Learn how to ripen tomatoes from our expert cookery guide. Then, try our top tomato recipes for all seasons, from fresh bruschetta to simple passata.
Ripe, juicy tomatoes filled with flavour are a backbone of thousands recipes from all over the world. The quality and ripeness of the tomatoes you use always matters, as the flavour wont be right otherwise. Thats especially true when you are making a salad. Here are some ways to help tomatoes get better flavor whether you grow them yourself or buy ones that aren’t quite ready. Advertisement.
Once you know how to do it, try our best tomato recipes ever, which range from quiches to curries. Discover more about the health benefits of tomatoes and the nutritional benefits they bring to your plate.
First, you should know that sunlight isn’t always good for plants. Too much light can make skins tough, so don’t put your tomatoes on the window sill. Don’t pull the leaves off of tomato plants to help them get more sun if you grow tomatoes.
Tomatoes need warmth to ripen. Putting tomatoes in the fridge won’t help them at all because they will ripen faster if they are warmer. In fact, it can make them taste “mealy.” But tomatoes won’t ripen if it gets too hot, which is another reason to keep them away from the window sill.
As with bananas and avocados, tomatoes give off ethene (or ethylene) gas. This is a natural plant hormone that controls a plant’s growth and makes it ripen by turning the starch it stores into sugar. To be clear, all fruits do this. Since tomatoes are a fruit, they will ripen other climacteric fruits (fruits that ripen off the plant they grow on).
You can start with tomatoes that have already started to ripen, even if they are only slightly yellow or orange in spots. They will be ready to ripen, and they will taste better when they turn red. If you buy tomatoes that are still green, they might not ripen or taste as good, so you might want to use them in recipes like fried green tomatoes with ripe tomato salsa or green tomato chutney.
Biting into a sweet, juicy, vine-ripened tomato is one of summer’s great pleasures. But finding perfectly ripe tomatoes can be hit or miss. Often tomatoes are picked early and shipped long distances, meaning you have to finish ripening them yourself. With some simple techniques, you can get your tomatoes to ripen faster and maximize their flavor.
Why Speed Up Ripening?
There are several reasons you may want to hasten tomato ripening:
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You grew tomatoes yourself and picked some early to avoid pests and weather
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You found great unripe tomatoes at the farmers market or grocery store.
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You want ripe tomatoes ASAP to make a recipe or meal.
Ripening tomatoes is easy when you understand the science behind it. Read on for a complete guide to get delicious red tomatoes super fast.
How Tomatoes Ripen
Tomatoes are climacteric fruits, which means they continue ripening after being picked. This is thanks to a gaseous plant hormone called ethylene that triggers ripening.
Some key points about ethylene:
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Tomatoes naturally produce ethylene as they ripen,
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Ethylene speeds up ripening in climacteric produce like tomatoes, bananas, avocados, etc.
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Fruits give off more ethylene as they get closer to full ripeness.
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Exposing nearly-ripe tomatoes to additional ethylene will quicken ripening.
4 Ways to Ripen Tomatoes Fast
You can use ethylene to your advantage to ripen tomatoes quickly. Here are 4 effective methods:
1. Paper Bag
Place unripe tomatoes in a paper bag and fold the top closed. The bag traps the ethylene gas emitted by the tomatoes, creating a mini ripening chamber. Check daily and remove ripe tomatoes.
2. Pair with Other Produce
Put tomatoes next to ethylene-producing fruits like bananas, apples, peaches, or melons. The ethylene will hasten tomato ripening.
3. Window Box
Use a cardboard box or loosely closed paper bag. Add a ripening banana or apple to generate extra ethylene. The box contains the gas while allowing air circulation.
4.Dark Drawer
An enclosed space like a drawer accelerates ripening. The darkness also helps as tomatoes don’t need light to ripen. Just don’t overfill the space.
Tips for Faster Tomato Ripening
Follow these tips to maximize success ripening tomatoes quickly:
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Start the ripening process as soon as possible after bringing tomatoes home.
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Choose tomatoes that show some pinkish-red color, indicating ripening has begun. All-green tomatoes won’t ripen well.
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Keep tomatoes at room temperature, around 65-75°F. Heat above 85°F can degrade texture and flavor.
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Check tomatoes daily and remove ripe ones. One rotten tomato emits ethylene that over-ripens the others.
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Never refrigerate unripe tomatoes! The cold damages membranes and prevents ripening.
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Ripening from fully green takes 1-3 weeks. Partially colored tomatoes may ripen in 3-7 days.
How to Tell When Tomatoes Are Ripe
Look for these signs that your tomatoes are fully ripe and ready to eat:
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Deep red color with no green patches. Ripe tomatoes should be richly colored, not pale or orangey.
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Soft yield to gentle pressure. Ripe tomatoes will give slightly when squeezed but still feel firm.
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Sweet, tomatoey aroma. A ripe tomato will smell distinctly fragrant and sweet.
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Smooth, blemish-free skin with a slight sheen. Wrinkled skin or bruises indicate overripe tomatoes.
For the best flavor, let tomatoes ripen completely on the vine or counter. But if you need ripe tomatoes pronto, accelerated ripening can help you out!
Storing Ripe Tomatoes
Once tomatoes reach ideal ripeness, proper storage keeps them that way:
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Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Never refrigerate ripe tomatoes! The cold ruins texture and flavor.
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Consume within 2-3 days for best quality and taste.
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Place stem-side down, which helps minimize bruising from contact with other fruits.
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Keep away from ethylene-producing produce like bananas. Tomatoes don’t need more ripening once ripe.
Using Ripe Tomatoes
Ripe, red tomatoes are endlessly versatile in recipes. Here are some delicious ways to use your ripe tomatoes:
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Fresh tomato salad with mozzarella, basil, and balsamic dressing
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Tomato bruschetta topped with olive oil, garlic, and parmesan
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BLT sandwiches piled high with crispy bacon, lettuce, and juicy tomatoes
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Tomato sauce for pasta, pizza, lasagna, etc. – roast or simmer to intensify flavor
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Salsa, pico de gallo, or gazpacho to highlight peak tomato taste
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to common queries on speed-ripening tomatoes:
How long does it take tomatoes to ripen?
- Partially ripe tomatoes take 3-7 days. Green tomatoes need 1-3 weeks. Ripening time depends on maturity, variety and method.
Can you ripen tomatoes in the fridge?
- No! Refrigeration stops ripening and damages tomato textures. Only store ripe tomatoes in the fridge once ready to eat.
Do tomatoes ripen faster in sun or shade?
- Sunlight is not needed for ripening. Shade versus sun doesn’t affect speed. The key is trapping ethylene gas to hasten ripening.
Why are my tomatoes not turning red?
- Tomatoes may fail to redden if picked prematurely, exposed to cold temps, or have a genetic mutation. Start ripening greenish tomatoes right away in a paper bag.
Can you freeze tomatoes to ripen later?
- No, freezing stops the ripening process. Thaw tomatoes to use in cooking, but they won’t successfully ripen further after freezing.
Get Delicious Ripe Tomatoes Quickly
With these handy tips for accelerating ripening, you’ll be ready to enjoy fresh, ripe tomatoes in no time! Monitor them daily as they sit with ethylene-releasing produce until perfectly red and tender. Then enjoy tomatoes at their flavorful best in all your favorite recipes.
In a breathable bag or box
- To make the tomatoes ripen faster, just put them in a paper bag, cardboard box, or empty kitchen drawer. This will trap the ethene gas inside the tomatoes.
- Adding a banana or apple that is getting ripe will also help things go faster.
- If you don’t want your fruit to go moldy, put the tomatoes far apart and use a bag or box that won’t hold water.
- At higher temperatures (18C–25C is best), tomatoes usually ripen in a week or two from when they are very unripe. Just keep checking on them because they will ripen at different rates.
- If your kitchen is cold, it will take a lot longer for things to ripen. Also, look for tomatoes that are beginning to go bad because they will affect the rest.
Some advice says to put tomatoes in a jar, but this will probably keep the water in and make them go bad faster.
In the fruit bowl
Keep your tomatoes in the fruit bowl if they’re almost ready but need a little more time. You can keep an eye on them because the fruit around them will give off ethene, which will help them ripen.