Transform Traditional Fried Green Tomatoes By Topping Them With A Seafood Lover's Favorite

Fried green tomatoes were first brought to the Northern and Midwestern U.S. by Jewish immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but are now generally considered a staple Southern food. The dish can be prepared a number of different ways with several serving options ranging from basic to indulgent. If you want to satisfy seafood-lovers, try pairing your fried green tomatoes with a hearty topping of crab cakes.

This is one notably unique way to serve fried green tomatoes that transforms the simple side into a richer meal. While one dish is vegetable-based and the other is seafood-forward, using the latter as a topping for the former brings together the best of both worlds. The savory seasonings and crispy outer coating of either one, as well as the preparation options, which include frying, baking, and more, are what make this topping so effective. Both yield a tantalizing bite that gives way to a tender and satisfying filling, whether it's a firm, green tomato or a mix of crab and your choice of binders. 

It's easy to apply this luscious topping for a dynamic duo of delightful foods. Just be sure you've taken care to allow each to adequately cool first. With so much versatility among fried green tomato and crab cake recipes, the possibilities for culinary creativity are limitless.

Leaning into the traditional flavors of both fried green tomatoes and crab cakes can help inform your choice of other ingredients for this matchup. For example, Old Bay seasoning is practically a must for making a seafood-lover's favorite, crab cakes. It's also a perfect accent to spice up the batter for a batch of classic fried green tomatoes. Tap into even more Southern staple sides by serving your fried green tomatoes and crab cake topping along with a portion of fiber-filled cowboy caviar.

Similarly, you can transform this meal into slider-sized crab cake sandwiches, using fried green tomatoes as your topping. Get creative with your choice of buns and swap in rounds of grilled polenta or homemade cornbread. Make these diminutive sandwiches a true seafood-lover's dream by serving them as an appetizer ahead of a crawfish boil. 

For those who like a little bit of spice, keep a bottle of your favorite hot sauce on hand to dress up your fried green tomatoes and crab cakes. This is also an ideal addition to the batter for your tomatoes or seafood mixture for the crab cakes. Set out a grazing board of fried green tomatoes and crab cakes with a variety of complementary dipping sauces, including a remoulade sauce recipe, mustard, and tartar sauce for a flight of fancy. However you choose to enjoy the classic foods, putting them together is an unbeatable combination.