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Here are all our favorite green tomato recipes for how to use this tart and tasty bright green vegetable (er…fruit). Pick from green tomato pickles, salsa, toast, and more!
Got green tomatoes? Cooking with unripe red tomatoes is an age-old tradition that extends the life of summer tomatoes once cool weather hits. Fried green tomatoes are the most famous use in Southern cuisine, but guess what? There are many more exciting ways to eat them than just fried.
One of our favorite ideas? Green tomato pickles! They’re the perfect balance of crisp, tangy, and just-spicy-enough, perfect for snacks, a cheese board, relishes, and more. Stop scrolling, grab those tomatoes, and let’s do this! Additional ideas for using those green tomatoes are listed below the recipe.
What are green tomatoes?
Here’s the deal about green tomatoes—we’re not talking about those fancy heirloom varieties that are meant to be green. Green tomatoes are late season red tomatoes that haven’t ripened, leaving them green and hard. They have tart, zingy flavor and a robust texture.
These have been a cooking secret weapon for generations, especially in Southern cuisine where fried green tomatoes steal the spotlight. But there are many more creative ways to use them.
Featured recipe
These green tomato pickles are one of our favorite uses for this seasonal ingredient. You can use them in power bowls, on burgers or hot dogs, on sandwiches, or even to garnish chili!
Green Tomato Pickles
The best way to preserve green tomatoes? As pickles! These pickled green tomatoes are the perfect condiment: tangy, salty, and 100% delicious.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Pickling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 4 cups green tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash a wide-mouth 1-quart mason jar and and its lid in hot soapy water, then rinse and let air dry.
- Slice the tomatoes into wedges and pack them tightly into the jar. (If you have very large tomatoes, you may want to slice them into smaller wedges.)
- Peel the garlic. In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, vinegar, water, dill, peppercorns, turmeric, sugar, and kosher salt. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Once dissolved, pour the brine mixture into the jar, allowing the garlic to settle on top of the vegetables. Tap the jar on the counter to release any air bubbles. Discard any remaining brine, or top off the jar with extra water if any tomatoes are exposed at the top. Screw on the lid tightly and allow to cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating. If desired, discard the garlic after 24 hours. Keeps up to 1 month refrigerated.
Green tomato recipes
Want more ideas? There are many creative ways to use green tomatoes in your cooking. This tangy green salsa that’s like a cousin to salsa verde, perfect for dipping chips or loading onto tacos. You can even bake them into a cake: who knew?
It’s hard to describe just how next level these pickled green tomatoes are. They’re tangy, salty, a little sweet, and the absolute perfect condiment.
Another at the top of our green tomato recipes? Salsa! You can make a green tomato salsa that tastes just like salsa verde, but better. Salsa verde is made with tomatillos, but using green tomatoes is even tastier (we think)!
Our simplest green tomato recipe? Toast! If you’re in a rush: green tomato toast is where it’s at! Slice them up and throw them on toast spread with goat cheese, and you’ve got a delightful appetizer or lunch. It’s the perfect quick use for those tart tomatoes.
Try the Southern classic, fried green tomatoes! They make great appetizers or snacks perfect for any gathering. Tart green tomatoes encrusted with a melt-in-your-mouth crispy cornbread coating are quick, easy and ridiculously tasty! via Immaculate Bites
Not sure how to prepare your tomatoes? Throw them on the grill! Grilling green tomatoes infuses a smoky flavor and makes them irresistibly tasty. Top with Parmesan cheese and basil. via White on Rice Couple
This soup balances the tartness of green tomatoes by slow-roasting them with onions and garlic. It allows the flavors of the green tomatoes to deepen and caramelize while bringing out their natural sugars. via With Food & Love
This Indian-style spicy, sweet, tangy green chutney recipe is an excellent way to use up excess tomatoes. via Indian Veggie Delight
Why not put green tomatoes in chili? This tangy twist on classic beef chili uses green tomatoes instead of the traditional ripe red tomatoes. They're then combined with ground beef, pinto beans, and poblano peppers for an irresistible chili. via Hola Jalapeno
Put the last of the season’s green tomatoes to good use with this easy to make sausage and rice soup! It's simple and cozy, flavored with the tangy zing of green tomatoes. via Hola Jalapeno
Cake with green tomatoes? This spice cake uses unripe garden tomatoes to add moisture and flavor. Frost it with a mouthwatering cream cheese frosting! via The Best Cake Recipes
Diced and combined about half and half with apples, green tomatoes make a great mincemeat. Freezes well, too, if you hold the brandy until you’re ready to make pie. Or try a chicken vegetable soup with green tomatoes, onions, green chili, pinto beans, rice, and carrots, with a healthy splash of lime juice at the end. I call it Margarita Soup after the classic mixed drink..
These are very tasty. Quick and easy to make.
I did can and hot bath a second batch, hopefully they are just as good. Will try one in a week, fingers 🤞.
We use our green tomatoes to make relish and “mincemeat,” which are recipes from over a hundred years ago.
I tried you green tomato pickle recipe and loved it. I then gave some to a friend who also thought that it was delicious. The best part was that it was so easy and quick to make and ready to eat the next day Thank you!
I have a question though. I have a very bushy plant with a lot to very tiny cherry tomatoes (all green). Could those be used in your green tomato pickle or green tomato salsa recidpes as well?
Hi! Yes, we pickle the cherry tomatoes too. Just slice in half.
How long will this last in the refrigerator?
It should last up to a week.
Delicious!!
Can you freeze this green tomato salsa?
I don’t think it would freeze well.
I like your recipes but I think you missed a great one. Green tomato pie, it tastes almost like a apple pie. I still use my mother’s recipe.
We need to try that!
Please send me your mothers green tomato pie recipe I would love to try it I have a bushel of green tomatoes I need to do something with
You have some very good ideas for combining the veggies I am growing in my garden this summer. In Florida we are having alot of rain so the tomatoes are splitting and I have to take them from the vines early. I will incorporate some of your ideas to use the fruit. Thank you ! Joni Carroll
OMG – we get a farm basket weekly and were trying to decide what to do with our green tomatoes besides frying them. I stumbled across your recipe and IT IS THE BOMB – DELISH – we may eat them all tonight! LOVE LOVE LOVE
Thank you for this recipe! I have a ton of green tomatoes and am wondering if I could can this salsa?
You could, but we don’t have any experience with the timing. Sorry!
Thank you for the recipes for green tomatoes!
You’re welcome!
Thank you, just what I needed to finish garden clean-up.
Thank you for providing these recipes; my Community’s garden club is going to test them out….I am looking forward to the experience…they all look so delicious 😋