever egg-free mayo you prefer.
Sriracha: To make sure your sriracha is vegan, look for a brand that uses organic sugar or alternative sweeteners like dates and/or raisins.
There are loads of vegan sriracha brands on the market like Trader Joe's brand, Yellowbird, Sky Valley, and Ninja Squirrel.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice provides the best flavor.
Apple cider vinegar: ACV adds tang. It can be replaced with white wine vinegar, white vinegar, or rice vinegar.
Granulated garlic: This adds bite & rounds out the flavor. It can be replaced with garlic powder.
Garlic: While you can use a standard chef's knife to mince garlic very finely, I prefer to use a Microplane zester for grating garlic into a paste.
Salt: A pinch of salt brings it all together.
Step by step instructions
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
1. Cut green tomatoes into thick slices.
2. Blot slices dry on a clean kitchen towel. (Batter sticks better to dry tomatoes.)
3. Make the wet batter by putting the following into a bowl:
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking powder
- Dried oregano
- Granulated onion
- Granulated garlic
Create a well in the center of the flour. Then pour in beer and water, and mix. Dip each slice of tomato into the batter.
4. Fry the tomato slices in a skillet with hot oil until each one is golden on both sides.
5. Move the fried tomatoes to a lined plate, and season with Cajun seasoning salt.
Fried green tomato dipping sauce
You can certainly enjoy these fried tomatoes all on their own. However, for something extra, make vegan sriracha mayonnaise as a fried green tomatoes dipping sauce.
Simply combine the following in a bowl:
- Vegan mayo
- Sriracha
- Lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Granulated garlic
- Garlic, finely grated or minced
- Salt
(Get the complete ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.)
Sriracha mayo is also great for topping vegan crab cakes, or dipping baked french fries.
Storage & reheating instructions
Keep any leftover fried tomatoes in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tomatoes have a natural juiciness about them. So over time, they soften the breading. Plus, refrigeration makes the breading softer as well.
My favorite way of reheating is with the air fryer. They aren't as crisp as freshly fried. But they get crisp enough.
Air fry at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Then flip the tomato slices and air fry for 2 more minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches, if necessary.
FAQ
Yes! While you may see green tomatoes at the grocery store, they're often heirloom tomatoes, like zebra tomatoes, which are striped. That variety is fully ripe and not what you need for this recipe.
For fried green tomatoes, you want unripe tomatoes that would eventually turn red if given the opportunity. They should feel firm with a uniform color. They aren't as juicy as red tomatoes, which makes it easier for batter to stick. (It also means less splattering in the skillet.)
One caveat, though. I think tomatoes that are just starting to yellow with maybe even a little pink have the best flavor. They're a little sweeter than pure green tomatoes.
The best place to find under ripe tomatoes is at the farmers market or a home garden.
If you are growing tomatoes, simply pluck tomatoes from the vine before they ripen. (Or ask a friend who gardens!)
If you don't see green tomatoes at the farmers market, ask any of the tomato sellers if they'd be willing to bring in some under ripe ones.
Once you've gotten them, use them right away, as they will continue to ripen and turn red. Or you can store them in the refrigerator to slow the ripening process.
Any kind of beer will work for this recipe. A dark variety will have a more pronounced beer flavor.
Keep in mind that not all beers are vegan. It depends on the refining process.
However, most mass produced beers are vegan. To see if your preferred beer will work, check out Barnivore.
If the batter isn't sticking, make sure that your tomato slices are completely dry.
If that still isn't working, put a couple Tablespoons of cornstarch on a separate plate. Dip the slices into the cornstarch, tap off any excess, then put them in the batter.
If necessary, use your fingers to coat the batter around all of the edges.
Serving suggestions
Serve these beer battered tomatoes as an appetizer, main course, or side dish with vegan BBQ Soy Curls, vegan grits, and smoky sweet collard greens.
They're also delightful in a fried green tomato BLT.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Beer battered fried green tomatoes with dipping sauce
Ingredients
For beer battered green tomatoes
- 4 green tomatoes medium sized and under-ripe, cut into thick slices
- Avocado oil or other neutral-flavored high heat oil, for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ cup beer cold
- ½ cup water cold
- Generous dash of Slap Ya Mama seasoning salt
For sriracha mayo dipping sauce
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise Vegenaise is my favorite
- 4 teaspoons sriracha
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic finely grated or minced
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
To make the beer battered fried green tomatoes
- Put slices of green tomato on a clean kitchen towel. Dab them on both sides to get them as dry as possible. (The drier they are, the easier the batter will stick.)
- Pour about a half inch to an inch of oil into a skillet and let it heat.
- Meanwhile, mix the batter together in a small mixing bowl. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, dried oregano, granulated onion, and granulated garlic.
- Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour in the beer and water and mix together until thoroughly combined.
- Dip each slice of tomato into the batter. Fully coat it with the batter. If the batter won't stick to the tomatoes, make sure they are completely dry. If necessary, put out a plate with a Tablespoon of cornstarch, and lightly coat them on each side.
- Test the oil to see if it's hot enough for frying. Put a dollop of batter into the skillet. If bubbles rapidly form around it, the oil is hot enough. (If you have a thermometer, you want your oil to be between 325 to 350 degrees.)
- Put some of the slices into the oil, being careful not to overcrowd. You'll definitely need to work in batches. Fry the slices until they are golden, about three minutes on each side.
- Place the tomato slices on a clean kitchen towel covered plate. While they are still hot, generously shake Slap Ya Mama seasoning salt over them (or use your preferred Cajun seasoning salt). Move the fried green tomatoes to a serving platter and finish with a generous drizzle of vegan sriracha mayo, if using.
To make the sriracha mayo dipping sauce
- Combine vegan mayonnaise, sriracha, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, granulated garlic, grated or minced garlic, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.Depending on the size of your garlic cloves & your affinity for garlic, use either one or two cloves. I recommend using a Microplane zester to grate the garlic, so that it becomes very fine, almost like a paste. If you don't have one, mince it finely.
- You can serve the sriracha mayo right away. But for the best flavor, I recommend putting it in a covered container and refrigerating it for several hours. The flavors get a chance to deepen and meld, and it becomes even more delicious.
Notes
Nutrition
Content updated November 30, 2025. Originally posted October 26, 2010.
Susan
These look delicious! I will definitely make this year. I wonder if there is a substitute for beer. Seltzer, perhaps?
Cadry Nelson
Thank you, Susan! I think seltzer or sparkling water would work great. You could also try my other fried green tomatoes recipe that uses your choice of panko breadcrumbs or potato chip crumbs.
David
The tomatoes were delicious!