Tomatoes are a significant source of umami flavor. They are consumed in diverse ways: raw or cooked, and in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. While tomatoes are fruits — botanically classified as berries—they are commonly used culinarily as a vegetable ingredient or side dish.
What is good substitute for Tomatoes?
What to Substitute for Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Canned Tomatoes. If you do not have sun-dried tomatoes on hand, but enjoy the taste of tomatoes, then any canned tomatoes are the best replacement option.
- Roasted Red Peppers. Roasted red peppers are an excellent ingredient to interchange with sun-dried tomatoes. ...
- Tamarind Paste. ...
- Fresh Tomatoes. ...
- Pecans. ...
- Pickled Carrots. ...
- Mild Sweet Cherry Peppers. ...
Is tomatoes good or bad for You?
Tomatoes contain other antioxidants as well including zera-carotene, phytoene and phytofluene, that fight inflammation and diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and dementia. Their powerful antioxidants also protect against high blood pressure, and help to lower cholesterol, as well as improving blood vessel health.
Which tomatoes should I plant?
- 'Moonbeam' - a white grape tomato with a citrus flavor.
- 'Supernova' - a marbled mini-Roma.
- 'Midnight Pear' - a small, dark pigmented, pear-shape tomato.
- 'Comet' - a plump, red grape tomato.
- 'Sungrazer' - an orange colored grape tomato.
- 'Starlight' - a slender, finger-shaped, yellow grape tomato.
What is the best fertilizer to use with tomatoes?
- BEST OVERALL: Dr. Earth Home Grown Fertilizer
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Jobe’s Tomato Fertilizer Spikes
- ORGANIC PICK: EcoScraps Tomato & Vegetable Plant Food
- GRANULAR PICK: Burpee Organic Tomato and Vegetable Plant Food
- WATER SOLUBLE PICK: Greenway Biotech Tomato Fertilizer 4-18-38
When the Tomato Harvest is Too Much, Get Creative
When every garden in town is exploding with tomatoes, and even the Topsy Turvy tomato grower on your patio is producing Sweet 100s faster than you can consume them, it’s time to get creative with your tomato usage.
Soup
3. Whip of a batch gazpacho, the classic cold soup from Spain based on tomatoes and cucumbers and flavored with sherry vinegar.
Salad
5. Chop some tomatoes and cucumbers, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with grilled fish and corn on the cob.
Sauce
11. Easy weeknight meals for a year? Use your bumper crop of tomatoes for your own tomato sauce
Sandwich
18. Slide a couple of juicy slices of tomato into your next grilled cheese sandwich.
Preserved
22. When the frost hits and there are still green tomatoes on the vine, don’t despair, pickle them.
Dessert and Beverages
39. Packaged tomato juice has irresponsible levels of sodium. But if you make your own, you can control how much salt you put into it.
1. BLT avocado wraps
This BLT got a healthy upgrade with a crunchy wrap version. What makes it even better is that the crispy iceberg lettuce wrap also contains thinly-sliced avocado for a touch of creaminess.
2. Garden fresh tomato soup
It's never too early for tomato soup, right? Instead of dipping your grilled cheese into the canned version, make your own with your own tomatoes. You can even freeze it to enjoy throughout the colder months.
3. White bean pizza
This RD-approved pizza recipe uses a naan crust, white bean sauce, and fresh tomato topping. It can also be made in under 20 minutes.
4. Roasted tomato salsa
Why buy store-bought salsa when you can make your own? This version has fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic, and spices for a spicy and tangy dip for your tortilla chips.
5. Sun-dried tomato and basil meatballs
This is a more timely recipe, because first you have to make sun-dried tomatoes. But once they're ready to go, you can use them to create this super-flavorful meatballs for your next spaghetti night.
6. Zesty tomato smoothie
Spoiler: This dietitian-backed tomato smoothie is basically a savory Bloody Mary, minus the booze. All you need to do is blend up your ingredients—including diced tomatoes, soy milk, onions, and almonds—in a blender, and you're good to go. Sounds weird, tastes delicious.
7. Roasted corn and basil stuffed tomatoes
Stuffed peppers, who? It's the tomato's turn to shine in this recipe. After stuffing them with brown rice, fresh sweet corn, garlic, and cheese, you broil them for a few minutes and they're good to go.
What types of tomatoes should you be picking up at the farmers market or planting in your garden? Learn about the most common varietals and what makes each so tasty
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Heirloom Tomatoes
Looking for a tomato that is anything but basic? Try heirloom tomato varieties.
Tomatoes on the Vine
You’ll often see clusters of tomatoes on the vine sold at the grocery store. These medium-sized tomatoes are versatile. You can slice them up for sandwiches, cut them into wedges to add to a green salad or dice them to make fresh salsa at home.
Plum Tomatoes
Known as plum tomatoes, you might also see these oblong tomatoes labeled as Roma tomatoes. Big on sweetness but also acidity, they have a lower moisture and water content than most other tomatoes, so they work well when canned, thrown on the grill or used in a fresh tomato soup.
San Marzano Tomatoes
San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomatoes. They have a sweet flavor and are low in acid, which makes them a great candidate for pasta sauces. They do cost a bit more than other tomato varieties, but they are worth splurging on if you’re making a great homemade spaghetti sauce like Nonna used to make.
Grape Tomatoes
With their small size, thin skin and sweet flavor, grape tomatoes are similar to their cherry-sized cousins. Anytime you see a recipe with cherry tomatoes, feel free to sub in this varietal instead.
Purple and Black Tomatoes
You may have seen dark-hued tomato plants popping up at your local garden center. These purple and almost-black tomatoes are a particular heirloom variety that has gained popularity over the past few years.
Once considered poisonous, the tomato is now a favorite food
Tuh-MAY-toh or Tuh-MAH-to? Pronunciation doesn't matter when it comes to this fabulous nutritious fruit known as a vegetable. It's hard to believe that such a widely-used food source was once considered deadly poisonous. Available year-round in fresh and preserved forms, there is no shortage of uses for this versatile "vegetable."
Tomato History
French botanist Tournefort provided the Latin botanical name, Lycopersicon esculentum, to the tomato. It translates to "wolfpeach" —peach because it was round and luscious and wolf because it was erroneously considered poisonous.
The Creation of Condensed Tomato Soup
In 1897, soup mogul Joseph Campbell came out with condensed tomato soup, a move that set the company on the road to wealth as well as further endearing the tomato to the general public.
Enjoy Green Tomatoes in Yeast Breads, Cornbreads, and Muffins
The crisp flavor and moist texture of green tomatoes makes them a perfect fit for including in breads you make at home. We’ll talk about sweet breads and other desserts later. This section focuses exclusively on savory quick breads, yeast breads, cornbreads, and muffins.
Put Green Tomatoes to Work in Condiments
Green tomatoes traditionally turn up in all kinds of condiments, from jam to relish to Southern chow chow. Using your green tomatoes in condiments may allow you to store the tomatoes for longer than you could keep them on the counter or in the refrigerator.
Call on a Classic Dish with Variations on Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried green tomatoes is the quintessential preparation for unripened tomatoes—for good reason. The slightly sour tomatoes play against the salty batter, and the moist texture of the fresh tomato contrasts with the crumbly fried batter. There are plenty of ways to make fried green tomatoes a unique part of your next meal.
Dish Up Comfort with Green Tomato Gratins or Casseroles
Nothing evokes home cooking like a still-bubbling casserole dish that’s just out of the oven. Gratins and casseroles are the final word in comfort food, so they’re sure to please even the pickiest palates. The recipes below should provide you some inspiration for turning your harvest of green tomatoes into one-dish meals.
Let Green Tomatoes Shine Inside the Crusts of Galettes, Pies, and Tarts
Tomato pie is a Southern staple, and the same goes for green tomatoes. Whatever the crust vehicle you opt for, you’ll have an unexpected and tasty dish as a result. Check out all the ways to include your homegrown green tomatoes in pies, tarts, and more below.
Feature Green Tomatoes in Sandwiches of All Kinds
A popular way to eat fried green tomatoes is to tuck them into a sandwich. From the traditional fried tomato po’ boy to upgraded sliders, green tomatoes are meaty enough to serve as the main sandwich filling—but some of the sandwich recipes here double up to pair them with meat anyway.
Put the Spotlight on Green Tomatoes with Creative Main Dishes
Of course, you have more options for main dishes made of green tomatoes than fried green tomatoes and po’ boys. These recipes call on global cuisines and complex ingredient pairings to really let your homegrown green tomatoes shine. And many of these ideas can stand alone as a one-dish meal.
