If there’s any food that should have an identity crisis, it’s the tomato. Technically a fruit, and functionally a vegetable, tomatoes are far more comfortable hanging out with onions and carrots than peaches and blueberries.
Fortunately, tomatoes appear to have few hangups. Perhaps this is due to their many wonderful qualities, which make them the most widely consumed fruit-vegetable in the world: their vibrant colors, juicy texture, complex flavors, and culinary versatility.
Tomatoes Around the World
While the tomato originated in the Americas, it is now at home all over the world. European countries with Mediterranean climates love their tomatoes. Italy, of course, features the pomodoro (literally, “apple of gold”) in pasta sauces and caprese salad. Spain serves up a couple of delicious cold tomato-based soups — gazpacho, and the lesser-known but more filling salmorejo, as well as pan con tomate (a split baguette, toasted and slathered with olive oil and chunky tomato sauce). Portugal and Greece also get into the act, with arroz de tomate (tomato rice) and lathera (veggies stewed in tomato), respectively.
In China, stir-fried tomatoes with scrambled eggs are a popular home-cooked dish, while tomatoes play a starring or supporting role in many of India’s curries and chutneys.
Continuing our world tour, tomatoes are key ingredients in many Mexican salsas and sauces, and Brazilian cuisine features “vinagrete,” a tomato-based condiment served with grilled meats. In the Middle East and North Africa, tomatoes are integral to various stews and salads. Heading south, Nigerian and Ghanaian cuisine features tomatoes in stews and jollof rice.
When Are Tomatoes in Season?
In the US, peak season runs from late spring through early fall (which typically means May through October, depending on the region). The sweet spot is mid-to-late summer, when vine-ripened tomatoes develop high concentrations of sugars and aromatic compounds. This corresponds to higher levels of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients.
Once you’ve tasted a tomato exposed to a long season of photosynthesis and allowed to ripen on the vine, you’ll find out-of-season tomatoes (which are often picked green and hard for ease of transport and then ripened artificially) to have a bland taste and mealy texture. Plus, they have lower concentrations of vitamins.
Hydroponic tomatoes offer a year-round harvest and faster growth, using significantly less water (~90% reduction compared to soil) and allowing for vertical stacking to save space. While they are often crisp and uniform, their flavor can be milder or less complex, varying with the nutrient solution and growing technique. Artificial lighting and energy are commonly used, which can increase the carbon footprint unless renewable sources are utilized.
The tastiest fresh tomatoes will be those grown locally in season. Buying local also supports better health, the environment, and community resilience. Local produce is often fresher, more nutritious, and grown with fewer chemicals than food trucked or flown in from afar. It also creates fewer transportation emissions, supports local farmers, and helps preserve farmland and biodiversity.
Tomato Farmworkers and the Fair Food Program
Because tomatoes grow well in long, hot summers, they can be hard on farmworkers.
Behind every tomato on your grocery store shelf is a farmworker whose labor conditions directly impact both the quality of your food and the dignity of their work. For years, farmworkers — most of them immigrants — have dealt with serious issues like wage theft, dangerous working conditions, and life-threatening heat exposure with little protection.
These problems not only harm workers but also impact food safety and the reliability of our food system.
Fortunately, you can now vote with your wallet. The new Fair Food Program label, which hit stores in 2024, indicates that your tomatoes come from farms that actually protect their workers with things like guaranteed shade, water breaks, and the right to report problems without retaliation. Major companies like Walmart and McDonald’s are already on board, paying a premium that goes directly to farmworkers. When you choose products with this label or ask your store about ethical sourcing, you’re helping ensure the people who grow your food can do so safely and with dignity.
How To Choose and Store Tomatoes
Because the taste, texture, and nutritional quality of tomatoes can range from awesome to “basically mushy cardboard,” it’s worth spending some time and effort choosing delicious and ripe ones.
Look for a deep and even color, which can be red, yellow, orange, or even purple or chocolate brown, depending on variety. They should give slightly when gently squeezed (I’d like to emphasize “gently,” so as not to attract the ire of greengrocers worldwide.) And if you’re comfortable doing so, sniff the stem end for a hint of tomato fragrance.
Once you’ve brought tomatoes home, store them at room temperature. Refrigerate tomatoes only after they’ve been cut, or when they’ve become very ripe and in danger of spoiling. For best flavor, serve tomatoes at room temperature.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the tomatoes you buy will be unripe or underripe. Don’t despair — there are some tricks you can try to speed up ripening indoors.
You can speed-ripen tomatoes in a brown paper bag. This traps the ethylene gas that tomatoes emit, which promotes ripening. Add a ripe banana or apple to accelerate the process. You can also skip the bag entirely and just add unripe tomatoes to a bowl filled with ripe bananas or apples.
Another method is to position your unripe tomatoes in a shallow dish in a warm area that receives indirect sunlight, such as a windowsill. Turn them daily for even ripening.
For batches too large for a plate or dish, line a cardboard box with newspaper, arrange the tomatoes in a single layer, cover with another layer of newspaper, and store in a warm, dry place.
If you have unripe tomatoes growing in your garden and a killing frost is forecast, you can uproot the entire plant and hang it upside down in a cool, dry location like a basement or garage. This allows the tomatoes to ripen naturally on the vine while getting a new perspective on life.
Ways To Enjoy Tomatoes
The beauty of tomatoes lies in their versatility. When fresh, they shine in simple preparations that highlight their natural flavor and juiciness. Slice them thick for classic caprese salads, dice them into fresh salsas, or pile them onto crusty bread for bruschetta. Fresh tomatoes also work beautifully in smoothies and gazpacho, where their high water content adds natural hydration along with a hefty dose of vitamin C.
Heat transforms tomatoes completely, concentrating their flavors and unlocking powerful antioxidants like lycopene. Roasting brings out their sweetness, while slow cooking them into sauces, soups, and stews creates rich, complex flavors. You can also dehydrate them into intensely flavored sun-dried tomatoes, ferment them into tangy chutneys, or blend them into dressings and marinades.
Heirloom tomatoes — those open-pollinated varieties passed down through generations — offer exceptional flavor and come in stunning colors from deep purple to bright yellow. They’re perfect for eating fresh when you want to taste the full complexity of the fruit.
Processed tomatoes have their own superpowers. Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and sauces are higher in bioavailable lycopene (the antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red color — and may help fight cancer, protect your heart, and support your immune system) than fresh ones, making them nutritional powerhouses for cooking. Research shows that regular consumption of cooked tomato products may reduce oxidative stress and even lower prostate cancer risk.
When choosing processed options, look for minimal-ingredient, BPA-free, low-sodium varieties.
Tomato Recipes To Try
Juicy, vibrant, and endlessly versatile, tomatoes deserve their spot as a global favorite. Whether fresh off the vine or slow-roasted into rich sauces, they bring brightness, depth, and a boost of antioxidants to every dish. These tomato-forward recipes celebrate the fruit in all its forms, from zesty salsas to creamy comfort bowls, so you can enjoy their flavor and benefits any time of year.
1. Savory Tomato and Olive Oats
Savory Tomato and Olive Oats transform traditional oatmeal into a warm, umami-rich dish perfect for any time of day. Sautéed onions, garlic, and juicy tomatoes create a flavorful base, while rolled oats cook to creamy perfection in soy milk and vegetable broth. Miso paste and nutritional yeast add savory depth, and a topping of kalamata olives, parsley, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds finishes it off with briny crunch and nutrition.
2. Roasted Balsamic Basil Tomatoes
Roasted Balsamic Basil Tomatoes deliver bold, concentrated flavor with just a few simple ingredients. Juicy grape or cherry tomatoes are roasted until tender and caramelized, then tossed with balsamic vinegar, oregano, and cracked black pepper. Finished with torn basil, this easy dish celebrates the tomato’s natural sweetness and is packed with flavor-boosting antioxidants.
3.Pico de Gallo
Pico de Gallo is a bright and refreshing raw salsa that puts ripe tomatoes front and center. Diced tomatoes mix with red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice for a fresh, zesty condiment that livens up tacos, salads, or grain bowls. This classic combination offers hydration and vitamin C in every crunchy, juicy bite.
4. Cold Peach Tomato Soup
Cold Peach Tomato Soup blends the sweetness of peaches with the juicy acidity of tomatoes for a light and cooling twist on gazpacho. Cucumber, shallots, basil, and a touch of jalapeño add layers of complexity, while lime juice ties it all together. This chilled soup is hydrating, refreshing, and packed with seasonal summer flavor.
5. Refreshing Corn Tomato and Feta Salad
Refreshing Corn Tomato and Feta Salad is a colorful celebration of summer produce. Sweet cherry tomatoes, crisp corn, peppery arugula, and tangy tofu feta come together with avocado and lime juice for a vibrant, balanced dish. The fresh tomatoes offer a juicy contrast to creamy and crunchy textures, making this salad a satisfying and nourishing option for warm days.
6. Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Butter Beans with Spinach
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Butter Beans with Spinach offer richness, depth, and hearty comfort in one bowl. A velvety sauce made from tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, silken tofu, and miso coats tender butter beans and spinach. This dish is full of fiber, plant protein, and bold tomato flavor, ideal for weeknights or meal prep.
7. Chana Masala
Chana Masala features chickpeas simmered in a thick, spiced tomato sauce infused with garlic, ginger, and warming Indian spices. The tomatoes cook down into a robust base that delivers both bold flavor and nourishment. Whether served with rice or flatbread, this dish is a comforting way to enjoy the antioxidant and flavor power of tomatoes.
Conclusion
Image: istock.com/RGStudio
Whether you’re biting into a sun-warmed heirloom straight from the vine, stirring a slow-simmered marinara, or chopping up salsa ingredients, tomatoes offer endless opportunities to savor culinary delights. There’s something deeply satisfying about cooking with ingredients that change with the seasons — capturing summer’s peak flavors in a simple salad or transforming winter’s canned tomatoes into a warming soup.
Don’t be afraid to experiment: try that weird purple heirloom at the farmers market, come up with your original gazpacho recipe, or finally make sauce from scratch. The beauty of tomatoes is that they’re forgiving and versatile, ready to shine in whatever dish you dream up.
I’d love to hear about your tomato adventures. Share your favorite recipes or discoveries in the comments below or tag us on social media. After all, the best recipes are the ones passed between friends, just like those heirloom seeds passed down through generations.
Tell us in the comments:
What do you love about tomatoes?
What are your favorite ways to prepare tomatoes?
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