Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes with Penny Panko

Wondering what to do with those green tomatoes you rescued from the garden? Look no further: I’ve got the perfect recipe to turn those tart green beauties into crispy, crunchy goodness!

I found the recipe below on Spicy Southern Kitchen (an awesome food blog out of Beaufort, SC) and made just a couple of tweaks to include the Penny Panko - SO GOOD.

Get ready for your new favorite way to eat green tomatoes – crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and air-fried to golden perfection. Let’s jump in!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 green tomatoes (maybe more – trust me, you’ll want extra!)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (or make your own: add 1/2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, fill with milk to the 1/2-cup line, and stir)
• 1 cup Penny Panko crumbs
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• Olive oil or vegetable oil spray (or mister)

Pro Tip: This recipe requires 3 shallow plates (or if you want less cleanup, grab some rimmed paper plates or large paper bowls).

Instructions:

1. Prep Your Tomatoes: Start by cutting your green tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Set those aside while you get everything else ready.

2. Get Your Penny Panko Mix Ready: Buzz Penny Panko in a blender or food processor until it’s a finer consistency. Mix it together with the cornmeal and pour the mixture into a shallow dish or pie plate.

3. Flour Time: In another shallow dish, add the flour.

4. Egg Wash: In a third dish, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk until smooth. 

5. Preheat the Air Fryer: Get your air fryer going at 400°F and lightly mist the basket with oil.

6. Coat the Tomatoes: Time to get a little messy! Coat each tomato slice in flour, dip it into the egg wash, and press it into the Penny Panko mix, making sure both sides are coated well. Sprinkle on a little extra salt if you’re feeling fancy.

7. Air Fry to Crispy Perfection: Place about 4 tomato slices in the air fryer basket, giving them a light mist of oil on top. Air-fry for 5 minutes, then flip them over, mist again, and air-fry for another 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

8. Serve and Enjoy: Take them out, let them cool for just a sec (if you can wait!), and dig in!

Swapping out regular breadcrumbs for Penny Panko gives you that next-level crunch without the heaviness. It’s light, crispy, and lets the flavors of your food shine through. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked!

Whether you’re looking for a tasty side dish, snack, or even a unique appetizer, these golden bites are guaranteed to be a hit. Plus, they’re way healthier thanks to the air fryer.