Methods to Choose a Good Tomato (and Salvage a Dangerous One)

Don’t accept a mealy tomato. Listed below are 5 skilled suggestions from a chef to ensure they’re scrumptious each time.

It may be arduous to inform the feel of a tomato from its exterior, however you possibly can set your self up for fulfillment.Christopher Simpson for The New York Occasions. Meals Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Printed Aug. 1, 2025Up to date Aug. 1, 2025

Lengthy earlier than Suzanne Cupps knew she wished to be a chef, she knew she beloved tomato sandwiches. All through her childhood summers, she’d go to her grandfather on his central Pennsylvania farm, the place he would press thick slices of ripe tomatoes, nonetheless aromatic from the vine, between white bread slathered with mayonnaise. He made that sandwich daily earlier than lunch and earlier than dinner, only for her, as a result of it was her favourite.

It stays a favourite at the same time as she has created numerous tomato dishes in her work, and now as chef of her personal restaurant, Lola’s, in Manhattan. Ms. Cupps works carefully with farmers to get the tastiest fruit, however acknowledges that dwelling cooks don’t have that choice. And, even when they develop their very own, some seasons yield higher fruit than others.

Right here, then, are her suggestions for the best way to keep away from mealy, flavorless tomatoes and what to do with them when you possibly can’t keep away from them:

1. Don’t refrigerate tomatoes

An overhead image of assorted tomato slices.

The best way tomatoes look — spherical and taut or amoebic and ridged — doesn’t correlate with their taste. “They’re one of many trickiest crops as a result of it’s arduous to inform that are good,” Ms. Cupps stated. What she is for certain of is that mealy tomatoes are “the worst, and placing them within the fridge makes them mealy.”

2. Purchase in a spread of ripeness

An overhead image of multicolored tomatoes on a kitchen towel.

Ripe tomatoes carry probably the most intense sweetness, tang and juiciness. When purchasing, give the tomatoes somewhat squeeze and select some that really feel like water balloons to eat instantly and firmer ones for later within the week. As soon as dwelling, Ms. Cupps recommends setting them stem facet down on a kitchen towel to forestall bruising, and in a cool place to maintain them from ripening too shortly.

3. Mix them into soups and sauces

An overhead image of four bowls of a red soup.

Breaking down mealy tomatoes in a blender or meals processor eliminates their wet-sand unhappiness. Ms. Cupps considers making gazpacho to be the simplest approach to do that and in addition suggests mixing mediocre tomatoes with vinegar, olive oil and shallot (or your favorite vinaigrette) for a summery salad dressing.

4. Prepare dinner them down

An overhead image of tomatoes cooked down in oil.

Probably the most low-effort strategy to take care of a variety of mealy tomatoes is to roast them. Second to that’s slowly simmering them into pasta sauce, soup or tomato jam, or searing them for salsa.

5. Add taste bombs, like kimchi or chile paste

An overhead image of a noodle soup in a red broth.

In the event you actually need to chew into some good tomatoes however have solely mealy ones, attempt the artwork of distraction: Add punchy warmth, as on this kimchi soup, or just combine chopped tomatoes with any chile paste. “It’s a strategy to convey that freshness and in addition taste — that’s additionally a few of what these tomatoes are lacking,” Ms. Cupps stated.

This can be your fortunate summer time, with nothing however slick, candy tomatoes destined for tomato sandwiches. But when you find yourself with some which might be lower than stellar, you possibly can nonetheless save — and savor — them.

Comply with New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice.

Source link