Who likes fried green tomatoes 🍅!? In the spirit of cookin’ southern, I came up with this incredible Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes recipe, healthy and delicious at the same time. I then paired it with a low-fat Avocado Horseradish sauce 🥑.

They were so good I have already made them several times since the start of Summer! And the best thing is that they are great for all health goals – including weight loss! Who says that staying in shape equals eating bland and boring meals?!

Air Fryer Green Tomatoes, my favorite healthy appetizer! 🍅

Fried green tomatoes remind me of my childhood, and I cannot get enough of them! They are simply so crunchy and satisfying, with the right balance of saltiness from the fried batter and sourness from the green tomatoes. However, as we all know, eating fried food is not the best choice when it comes to our health, without because deep-frying in the Summer heat is anything than enjoyable!

This is why I came up with this incredible air fryer fried green tomatoes recipe, easy, healthy, and great for all the family! Since I bought a new air fryer earlier this year, I cannot stop using it. It allows me to reproduce the crunchiness of all my favorite foods without the need of using unnecessary oils and fats. Plus, it works as a sort of mini-oven, which means that you won’t encounter any of the health risks commonly associated with cooking with burnt or overly-heated oil!

I have then decided to pair all this goodness with a light and creamy avocado and horseradish sauce, made with a base of Greek yogurt, which is an awesome source of both healthy fats and proteins. This allows me to create a more balanced meal, as the fats and proteins from the sauce complement the complex carbs contained in the breadcrumbs I used to coat the green tomatoes.

For a fully plant-based recipe, you can easily swap the Greek yogurt with some unsweetened soy yogurt -and, if desired, a spoonful of vegan mayo!

Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes: Ingredient Selection Tips

Green Tomatoes

My green tomatoes are from my garden, and I encourage you to start growing some of your food if you have the opportunity. But if not, green tomatoes are not always easy to find in an ordinary grocery store. You will probably find them at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or the farmer’s market, if not your local grocery. It is best to get them organic, as they are on the Dirty Dozen list (produce with potentially harmful pesticide content). When buying, choose the firm ones. The season to easily find green tomatoes is now – at the end of the summer and early fall.

Cornmeal

Selecting this ingredient may be confusing. There are many ways corn is processed, such as grits, polenta, coarse cornmeal, fine cornmeal, blue cornmeal, corn flour, and more. Cornmeal is dried and ground field corn and this is what we need in this recipe. If you are able to find cornmeal at your local market, you can get it on Amazon at the link below.

Avocado

A ripe Hass avocado should have a creamy, moderately soft texture. Ripe avocados are soft when you touch them and will also have skin with a bumpy texture. If you want to use the avocado right away, choose one that is darker and gives in when you press lightly on its exterior. If you plan to use one in a couple of days, select one that’s a brighter green. To ensure that the avocado you’re choosing is ripe and creamy, and not too ripe, peel back the small stem at the top. If the area underneath is green, the avocado is good, but if the area is brown, the avocado is probably overripe. Avocados tend to start to feel hollow when they are overripe as well.

Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes: Noteworthy Health Benefits

Green Tomatoes

Green tomatoes provide nearly as many vital nutrients as red tomatoes. They support hydration and are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. These vitamins are contributing to a stronger immune system, and because vitamin K is fat-soluble pairing it with healthy fat sources can enhance its absorption.

Cornmeal

This traditional gluten-free meal, contains carbohydrates, protein, and essential minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium. As a good source of fiber and plant-based protein (as compared to other grains), cornmeal aids the digestive system functioning properly.

Horseradish

This root is filled with healthy compounds that may provide antibacterial and anticancer effects. It contains an oil known as allyl isothiocyanate, which gives horseradish its telltale odor and taste and may irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. Because of this, we usually consume horseradish in very small amounts.

It is low in calories and contains small amounts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and folate. It may improve your respiratory health.

Diet Preference Tweaks

Vegan/Fully Plant-Based

If you would like to make this meal vegan, it is easy to do so. Just replace milk with some non-dairy milk like unsweetened and unflavored oat or rice milk, and use vegan yogurt.

Gluten-free

There are some options for gluten-free panko and flour in the better-supplied grocery stores that you can use in this recipe, such as this one from Ian’s.

If you liked this recipe, here are other recipes you might like.

Before you go…

I hope you will love these recipes as much as I do! If you have tried it, please let me know how you liked it in the comments. And don’t forget to tag my socials (all the links are below). 💗