21 Aug Low Carb, Keto Fried Tomatoes with Mozzarella, Basil and Balsamic Reduction
These low carb, keto fried tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, and balsamic reduction are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Farm-fresh tomatoes are breaded in a gluten-free, grain-free grated parmesan mixture, fried until crispy, topped with melted mozzarella and fresh basil and drizzled with a homemade balsamic vinegar reduction.
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Nothing says summer like fried tomatoes. I kicked my low carb, keto fried tomatoes game up a notch by melting mozzarella cheese on top, drizzling them with a homemade balsamic reduction, and sprinkling on some fresh basil.
They are basically a warm, deep fried caprese salad and I’m totally okay with that.
Confession: I don’t like most of the keto recipes out there, especially if they involve fake bread (keto tortillas, pie crusts, cookies, cakes, etc.) or imitation sweets. Most of them I have tried are gritty, flavorless, or both. Meh – give me steak and salad or chicken thighs and steamed veggies, and I’m good.
That being said, I have been experimenting with some of the super popular low carb breads, breadings, tortillas, pizza crusts, and desserts, and I have come up with a few of my own that I do like.
Check out my yummy, not-soggy chaffle and BEST keto pizza crust recipes if you haven’t yet.
Some other recipes you might like:
Keto fried mozzarella cheese sticks
A couple notes: Do not chiffonade the basil until you’re ready to serve, or it will turn black.
These keto fried tomatoes will not keep well. Just make what you’ll eat in one sitting, and make sure you eat them immediately after cooking..
Finally, these are not crispy, firm, eat-like-a-chip green tomatoes. These are moist, juicy, eat-with-a-fork and love-with-your-soul vine-ripend tomatoes. For keto fried green tomatoes, hang tight for my next recipe, complete with homemade pimento cheese.
The nutrition facts are for 1/6 of the recipe, or about half of a medium tomato, fried. Please adjust accordingly for your own diet and nutritional needs. I am not qualified to make recommendations or give nutritional advice.
You can cut out the balsamic reduction to save carbs, but it adds SO much flavor. Just a few drops go a long way!
Please note: The nutrition facts do not include the frying oil. To calculate the macros for the oil you use, please record how much you start with and subtract how much you end with (after it cools). This will give you the amount left in your food that you need to plug into My Fitness Pal or Carb Manager, and then you can divide by the number of servings. The amount of oil soaked up by your fried tomatoes may vary significantly from mine depending on what kind you use, the exact temperature of the oil, and how long you cook yours.
Low Carb, Keto Fried Tomatoes with Mozzarella, Basil and Balsamic Reduction
Equipment
- Deep fryer
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb. firm red tomatoes about 3 medium tomatoes; mostly red in color with a little green left is best
- 1 c. high quality balsamic vinegar (you will only use half of this for the recipe. Save the other half for another time)
- 1 large egg
- oil for frying see notes regarding nutrition facts
- 1/4 c. whey protein isolate
- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 c. mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp. fresh basil
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes 1/2-inch thick and drain on a paper towel.
- In a small saucepan, bring the balsamic vinegar to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. It will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon when you dip it. The time will vary greatly depending on the size of your pot and your exact temperature. The recipe only calls for half of what you're making. If you have a tiny pot that can successfully boil and simmer only a half cup without burning it, go for it. I don't. You will need to keep a close watch on it to keep it from overcooking. If it smells burnt, dump it out and redo it.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg until mixed well.
- Heat cooking oil in a deep fryer to 375°F. Follow your deep fryer manual for the minumum amount of oil required and usage instructions.
- Preheat your oven's broiler.
- While the oil is warming up, whisk the next six ingredients in a separate bowl.
- You will need to fry in batches. Pat tomato slices dry. Depending on the size of your deep fryer, dip 2-3 tomato slices in the egg and shake until dripping stops. Coat with the breading mixture and drop into the oil, careful not to splatter or touch the other tomatoes.
- Fry for about 2 minutes, turning halfway through just until each side is golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and then move to a baking sheet. Continue frying the tomato slices in batches until finished.
- Drizzle fried tomato slices with HALF OF the balsamic reduction and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Place under the broiler just until the cheese is melted.
- Allow tomato slices to cool for a couple of minutes while you chiffonade the basil. Top with basil and serve immediately. These will not keep well for leftovers.
- Reserve the other half of the balsamic reduction in the fridge for another recipe.
Notes
- Do not chiffonade the basil until you’re ready to serve, or it will turn black.
- These keto fried tomatoes will not keep well. Just make what you’ll eat in one sitting, and make sure you eat them immediately after cooking.
- Finally, these are not crispy, firm, eat-like-a-chip green tomatoes. These are moist, juicy, eat-with-a-fork and love-with-your-soul vine-ripend tomatoes.
- For keto fried green tomatoes, hang tight for my next recipe, complete with homemade pimento cheese.
- The nutrition facts are for 1/6 of the recipe, or about half of a medium tomato, fried. Please adjust accordingly for your own diet and nutritional needs. I am not qualified to make recommendations or give nutritional advice.
Nutrition
Pin this Low Carb, Keto Fried Tomatoes recipe for later!
A note on nutrition facts:
Please note: The nutrition facts do not include the frying oil. To calculate the macros for the oil you use, please record how much you start with and subtract how much you end with (after it cools). This will give you the amount left in your food that you need to plug into My Fitness Pal or Carb Manager, and then you can divide by the number of servings. The amount of oil soaked up by your fried tomatoes may vary significantly from mine depending on what kind you use, the exact temperature of the oil and how long you cook yours.
I am not a nutritional expert or medical professional. Nutritional information for my recipes is provided as a courtesy and is only an approximation. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of any nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site. Erythritol and monk fruit carbs are not included in the nutritional information as they have been shown to have a low impact on blood sugar. Those with Diabetes or other health-related issues may need to calculate net carbs differently. If you need help managing or calculating carbs, ask your doctor or dietician for guidance. Net carbs provided are the total carbs less fiber and sugar alcohols. For the most accurate nutritional information, please calculate with your own specific ingredients using a program like Carb Manager or My Fitness Pal.
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