5 Ways To Use Seeded Tomatoes

In Season, Summer
on June 30, 2012

Years ago, cooks seeded tomatoes because the seeds were said to taste bitter.  These days, tomato seeds and the liquid around them are often removed to reduce the amount of liquid in a recipe. Seeding tomatoes doesn’t take long, and in certain recipes using seedless instead of regular chopped tomatoes can make quite a difference.

Here are five simple dish ideas for your freshly seeded tomatoes followed by three of our favorite recipes:

  • Rice dishes: Chopped seeded tomatoes sprinkled throughout a savory dish of rice can create a flavorful contrast. Fresh tomatoes can transform dishes usually saved for winter into summer fare.
  • Cole slaw: Picnic slaws traditionally contain some combination of cabbage, carrots and creamy dressing. Try adding nontraditional veggies like diced seeded tomatoes or cucumbers for some new texture.
  • Omelets and scrambled eggs: Eggs and tomatoes go hand in hand, whether it’s chopped tomatoes in an omelet or a salsa garnish on fluffy scrambled eggs. Seeded tomatoes work particularly well because the extra liquid in unseeded tomatoes can make omelets messy and runny.
  • Grain and pasta salads: Stir chopped seeded tomatoes into pasta or grain salads for added color and vitamins.
  • Salmon salad. Make a salmon salad with a piece of leftover cooked salmon, unflavored yogurt, chopped celery, onions and seeded tomatoes. Flake up the fish and toss with the veggies, adding yogurt a bit at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper and dill.
Found in: In Season, Summer