17 Garden-Fresh Tomato Recipes That Showcase This Garden Staple (2024)

FAQs

How long do tomatoes last in the fridge? ›

Refrigerate any unconsumed fully ripe tomatoes, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving them. (To speed up this process, slice them while still cold—slices will warm up much more quickly than an intact fruit.) One study we've read suggests that refrigerating for no longer than three days is optimal.

Tomatoes may be frozen raw or cooked, whole, sliced, chopped, or puréed. Tomatoes do not need to be blanched before freezing. Frozen tomatoes are best used in cooked foods such as soups, sauces and stews as they become mushy when they're thawed.

Under-ripe tomatoes are best left on the bench to develop further, while over-ripe tomatoes can be saved by popping them in the fridge. Tomato varieties with a higher pulp to flesh ratio, such as cherry tomatoes, also tend to fare better in the fridge than fleshier counterparts like roma tomatoes.

Freezing tomatoes is the easiest way to keep ripe tomatoes until you're ready to use them. You don't have to peel them first—in fact, the act of freezing them itself makes the tomatoes insanely easy to peel! —and you can freeze as many or as few at a time as you like.

Confit. Unripe or out-of-season tomatoes are mostly water, and don't have the sugar and acid that juicy mid-August tomatoes do. Cooking the tomatoes low and slow in olive oil and heavy seasoning will concentrate their flavor, drawing most of the water out.

It is a perennial but is usually grown outdoors in temperate climates as an annual. Tomatoes are the most common and beloved vegetable crop for home gardeners. They require relatively little space and can yield 10 to 15 pounds or more of fruit per plant.

One pound of tomatoes equates to three tomatoes roughly the size of a baseball. Each tomato should fit comfortably in the palm of your hand.

Water correctly: Do not overwater. The first week tomato plants are in the ground, they need water every day, but back off watering after the first week, slowly weaning the plants down to 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.

Eating tomatoes daily will provide you with many vitamins and minerals, but you'll still receive the benefits if you eat them less often. There is no recommended number of tomatoes to eat per day.

Should I water tomatoes once or twice a day? ›

You'll know you've watered enough when the water trickles through the pot's drainage holes. A mature tomato plant in a pot uses a gallon of water daily but you may need to hydrate the plant twice a day in hot, dry conditions.

Canning tomatoes are the classic way of turning fresh, ripe tomatoes into something you can enjoy all year long. Whole peeled tomatoes are perfect for turning into sauces, using on pizzas, and adding into stews. All you need is tomatoes, a large pot, sealable jars, and some time.

Store tomatoes stem-side down to prevent moisture-loss, whether at room temperature or chilled in a refrigerator. Moisture escapes from tomatoes via the stem-end, as the tomato skin keeps it all inside.

Make tomato powder: Spread the tomato pulp on a baking sheet and dry it in the oven. Once it's completely dry, grind it into a powder using a food processor or coffee grinder. This tomato powder can be used to add tomato flavor to a variety of dishes.