Why seed a tomato? Tomato seeds and their surrounding gel contain a lot of liquid. In certain recipes, that extra liquid can mess with the texture– like in Israeli Salad, for example. Some people have trouble digesting the seeds, which is another good reason to seed your tomatoes. During the seeding process, you can also get rid of the tough, white, flavorless parts attached to the core. Most of a tomato’s flavor resides in the red fleshy part, not the seeds and their gel, so tossing the seeds won’t change the flavor of your dish much. However, the gel does contain vitamin C and some nutrients, so be sure to check your recipe… sometimes having the seeds and extra moisture in the mix can be a plus! If you are ready to seed your tomatoes, read on for three simple step-by-step methods.
In some dishes, both seeding and peeling the tomatoes is recommended. To learn how to peel a tomato, click here.
I’ve posted three different ways to seed a tomato below. Method 1 is my preferred method; it keeps the tomato largely intact while sacrificing a minimum of the tomato flesh, meaning you’ll have more intact flesh to work with for dicing, slicing, or whatever you need. I also recommend Method 1 if you plan to stuff the tomato; it helps to keep the walls of the tomato firm. Method 2 is fastest, and best used when seeding lots of tomatoes for something like a sauce– it can leave the skin a bit mushed and bruised, so I wouldn’t use this method for a salad. Method 3 is great for when you want to quickly seed 1 or 2 tomatoes for a salad, but slice carefully– you can cut away useable tomato flesh if you’re not careful. All three methods work, so choose whichever is best for your purposes.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be a tomato seeding pro! 🙂
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How to Seed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- Tomatoes
- serrated knife and cutting board
NOTES
Instructions
Method 1
- Place your tomato on a cutting board, stem side facing up.
- Roll the tomato sideways so the stem faces to the right, and cut the tomato down the center "equator" line into two halves.
- Use a small spoon (I use a quarter teaspoon) to scoop the tomato seeds and any tough white core out of the four seed cavities. Discard the seeds.
Method 2
- Place your tomato on a cutting board, stem side facing up.
- Roll the tomato sideways so the stem faces to the right, and cut the tomato down the center "equator" line into two halves.
- Gently squeeze the tomato halves over a bowl to dislodge the seeds from the seed cavities.
- Try not to squeeze too hard; use gentle pressure to keep the flesh intact and prevent bruising or a mushy texture.Use a spoon or your fingers to scoop out any seeds or tough white core that clings to the tomato. Discard the seeds.
Method 3
- Slice the tomato vertically (from stem top to bottom) into four quarters.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the seeds away from the tomato flesh.
- Discard the seeds.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
Note: Nutrition info above is for 1 pound of tomatoes.
I subscribed for the first time because it was super helpful and visual. Please include pictures and all small details into the recipes for people like me who needs it!!! Thank you!!!
Very helpful. Been trying to figure out how to remove these tomato seeds.
I used a straw to suck the tomato seeds and jel out
. It sounds a little gross but it’s not and works well for me I cannot eat seeds but love tomatos.
My daughter insists on seeding for her own personal preference. I saved what we removed and want to use it to make a jelly. Do you have a recipe?
No, sorry Wanda, I don’t.
So if we are going to have to remove the peel and the seeds for sauce, what is the best to do first boil to remove peel or discard seeds? Love your methods and will be using these to make my sauce next week! THANK YOU!!!
First boil to remove peel, then seed. 🙂
actually, you don’t have to peel tomatoes to make sauce….. lots of great fiber and flavor in the skins so just seed them and throw them in a blender….they turn a beautiful shade of pink …..pour this into your cooking pot….which hopefully has some onion and garlic sautee’ing….and some other wonderful seasonings……
cook it down over medium heat for about an hour and a half…..it thickens beautifully!
I would say, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds as shown, place them face down on a tray and freeze them (foil-lined for easy clean-up). After they have frozen, lift off the peels and toss the tomatoes into the pot for cooking.
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