So, you’ve managed to grow tomatoes at home, and they look as juicy and luscious as they get. Now what?
Should you bite into them right away, turn them into salsa, or mix them with other vegetables? The possibilities are endless!
First, calm down and take a deep breath. I’ll show you what you can do with your small juice bombs.
From salsa to sun-dried goodness, you’ll master every use of your homegrown tomatoes. Let’s get right to it!
1 – Eating Them Raw
You probably saw this one coming. That’s the simplest culinary use of tomatoes there is.
I know most people like to turn them into salsa or add them to a salad, but plain tomatoes are nothing to scoff at. If you grow them properly, they’ll be juicy, tender, and flavorful.
Plus, raw tomatoes offer health benefits that other cooked variants don’t. For instance, they’re rich in vitamin C, which helps develop and repair your body tissues.
Wait! Cooked tomato variants don’t offer vitamin C? Well, not in the same capacity.
You see, cooking tomatoes reduces the vitamin C content in them. The longer you cook them, the more vitamin C they lose.
So, cooking them for 2 minutes reduces it by 10%, while 30 minutes reduces it by 29%.
Of course, I’m not saying that raw tomatoes are inherently superior to cooked variants, but they at least have one advantage.
2 – Gazpacho
I know not everyone is a fan of tomato soup, but you have to admit, it’s a pretty influential dish.
The combination of tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onions is an iconic one in the culinary world. Sure, it’s not a giant piece of medium rare filet mignon, but it’s the next best thing.
Besides, it’s rich in fiber and low in calories. So, not only does it regulate high blood pressure, but it also helps with weight management.
The biggest advantage of this dish, though, is its versatility. You don’t have to stick to the classic recipe.
The culinary world is as vast as the sea. So, you can make as many changes as you want to appeal to your palette.
It’s not as hard as you think, by the way. You just puree the tomatoes in a food processor, add the rest of the vegetables with oil and seasoning, then blend your mixture until homogeneous.
3 – Salsa
I think we can all agree that nothing beats dipping a tortilla chip in a large bowl of rich tomato salsa, right? How could we not?
I’d argue it makes most foods taste better, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on.
Did you know that some people put tomato salsa on steak? That’s how delicious it is, so don’t take it for granted.
I think you can probably guess what’s coming next. Despite being a simple dish, you’d be surprised how beneficial tomato salsa is.
How many recipes do you know can help you burn fat? You see, the jalapeno people often put in tomato salsa contains capsaicin, an active component that increases your body’s fat-burning pace.
Besides, it’s rich in potassium and free of cholesterol. So, it promotes heart health and helps regulate mineral balance.
4 – Tomato Gelati
Yes, your eyes are fine. I know most don’t imagine tomatoes when they think of desserts, but if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
Tomatoes are famous for having that sweet, tangy flavor. So, if you add the right ingredients to it, of course, it’d make a flavorful ice cream.
I know what you’re thinking: “Why would I choose a tomato gelati over the other classic flavors?” Well, do you know what goes into normal gelati?
Do you know if it’s healthy or not? At least, with one, you know you’ll enjoy a few health benefits.
5 – Ketchup
You know what’s better than the rich flavor of plain tomatoes? The punchy, sweet, and sour taste of ketchup.
Yes, it’s a simple ingredient, but it’s taken the culinary world by storm, especially the fast food industry. It’s become an essential part of the gourmet experience.
Can you even eat fries without ketchup? Yes, you can, but you get the point.
Whether you use it as a dip, put it on pizza, or add it to your cooking batter, ketchup will improve the flavor of your food tenfold.
6 – Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Where do I even begin with sun-dried tomatoes? I can dedicate an entire post to these little, juicy pieces of pure joy, but I’ll try to make this short.
Ultimately, sun-dried tomatoes are regular tomatoes on steroids. The drying process removes most of the water content inside tomatoes.
That means it’s just you and pure flavor. Plus, these tomatoes are usually treated with salt before drying, so their taste is amplified more than usual.
Final Thoughts
At first glance, a tomato seems like the simplest ingredient in the world, but it can surprise you with its versatility. So, if you’re sick of plain tomatoes, you have plenty of options to spice it up a notch.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.