Tomatoes are a star ingredient in dishes such as pico de gallo or bruschetta. They also feature prominently in tacos, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Knowing how to core, seed, and chop tomatoes not only makes those dishes prettier, but also tastier as there’s less liquid to water down the dish.
It takes just a few minutes to core, seed, and chop your tomatoes, and your meals will really benefit from it!
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If you’ve ever made a recipe with tomato, you know that tomatoes can bring a lot of juice to the table. This is great if you’re making something juicy, but not so great if you’re making something that wouldn’t benefit from extra liquid. Soggy pizza? Mushy tacos? No thank you.
That’s why it’s important to core, seed, and chop your tomatoes before using them in recipes.
Why do this
It reduces the liquid. No one likes soggy foods.
It makes a prettier dish. Gushy seeds aren’t super pretty atop your tacos. Or anywhere for that matter.
It takes just a minute or two extra. Yes, it takes a little more time, but just a little. The end result is more than worth it.
There are many different varieties of tomatoes available today. Some are juicier or meatier than others, so some are better suited for some recipes than others.
Roma tomatoes, also called plum or Italian plum, are often the most affordable year-round and most often used in the recipes that might call for seeded tomatoes, like fresh salsas. Romas are very meaty with fewer seeds and the surrounding gel than other tomatoes which makes them easy to seed.
Instructions
How to core a tomato:
Anyway you slice it, you’re going to want to remove the core from the tomato. Insert the tip of the knife around the edges of the core and cut at an angle. Once you go all the way around, the core should come right out.
Once you have cored the tomato, you can slice, seed, and chop it.
How to seed and chop a tomato
- Slice the tomato into 1/4-inch slices. You can do this horizontally and veritcally.
- With the tip of the knife, push away the seeds and accompanying gel, leaving just the meat of the tomato behind.
- Cut the slices into 1/4-inch strips.
- Cut the strips into 1/4-inch dice.
That’s all there is to it! Now you can use your seeded and chopped tomatoes in your recipes.
If you need to store them, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
FAQs
For best results, you’ll need a very sharp chef’s knife to easily cut the tomato without squashing it. You can purchase a knife sharpener fairly inexpensively. Alternatively, you can use a serrated knife to make sure you cut through the tomato skin without smashing it.
Composting the seeds you remove is probably the best use of them, as some people say the seeds will give a bitter flavor to your recipe.
Choose firm, heavy-for-their-size, and deeply colored tomatoes that don’t have any bruises, cuts, or blemishes. Store them at room temperature and use within a few days.
Recipes that Call for Chopped Tomatoes
How to Core, Seed, & Chop Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 roma tomato
Instructions
- Insert the tip of the knife around the edges of the core and cut at an angle. Once you go all the way around, the core should come right out.
- Slice the tomato into 1/4-inch slices. You can do this horizontally and veritcally.
- With the tip of the knife, push away the seeds and accompanying gel, leaving just the meat of the tomato behind.
- Cut the slices into 1/4-inch strips.
- Cut the strips into 1/4-inch dice.
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