Contents
How to Use Up Your Extra Tomatoes
There can never be too much tomatoes! When you have an abundance of tomatoes in your kitchen, the last thing you want to do is waste them. It may seem like throwing them in the garbage or compost bin is the only option you have, but your extra Tomatoes are often still full of delicious flavor and freshness that make them the perfect fresh veggie to use in a variety of Tomato-based dishes.
There are several simple methods to make the most of your favorite fresh vegetable: from soups or sauces to homemade ketchup, the possibilities for cooking with additional Tomatoes are limitless.
6 Creative Ways to Use Up Extra Tomatoes
Nobody wants to throw away delicious, nutritious food. Here are 6 creative ways to use up extra Tomatoes so you can enjoy this fresh veggie to the fullest!
Salsa
Preparing a few fresh jars of salsa is an excellent way to use up any excess tomatoes in your pantry. Fresh Tomato salsa pairs perfectly with cheesy nachos or plain tortilla chips, but it is also a tasty topping on baked potatoes and chicken.
Beefsteak Tomatoes, Tomatoes-on-the-Vine, and Cocktail Tomatoes are often considered the go-to salsa Tomatoes, but Cherry Tomatoes can make your favorite salsa recipe even sweeter. Thus, whatever tomatoes you have on hand, you can quickly make a great pot of fresh salsa!
One of the nicest advantages about cooking salsa is that you may add your favorite tastes to it (or use up even more ingredients found in your kitchen). To add flavor and color to your salsa, add items such as sliced avocado, corn, chopped bell peppers, or red onion.
Ketchup
Have you ever tried making your own ketchup? If you have lots of extra Tomatoes in your kitchen, a batch of homemade artisanal ketchup could be a fun way to use them up! Handmade condiments usually have a distinct taste character, giving your favorite toppings a fresh twist.
Tomatoes-on-the-Vine are the ideal Tomatoes to use in a homemade ketchup recipe since they have a rich taste and are one of the meatier Tomato kinds. Beefsteak Tomatoes, on the other hand, will work great.
Virgin Caesars
If you prefer the traditional Canadian Caesar, use your leftover Tomatoes to make a batch of Fresh Tomato Virgin Caesars for your guests to enjoy!
While you could use bottled clamato or tomato juice to create this iconic drink, we recommend using whole Tomatoes so you can taste incredible freshness in every sip. Tomatoes-on-the-Vine are the perfect alternative for handmade Caesars since they provide a fresh-from-the-garden tomato taste to your beverages.
Tomato Soup
Soup is an easy, nourishing dish to cook when you have an abundance of vegetables in your kitchen. So, no matter how many extra Tomatoes you may have, making a big batch of homemade Tomato soup will always be a good choice!
As meatier varieties, Roma Tomatoes or Tomatoes-on-the-Vine are the best types of Tomatoes to use when making a creamy and flavorful homemade Tomato soup. Nevertheless, if you’re making a mixed vegetable soup, you can use whatever sort of tomato you have on hand and it will still taste great.
One of the perks of making a large pot of soup is being able to portion it out and freeze it for easy meals on busy days. If you have freezer space, this is a terrific dinner to make use of your leftover tomatoes!
Bruschetta
You can prepare bruschetta as a garnish for baguette slices, a fresh addition to your garden salad, or as a topping for baked chicken breasts. Since it is such a flexible meal, bruschetta is the ideal Tomato-based recipe to make with all of your leftover Tomatoes!
Since there are so many distinct varieties of bruschetta, you can cook it with practically any sort of tomato. But using up your extra Cherry, Grape, or Cocktail Tomatoes will result in the crispest, sweetest bruschetta mixtures.
Bruschetta is another very modifiable meal. You can add unique ingredients to your bruschetta to make it extra sweet, spicy, or savory, and it can be served in so many ways that make it exciting every time!
Gazpacho
This classic cold soup is a great recipe to help you clean up any extra Tomatoes (not to mention Peppers and Cucumbers!) in your kitchen. Gazpacho is not only simple to make, but it may also be served as a cold soup or a cold pasta sauce on its own.
Since gazpacho is prepared by combining all of its components, it may be made with almost any sort of tomato. Whether you bought extra Tomatoes-on-the-Vine, or your garden’s Cherry Tomatoes are starting to grow a little bit wild, you can use whatever Tomatoes you have at your disposal to create a flavorful gazpacho dish your family will love.
A Ton of Tomato Resources
Since tomatoes are one of our favorite fresh foods, we’ve put together a collection of free Tomato resources to assist vegetable lovers worldwide learn all there is to know about this delectable superfood!
Related Questions
-
Can you freeze whole raw tomatoes?
Tomatoes may be frozen whole, sliced, diced, or puréed, raw or cooked. Tomatoes should not be blanched before freezing. Frozen tomatoes are best used in cooked foods such as soups, sauces and stews as they become mushy when they’re thawed.
-
What is the best way to preserve fresh tomatoes?
Best Ways to Preserve Tomatoes
- The simplest method to store cherry tomatoes is to freeze them.
- The colors and tastes of juicy heritage cultivars are preserved by drying.
- Half-dried tomatoes, both partially dehydrated and frozen, may be used in place of fresh tomatoes.
- Chutney is the finest way to retain the tanginess of green tomatoes.
-
Is it better to freeze tomatoes whole or chopped?
Since the freezer will destroy most of the structure, I prefer to slice, dice, or smash the tomatoes before freezing. They will be easier to use when thawed and much more compact than whole tomatoes when trying to make the most of limited freezer space.
-
What can I do with extra garden tomatoes?
6 Creative Ways to Use Up Extra Tomatoes
- Cheese Shelled Tacos & Salsa.
- Sweet & Spicy Salsa.
- Bell Pepper Salsa Fresca.
- Tomato Soup & Baked Mini Grilled Cheese.
- Creamy Tomato & Bell Pepper Soup.
- Tomato & Basil Soup.
- Cherry Tomato Bruschetta.
- Feta Bruschetta Chicken.
