Fried Green Tomato Grilled Cheese
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Feb 25, 2025 
Fried Green Tomato Grilled Cheese – Crispy, tangy fried green tomatoes meet gooey, melty cheese in this indulgent grilled cheese. With layers of smoked gouda, creamy pimento cheese, zesty pickles, and a touch of spicy mustard, every bite is packed with bold Southern flavors for the perfect twist on comfort food!
Why We Love This Fried Green Tomato Grilled Cheese Recipe
Grilled cheese sandwiches have got to be one of the most-loved foods here in the USA. Think about it… With other popular American dishes, there are always a few who will turn their noses up. Yet with grilled cheese, it’s so simple that no one can resist! We love the crispy buttered surface flanking both slices of pillowy sandwich bread. We love the hot molten cheese oozing over the edges of the sandwich. We even love the little bits of fried crunchy cheese around the edges of the bread, or the little gifts left in the skillet when the sandwich is done cooking.
So today, we’re celebrating this brilliant combination of butter, bread, and cheese, also known as the ultimate comfort food, Grilled Cheese, and this time, we’re giving it a southern spin!
I live in the mountains of North Carolina. Here in the south, we take our southern staples very seriously. In fact, foods like pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes are so popular they are used in excess, all over local menus. From fried green tomato pizza to pimento cheese stuffed pork chops, southerners like to get creative with their favorite revered foods!
To be fair, you could just add a shmear of pimento cheese to a classic grilled cheese sandwich and it would be AMAZING. However, in this Fried Green Tomato Sandwich we are doing that, and so much more! We’re adding all sorts of goodies to balance salty with sweet, richness with tang, and soft and silky with crunchy textures.
Ingredients You Need
For the Fried Green Tomatoes
- Green tomato – this is just an unripe tomato
- Breadcrumbs – gives the tomatoes a crispy coating
- Buttermilk – storebought or make your own buttermilk
- All-purpose flour – helps the buttermilk and breadcrumbs stick
- Vegetable oil – crisps the tomatoes while baking
- Creole seasoning – a blend of spices used in Southern and Cajun cooking
For the Pimento Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Butter – Makes the sandwich nice and crispy
- White bread – I used brioche, but sourdough bread or Texas toast would also be good
- Cheese – smoked gouda, American, pimento
- Dill pickles – slices
- Spicy whole grain mustard – adds a bit of heat and acidity
How To Make Grilled Cheese
- Start with room-temperature ingredients. If your bread and cheeses are cold when they go into the skillet, it can be tricky to melt the cheeses before the bread toasts past the point of perfection.
- Butter the bread or the skillet. There’s no right or wrong here. You can butter the bread, or you can melt butter in the pan. Either way, add enough to get a crisp buttery golden surface on the bread.
- Pile it on. Stack all the ingredients on the sandwich before you start grilling, so the bread doesn’t burn before the ingredients are warm.
- Grill and Steam. There’s a theme going on here… You don’t want the bread to burn before the cheese has melted. That’s the worst! So be sure to place a lid over the skillet so that the cheeses are steaming as the bread toasts and turns a beautiful golden brown.
- Eat Immediately. Grilled Cheese is best while hot! Don’t let is sit around while you wash your skillet. Dive in while the cheese is melty!
Get the Full (Printable) Pimento Grilled Cheese Recipe with Fried Green Tomatoes Below
Fried Green Tomato Recipe
We’ve included an easy baked fried green tomatoes recipe in the grilled cheese recipe, so you can pop the tomatoes in the oven while you are prepping and stacking your grilled cheese sandwiches.
How To Make Fried Green Tomatoes In The Oven
- Triple Dunk. In order to get a fabulous crunchy crust on the green tomato slices, you need to dredge them in flour, dunk them in buttermilk, then dunk them in breadcrumbs.
- Oil On. We’re making these as a grilled cheese sandwich filling… There’s no need to try to cut calories at this point. Skip the cooking spray and brush the tomato slices down with oil, so they get extra crispy.
- Don’t Forget to Flip! Bake for 10 minutes, then flip, and bake another 10 minutes.
Best Grilled Cheese Add-Ons
Want to keep piling on the bold southern flavors? Try adding…
- Pulled Pork
- Creole Grilled Shrimp
- Country Ham
- Chow Chow
- Barbecue Sauce
- Pickled Onions
- Comeback Sauce
- Fried Okra or Roasted Okra
- Hot Sauce
- Slices Bacon
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! If you prefer a traditional fried version, you can shallow fry the breaded tomato slices in a skillet with about ¼ inch of vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel before adding to the sandwich.
Green tomatoes are firmer and more tart, which helps them hold their shape and balance the richness of the cheese. Red tomatoes are softer and juicier, which may make the sandwich soggy. If using red tomatoes, opt for firmer, less ripe ones.
Absolutely! While brioche adds a buttery richness, you can use sourdough, Texas toast, or any thick-cut bread for a sturdy and crispy sandwich.
If you don’t have pimento cheese, you can mix cheddar cheese, mayo, diced pimentos, and a pinch of cayenne or paprika for a homemade version. Alternatively, just use extra gouda or another melty cheese.
You can’t go wrong with a side of tomato soup for a classic comfort food combo, sweet potato fries or onion rings for extra crunch, a simple green salad to balance the richness, or coleslaw for a fresh and tangy contrast.
Looking for More Southern Inspired Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Southern Tomato Pie
- Best Ham Salad
- Spicy Collard Greens
- Corn Spoon Bread
- Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
Get the Full (Printable) Pimento Grilled Cheese Recipe with Fried Green Tomatoes Below
Pimento Grilled Cheese Recipe with Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Fried Green Tomatoes
- 1 large green unripe tomato
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons creole seasoning
For the Pimento Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 slices Sara Lee Artesano Brioche Bread
- 4 slices smoked gouda
- 2 slices American cheese
- 1/2 cup pimento cheese
- 8-10 dill pickle slices
- 2 teaspoons spicy whole grain mustard
Instructions
- For the Fried Green Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a baking sheet. Slice the green tomato into 1/4 inch rounds. Place the buttermilk on one small (cereal) bowl, the flour in a second bowl, and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Stir the creole seasoning into the buttermilk.
- One at a time, dunk the green tomato slices into the flour. Then dunk them in the buttermilk. And finally, dunk them in the bread crumbs. Lay the tomato slices on the baking sheet. Brush the tops generously with oil. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once in the middle.
- Set out all the grilled cheese ingredients, so the cheeses can soften at room temperature.
- For the Pimento Grilled Cheese: Once the "fried" green tomatoes are out of the oven, set a large skillet on the stovetop. Preheat on medium-low.
- Lay four slices of Sara Lee Artesano Brioche Bread out on a cutting board. Top two slices with two slices each of gouda cheese, 1/4 cup pimento cheese, and 1-2 fried green tomato slices.
- Spread mustard over the other two slices. Then top with a slice of America cheese and dill pickles.
- Place the butter in the hot skillet. Once melted, place all four slices of bread in the skillet, with the toppings facing upward. Put a lid in the skillet so the cheeses will steam and melt faster. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the bread is crisp and golden on the bottom. Then flip the two slices with pickles onto the slices with fried green tomatoes. Move the sandwiches to plates and serve immediately.
This takes a grilled cheese to new heights!! This is ultimate comfort food!
This is so delish!! Quickly became a favorite at my house!
This was really good! Everyone at my house enjoyed it!
Holy southern goodness! This bread+fried green tomatoes+cheese=amazing!