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Learn How to Seed Tomatoes for those times when tomatoes without seeds are just what the recipe ordered. It’s a simple technique that can make slicing and dicing much easier while reducing the overall water content from tomatoes.
Meggan’s notes
In culinary school, we learned all about tomatoes concasse which gives you a result similar to canned, diced tomatoes: tomatoes without skin or seeds.
Here, we’re leaving the skin but removing the tomatoes (if you need to remove the skin too, see my tutorial on how to peel tomatoes). Seeding a tomato might seem time-consuming, impractical, or even wasteful. But when a recipe tells you to seed, deseed, or core a tomato, it’s usually about the texture of the finished product.
- Tomato seeds are surrounded by a protective gel that adds a whole lot of moisture to what you’re making. That extra liquid can make the recipe soggy or watered down. And no one wants wet bruschetta at their garden party.
- Not only that, but the seeds themselves can add an unwanted texture to an otherwise silky marinara sauce or puréed tomato soup.
- Finally, tomato seeds can taste bitter, and there are some people who can’t eat them, for various health reasons. They have more vitamins and nutrients, though, so eat them if you can!
Of course, you don’t always need to seed a tomato. But when you do, here’s how to get it done neatly and efficiently, so you can get on with your recipe. Both ways work well; it just depends on you and your recipe.
Table of Contents
Tutorial notes
- Make sure your knife or knifes are in tip-top shape and very sharp. Because they’re so fragile, the best knife for tomatoes is often a narrow serrated knife. A paring knife comes in handy, too, if you need to cut out the core of the tomato.
- Double-check the recipe you’re using. Do you also need to peel the tomatoes? If so, see my tutorial on how to peel a tomato. It’s easier if you peel first, before seeding.
Step-by-step instructions
- Cut the tomato through the stem into 4 wedge-shaped slices.
- Using a sharp paring knife, run the blade under each pocket of seeds, along the inner flesh of the tomato itself. The seeds and gel should release as you cut.
- Discard the seeds (or reserve for another use; see Recipe FAQs for ideas).
- If your recipe calls for slices or dices, slice each piece into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Working in batches if needed, line up several strips and cut them cross-wise into small, tight diced pieces. Move the diced tomatoes into a bowl as you work.
Recipe tips and variations
- Tacos: Throw some diced seeded tomatoes into bowl fo your next taco party, as an alternative to Tomato Salsa. They taste great on chicken or turkey tacos.
- Garnish: A little culinary school trick: diced seeded tomatoes jazz up a monochromatic plate.
- Stuffed tomatoes: This method is good for making stuffed tomatoes because it leaves the tomato halves in tact.
- Cut the tomato in half along the equator (not through the stem) to expose the chambers in the fruit.
- Gently squeeze each half of the tomato to release the seeds. Don’t squeeze too hard, or you’ll bruise the delicate flesh. You can also use a small spoon or butter knife to help you do this. Discard the seeds.
- If you need whole, hollowed-out tomatoes, start the horizontal cut higher towards the stem, and use a narrow tool to help empty out the seed cavities. Then you can carefully cut out the core of the seeded tomato with a paring knife and a spoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
The short answer is, unless you’re working in a restaurant and are required to, no, you don’t need to seed tomatoes. But depending on your recipe, seed tomatoes might improve the overall texture of a recipe, the final presentation, or how watery it is.
1. Red sauce. Italian-style Sunday supper is off to a delicious start! Try a homemade meat sauce or a super quick tomato sauce I’ve perfected after hundreds of dinners.
2. Mexican rice. Add the extra tomato pieces and seeds to the blender with your next batch of Mexican rice.
3. Chicken tinga. Those little extra pieces and seeds work great in here.
4. Salsa. Any blended salsa is perfect for using these pieces up.
5. Sausage and Bean Stew. Toss those leftovers into this stew (or anything with diced tomatoes, really).
6. Roasted tomato soup. I wouldn’t even worry about roasting the extra bits. They’ll be fine, just add them to the blender!
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How to Seed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatoes
Instructions
- Cut the tomato through the stem into 4 wedge-shaped slices.
- Using a sharp paring knife, run the blade under each pocket of seeds, along the inner flesh of the tomato itself. The seeds and gel should release as you cut.
- Discard the seeds (or reserve for another use). If your recipe calls for slices or dices, slice each piece into strips about 1/2-inch wide.
- Working in batches if needed, line up several strips and cut them cross-wise into small, tight diced pieces. Move the diced tomatoes into a bowl as you work.
Notes
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- Make sure your knife or knives are in tip-top shape and very sharp. Because they’re so fragile, the best knife for tomatoes is often a narrow serrated knife. A paring knife comes in handy, too, if you need to cut out the core of the tomato.
- Double-check the recipe you’re using. Do you also need to peel the tomatoes? If so, see my tutorial on how to peel a tomato. It’s easier if you peel first, before seeding.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I have had diversticulitis. I do not need to eat tomato seeds. I have canned many tomatoes in canning jars to make chili. I developed diverticulitis after doing all the canning. How can I get the seeds out of the tomatoes that I already canned? Thank you so much for your help.
Hi Jena, since they are already canned I would place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and add the tomatoes to drain. Using a small knife, carefully cut the tomatoes and remove the seeds (if they are whole) or I would rinse them if they are chopped to remove the seeds. Set aside. If there are still seeds in the drained juice, I would place some cheesecloth in the fine mesh strainer and place over another bowl and strain to remove any smaller seeds. I hope this helps! Take care – Meggan
Thanks for teaching me this. I quartered the tomatoes and it worked great. I used to always just cram my finger in the tomato but half the time seeds would just shoot all over. This is much cleaner for sure. I love all your recipes so much.