Minus The Meat
Ever since I was a kid, I was honestly blessed to be a vegetable lover from the start. I loved vegetables so much that at one point in my life I almost decided to become a vegetarian. The only reason I chose not to was because I didn’t want to put a label on myself and force myself into a box. I just always appreciated each and every vegetables’ individuality and the different flavors and texture they brought to the plate. So I’m here today to hype up the best of the best summer produce with my Fried Green Tomato Sandwich. Toasted sourdough bread filled with layers of mayo, pesto, arugula, fried green tomatoes, stracciatella, basil, and ribboned zucchini. Even though this sandwich is filled with vegetables, you still get a good heartiness from it with the fried green tomatoes. It’s fresh and indulgent; you really won’t miss the meat at all!
Battered and Fried
To get this sandwich going, lay out the tomato slices in a single layer. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on top and let it sit for 15 minutes. This helps to draw out some moisture so that the tomatoes can fry nice and crispy. Add the cornmeal, panko, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder into a dish. Mix until the ingredients are combined. Add the flour into a separate dish and mix it together with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the heavy cream into a separate dish.
After 15 minutes, pat both sides of the tomatoes dry with paper towels. Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a pan with sides. Heat it over medium high heat until it reaches 375℉. While the oil heats, dredge each tomato slice into the flour until fully coated. Dip the tomatoes into the heavy cream until all of the flour has been absorbed. Then add the tomato into the cornmeal panko mix. Press the breading onto both sides of the tomato until well coated.
Add the tomatoes into the hot oil, being sure to not overcrowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the tomatoes from the oil and place them onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Season the tomatoes with a pinch of salt.
The Sandwich Stack
Toast the slices of sourdough in a pan or in a toaster. In the meantime, add the shaved zucchini into a bowl along with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss everything together until combined.
Spread the pesto onto one slice of sourdough and spread the mayo onto the other slice. Add some of the arugula onto one of the slices of sourdough. Then layer on a few slices of fried green tomatoes. Spread the stracciatella onto the tomatoes. season it with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil on top. Add on a few basil leaves and a portion of the ribboned zucchini. Top with the remaining slice of sourdough. Repeat this process to assemble the remaining sandwich. Slice in half and enjoy!
Get Excited
This Fried Green Tomato Sandwich is no joke. I honestly don’t get that excited by sandwiches — it’s just not my thing — but I would get excited for this. It’s creamy and indulgent from the fried green tomatoes and stracciatella. Then the arugula, basil, and zucchini add a freshness that balances it all out. Since we cut the tomatoes into thicker slices, they add a nice meatiness to the sandwich. It’s the perfect vegetable swap for a piece of meat. I think this sandwich would also be heavenly on some thick and fluffy slices of focaccia. While this Fried Green Tomato Sandwich is delicious as is, I definitely encourage you to play around and find the ingredients that excite you!
Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 Large Green Tomato (sliced ⅓ inch thick)
- ⅓ cup Cornmeal
- ¼ cup Panko
- ¼ tsp Paprika
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Onion Powder
- ⅓ cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- Vegetable Oil (as needed)
- 4 slices Sourdough
- 1 Small Zucchini (peeled into ribbons)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Pesto
- 2 tbsp Mayo
- 2 cups Arugula
- 6 oz Stracciatella
- ½ cup Fresh Basil Leaves
Instructions
- Lay out the tomato slices in a single layer. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on top and let it sit for 15 minutes. In the meantime, add the cornmeal, panko, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder into a dish. Mix until the ingredients are combined. Add the flour into a separate dish and mix it together with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the heavy cream into a separate dish.
- After 15 minutes, pat both sides of the tomatoes dry with paper towels. Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a pan with sides. Heat it over medium high heat until it reaches 375℉.
- While the oil heats, dredge each tomato slice into the flour until fully coated. Dip the tomatoes into the heavy cream until all of the flour has been absorbed. Then add the tomato into the cornmeal panko mix. Press the breading onto both sides of the tomato until well coated.
- Add the tomatoes into the hot oil, being sure to not overcrowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the tomatoes from the oil and place them onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Season the tomatoes with a pinch of salt.
- Toast the slices of sourdough in a pan or in a toaster. In the meantime, add the ribboned zucchini into a bowl along with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss everything together until combined.
- Spread the pesto onto one slice of sourdough and spread the mayo onto the other slice. Add some of the arugula onto one of the slices of sourdough. Then layer on a few slices of fried green tomatoes. Spread the stracciatella onto the tomatoes. Season it with salt and pepper then drizzle olive oil on top. Add on a few basil leaves and a portion of the ribboned zucchini. Top with the remaining slice of sourdough. Repeat this process to assemble the remaining sandwich. Slice in half and enjoy!
