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    Home » Cooking Tips

    How to Cut Tomatoes

    Published: Feb 15, 2023 by Alana Lieberman · As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Pin graphic for how to cut tomatoes.

    When starting to cook, learning how to cut a tomato is a great first step! They can be used in a number of recipes such as fresh salads, homemade burgers, diced for a garnish or salsa, and more. Follow this simple step-by-step guide and learn how to cut tomato wedges, tomato slices, and a simple dice.

    A chef's knife cutting a tomato into wedges.
    Jump to:
    • 📋 What is a Tomato?
    • ⁉️ What You'll Need
    • 🔪 How to Cut a Tomato
    • ❄️ How to Store Tomatoes
    • 🍽 How to Use/Cook Tomatoes
    • 🔍 FAQs
    • 💭 One More Tip
    • 🍴 Recipe Ideas + More Cooking Tips
    • 📖 Recipe

    📋 What is a Tomato?

    Tomatoes are from the Solanaceae or nightshades family and are closely related to eggplant, potatoes, and bell peppers. Similar to cucumbers, tomatoes are classified as a fruit, but are typically used in savory recipes and enjoyed as a vegetable.

    Tomatoes originated in South America, particularly Mexico, and are now commonly found in several cuisines. They're delicious raw and cooked and are incredibly versatile in home-cooking.

    ⁉️ What You'll Need

    1. A serrated knife - Although you can get away with a typical sharp knife for most home cooking, having a serrated knife or bread knife is imperative when cutting delicate things like tomatoes to prevent them from being squished.
    2. Cutting board - The larger the better! Using a small cutting board is going to make your workspace feel crowded and take you longer to prep.
    Different cuts of tomatoes on a wood cutting board.

    🔪 How to Cut a Tomato

    How to Cut a Tomato into Wedges

    Cutting the top off a tomato.
    1. Remove the stem. Using a serrated knife, cut the stem end off of the tomato.
    Cutting a tomato in half, then across into wedges.
    1. Cut the tomato in half. Place the tomato cut side down on the cutting board and cut it in half.
    2. Turn and cut again. Turn the tomato so that the first cut is now horizontal to you and slice the tomato 3 to 4 times across, creating tomato wedges.

    How to Slice Tomatoes

    Cutting the top off a tomato, then into slices.
    1. Remove the stem. Using a serrated knife, cut the top off of the tomato.
    2. Cut into slices. Once the stem has been removed, keep the tomato on its side and continue to cut it into even slices.

    How to Dice Tomatoes

    Cutting a tomato into strips, then across to dice them.
    1. Cut slices into strips. To dice tomatoes, follow the first two steps to cut the tomato into slices, then stack a few tomato slices on top of one another and slice into strips.
    2. Turn and cut again. Turn the tomato strips so that the strips are now horizontal to you and dice into small pieces.

    How to Halve Cherry Tomatoes

    A serrated knife cutting cherry tomatoes in half.
    1. Cut in half. Using a serrated knife, gently cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Set aside and continue until all cherry tomatoes are halved.

    ❄️ How to Store Tomatoes

    To store whole, uncut tomatoes: Whole, uncut tomatoes store best uncovered at room temperature and will keep for up to 5 days. Excess tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator to prolong their life, but doing so can cause them to be more grainy and mealy in texture.

    To store cut tomatoes: Once cut, tomatoes will need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best texture, cut tomatoes should be consumed within a couple of days.

    🍽 How to Use/Cook Tomatoes

    Tomatoes can be enjoyed raw and cooked. They are a versatile fruit to incorporate into home cooking. Here are a few of my favorite ways to cook with tomatoes:

    • Making homemade Instant Pot Tomato Sauce.
    • Used in salads like Jerusalem Salad (Israeli Salad), Fall Cobb Wedge Salad or Summer Tortellini Caprese Salad.
    • Diced on top of Loaded Burger Bowls, Shredded Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps, or Air Fryer Nachos.
    • In dips and salsas like Spicy Mango Habanero Salsa with Black Beans or Spooky 7 Layer Halloween Spiderweb Taco Dip.
    • Serve sliced tomatoes on fresh burgers, such as Air Fryer Turkey Burgers or Air Fryer Chicken Patties.

    🔍 FAQs

    How do you cut a tomato without ruining it?

    Use a serrated knife, also commonly known as a bread knife. These knives differ from your standard kitchen knife because they have a toothlike blade that allows you to saw through the tomato without smashing it. If you attempt to cut a tomato with a regular kitchen knife, you will be putting a lot of pressure on the tomato and squish it, ruining its shape.

    Are tomatoes good for you?

    Absolutely! Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and folate. They're also known to have anti-inflammatory properties and are a great fruit to include in your diet.

    What can I do with a lot of tomatoes?

    Aside from making homemade Instant Pot Tomato Sauce, you can also make pico de gallo, homemade ketchup, tomato soup, or Bruschetta.

    💭 One More Tip

    Grow your own tomatoes at home! Store-bought tomatoes can be juicy and delicious, particularly in the summer months, but nothing beats home-grown tomatoes. They're picked at peak ripeness and are typically more flavorful.

    Tomatoes on a wood cutting board.

    If you found this helpful, I'd love to know! Tag @yourhomemadehealthy on Instagram or leave a comment with a rating and some feedback at the bottom of this page!

    🍴 Recipe Ideas + More Cooking Tips

    • How to Cut and Store Asparagus
    • How to Cut Shallots (3 Ways!)
    • How to Cut Romaine Lettuce for Salad
    • How to Cut Corn Off the Cob

    📖 Recipe

    A chef's knife cutting a tomato into wedges.

    How to Cut Tomatoes

    When starting to cook, learning how to cut a tomato is a great first step! Follow this simple step-by-step guide and learn how to cut tomato wedges, tomato slices, and a simple dice.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Tutorial
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1 serving
    Calories: 22kcal
    Author: Alana Lieberman
    Cost: $3

    Equipment

    • serrated knife

    Ingredients

    • 1 tomato or 1 pint cherry tomatoes

    Instructions

    How to Cut a Tomato into Wedges

    • Remove the stem. Using a serrated knife, cut the stem end off of the tomato.
    • Cut the tomato in half. Place the tomato cut side down on the cutting board and cut it in half.
    • Turn and cut again. Turn the tomato so that the first cut is now horizontal to you and slice the tomato 3 to 4 times across, creating tomato wedges.

    How to Slice Tomatoes

    • Remove the stem. Using a serrated knife, cut the top off of the tomato.
    • Cut into slices. Once the stem has been removed, keep the tomato on its side and continue to cut it into even slices.

    How to Dice Tomatoes

    • Cut slices into strips. To dice tomatoes, follow the first two steps to cut the tomato into slices, then stack a few tomato slices on top of one another and slice into strips.
    • Turn and cut again. Turn the tomato strips so that the strips are now horizontal to you and dice into small pieces.

    How to Halve Cherry Tomatoes

    • Cut in half. Using a serrated knife, gently cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Set aside and continue until all the cherry tomatoes are halved.

    Notes

    To store whole, uncut tomatoes: Whole, uncut tomatoes store best uncovered at room temperature and will keep for up to 5 days. Excess tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator to prolong their life, but doing so can cause them to be more grainy and mealy in texture.
    To store cut tomatoes: Once cut, tomatoes will need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best texture, cut tomatoes should be consumed within a couple of days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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    I'm the recipe developer, photographer, and writer behind Your Home, Made Healthy! I hope to inspire you to create healthy meals for your family without spending tons of time in the kitchen. Although my recipes focus on healthy eating and fresh ingredients, there is no diet talk here. Click below to find out why!

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