Table of Contents
- Can you eat green tomatoes without frying them?
- Why eat green tomatoes?
- 5 great ways to eat green tomatoes:
- Final thoughts
Can you eat green tomatoes without frying them?
Green tomatoes are plain old tomatoes that are picked while still green. They stay this way longer than other tomatoes and can be eaten while still firm and tart. These are bright green, firmer than the ripened red tomatoes, and usually smaller. They can also be found in farmer’s markets and home gardens.
Many people ask whether or not eating green tomatoes is safe? The answer is a resounding yes! You can eat green tomatoes without frying them. Green tomatoes are a nutritious food that provides thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A and C, and potassium and dietary fiber.
Here in this article, we’ll enlighten you on why you should green tomatoes, their great health benefits, and ten great ways you can eat green tomatoes besides frying them.
Why eat green tomatoes?
Eating green tomatoes can give you numerous benefits, including improving bone health, reducing cancer risk, and putting you at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, it can help prevent eye disorders, diabetes, and even constipation.
Green tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. They are also a wonderful source of fiber, potassium, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, and magnesium.
Eating green tomatoes can help with unpleasant cholesterol levels because it helps decrease unpleasant cholesterol levels in your body. This keeps your heart healthy as it prevents the formation of plaque deposits on the walls of your arteries.
Eye Health
A single medium green tomato has 790 international units of vitamin A, which is present as the antioxidant beta carotene, in one form. Beta carotene is known as extremely beneficial for eye health. It is essential for the proper functioning of your retina, which allows you to see in dim light.
Green tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, which helps heal eye disorders like glaucoma. The lack of this nutrient causes degeneration of the retina, which leads to blindness. Green tomatoes also protect against cataract development because of their antioxidant properties.
Reducing Diabetes Risk
It also helps you control your blood sugar levels, thus reducing your risk of developing diabetes. The anti-oxidants present in green tomatoes fight inflammation and prevent the production of free radicals, which increase your chances of getting a stroke or cardiovascular disease.
Healthy Bones
In addition to this, eating green tomatoes helps maintain healthy bones due to their high amounts of vitamin K, calcium, and magnesium. It reduces the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures by strengthening them. It helps treat arthritis because it has anti-inflammatory properties, making it beneficial for bone health and overall fitness.
Heart Health
Green tomatoes are extremely beneficial for excellent heart conditions as they reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is caused by high LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Due to their antioxidant properties, green tomatoes suppress the oxidation of bad cholesterol and prevent blood clots from developing.
Great for Skin
Apart from the health benefits mentioned above, eating green tomatoes will also help you maintain glowing skin. The antioxidants and nutrient-rich green tomatoes can improve your overall skin condition and protect against ailments like psoriasis and dermatitis.
Green tomatoes are beneficial for your gastrointestinal tract because they stimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria in your gut. These bacteria aid digestion and allow you to absorb nutrients better.
Cancer prevention
Green tomatoes help prevent cancer as they have anti-angiogenic properties that prevent cancer of the bladder, brain, breast, colon, pancreas, and lungs. They are also beneficial for cataract prevention as they have anti-inflammatory properties. These inflammatory properties protect against cataract development by preventing the breakdown of collagen fibers in the eye.
5 great ways to eat green tomatoes:
Green tomatoes are certainly known as culinary gold because they can be used in any recipe.
Green tomatoes can be used to make a delicious green tomato salsa or chutney, which you can enjoy with your lunch or dinner. Green tomatoes go great in salads and sandwiches, too, so you could always add them in moderation if you want. You can even pickle them for later use. Lastly, the most popular way of eating green tomatoes is by frying them in oil and preparing fried green tomatoes recipes.
Pickled Tomatoes
Tomatoes that are firm and green do not get mushy after being soaked in a vinegar solution. This dish features a sweet-and-tart brine similar to that used for bread-and-butter pickles, but any traditional brine will work. Green cherry tomatoes look great when pickled and can be used as garnishes for cocktails instead of olives or pickled pearl onions.
Green tomatoes Jam
Green tomatoes don’t have a lot of flavor on their own, but they do contain a lot of pectins. So you may chop them and dump them in a pot with lots of sugar to make a unique savory-sweet preserve. As seen in this Messy Baker dish, aromatics like hot peppers, citrus peels, or ginger can help boost the flavor profile.
Use the result as an instant appetizer by mixing it with beef mince, cheese, or on top of a block of softened cream cheese with crackers. I also sometimes replace some ripe tomatoes in preserved recipes that require green ones.
Use them in sauces and stews
Although tomatillos are in the same plant family as gooseberries and botanically different from tomatoes, they behave similarly when simmered. Add them to chunky soups or stews, such as Thakali Masiyal from South India, including chopped tomatillos. Meanwhile, a fast simmering green tomato chutney is a nice spread for a sandwich.
Tomato and green tomatillo sirloin steak fajitas
Green tomatoes make the ideal vegetarian option for meat lovers. They can replace beef or pork in Mexican dishes like steaks and fajitas. Their flavor is mild enough that they won’t take over a dish, and you’ll get all of the health benefits listed above.
Grilled Tomatoes
If you want to add a smoky touch to your salsa, grill the green tomatoes rather than roasting them in the oven. For a tasty side or topping that can bring the tastes of summer all year, use green tomatoes instead of tomatillos in our Grilled Tomatillo Salsa recipe. Serve on tacos, with chips, or on salad.
Beefy green tomato chili with white beans
You don’t have to limit yourself to frying green tomatoes, though you certainly could. This recipe for Slow Cooker Beefy Green Tomato Chili with White Beans is a delicious way to cook these underappreciated veggies. The tanginess of the tomatillos, combined with the savory beef and beans, make for a delicious meal.
Green Tomato pie
Make a Green Tomato Pie that will surprise everyone, and try something completely out of the ordinary. In this dish, you’ll want to utilize unripe tomatoes so that the pie stays intact; ripe tomatoes would cause the pie to collapse.
The cinnamon and a tiny pinch of sugar complement the burst of acidity from the tomatoes and cider vinegar in this unusual and well-balanced sweet after-dinner treat (or before, we aren’t judging)
Green Tomato Salsa
Green tomatoes can be used in many salsa recipes to enhance their flavor and add a touch of tartness. Depending on the recipe, green tomato salsas can be made with tomatillos or unripe tomatoes. This salsa has the perfect consistency for dipping chips; it’s chunky and hearty without being too thin or watery.
Green Tomato Tartare
If you like beef tartare but want to try something different, why not give this green tomato version a go? It sounds crazy, but trust us when we say that it tastes absolutely amazing!
Give yourself time to find the best quality meat possible and use good-sized tomatoes, so there aren’t any tough bits in your mouth, and this simple dish comes out tasting fantastic.
Green Tomato Soup
If you’re in the mood for a lighter, more refreshing dish for lunch or dinner, go green. Green tomato soup is one of my favorite dishes to have when I want something light but still flavorful. It’s also straightforward and great if you have fresh tomatoes on hand that you don’t know what to do with.
Final thoughts
As you can see, green tomatoes are extremely versatile and can be used in so many different recipes. They’re also versatile enough that they can be incorporated into just about any meal throughout the day, whether it’s morning, noon, or night. Give these recipes a try and see how many ways you can incorporate green tomatoes into your cooking.
