Sauce for Fried Green Tomatoes: Best Dipping Sauces to Pair With Them
The right sauce for fried green tomatoes balances the tartness of the unripe tomato and the richness of the fried coating. Without a complementary dipping sauce, even perfectly cooked fried green tomatoes can taste one-dimensional. The sauce is not optional—it completes the dish.
Fried green tomatoes sauce options range from creamy remoulade to tangy comeback sauce to simple buttermilk ranch. A great dipping sauce for fried green tomatoes should contrast with the savory fried exterior rather than duplicate it. This guide covers five of the best fried green tomato sauce options and explains which flavor profile works best for each serving occasion.
Remoulade: The Classic Fried Green Tomatoes Sauce
Why Remoulade Works
Remoulade is a mayonnaise-based sauce with Creole seasoning, capers, horseradish, and a touch of hot sauce. It is tangy, slightly spicy, and rich enough to coat without overwhelming. This is the most traditional fried green tomato sauce in Southern and Creole cooking, and it remains the go-to option for good reason.
Quick Remoulade Recipe
Combine half a cup of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of whole grain mustard, one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, one teaspoon of capers finely chopped, one teaspoon of hot sauce, half a teaspoon of smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne. Stir until fully incorporated. This fried green tomatoes dipping sauce keeps for five days in the refrigerator.
Comeback Sauce
Comeback sauce is a Mississippi staple that makes an excellent sauce for fried green tomatoes. It combines mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and a generous amount of hot sauce. The result is tangy, slightly sweet, and mildly spicy. It works as a dipping sauce for fried green tomatoes with a slightly more casual, barbecue-adjacent flavor compared to remoulade.
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Buttermilk ranch is one of the most accessible fried green tomato sauce options. Its cool creaminess and herbal flavor contrast well with the hot, crispy tomato. A homemade version using sour cream, buttermilk, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder works better than any bottled alternative. This fried green tomatoes sauce is family-friendly and crowd-pleasing without being polarizing.
Honey Hot Sauce
For those who want heat with sweetness, a honey hot sauce makes a compelling dipping sauce for fried green tomatoes. Combine two tablespoons of hot sauce (Texas Pete or Frank’s RedHot works well) with one tablespoon of honey and a squeeze of lemon. The result is a thin, pourable fried green tomato sauce that clings lightly to the crispy exterior. It pairs particularly well with fried green tomatoes served alongside fried chicken.
Goat Cheese Herb Sauce
A softer, more refined option: blend two ounces of softened goat cheese with two tablespoons of sour cream, a tablespoon of fresh chives, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth. This fried green tomatoes dipping sauce has a tangy, creamy character that contrasts with the acidity of the tomato in a different way than a mayo-based sauce does. It works particularly well at dinner parties where a more elegant presentation is appropriate.
Choosing the Right Sauce
For a traditional Southern plate, remoulade is the right sauce for fried green tomatoes. For a casual backyard setting, comeback sauce or honey hot sauce are the most approachable. For a more elegant plating, the goat cheese herb sauce sets the dish apart. Buttermilk ranch works in any context. Having two fried green tomato sauce options on the table when you serve them gives guests a choice and makes the spread feel more considered.
