Red, round, and packed with flavor! Tomatoes rank among the most popular ingredients in Dutch kitchens. Savor them raw as a healthy snack, in classic Italian Caprese with mozzarella, simmered into sauces for pasta, grilled with meats, roasted as oven vegetables, tossed in salads, or in the viral baked feta pasta trend.
Tomatoes evoke Italy's "la dolce vita," mild summer evenings, and fresh cuisine. Yet they journeyed far to stardom. In the early 16th century, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés brought them from Mexico to Spain, naming them "tomate" after the Aztec "tomatl" or "xītomatl," cultivated by the Maya since 200 BC. Known as love apple, paradise apple, or golden apple, they reached Italy from Spain and were described in 1544 as yellow "pomi d'oro" or red fruits.
Not until the 17th century did bold Dutch eaters consume them, dispelling myths of toxicity.
Botanically, tomatoes belong to the nightshade family, kin to potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Over 3,000 varieties exist worldwide, in red, yellow, orange, blue-black, green, white, or marbled hues. Sizes vary widely, with giants up to 1 kg rare in the Netherlands.
Beyond their vibrant red sheen from lycopene, tomatoes deliver vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and plant compounds that support heart health and immunity. At 94% water and just 17 kcal per 100g, they're a low-calorie powerhouse.
Choose bright-colored tomatoes—red, yellow, or purple—with firm flesh that yields slightly to pressure. Avoid damaged or soft skins. For stem-on varieties, ensure greens are fresh. Packaged ones should lack excess moisture.
Tip: Unripe tomatoes ripen at home over a few days.
Store at 12-18°C, never in the fridge, to preserve flavor. Tomatoes emit ethylene like apples, so keep separate to avoid hastening spoilage. Properly stored, they last up to 14 days.
Tomatoes shine raw in snacks, salads with vinaigrette, or antipasti. Roast whole with salt and herbs for fish, meat, or veggie dishes. Grill, bake into sauces, soups, dressings, or jam with lemon and sugar—perfect for cheese boards. Add sugar when cooking to boost flavor. They're staples in Mediterranean fare like tomato burrata; oven-baked and stirred with creamy cheese, it's a quick crowd-pleaser.
Fruit or Vegetable? Tomatoes are fruit vegetables. The annual herbaceous plant is a vegetable, but we eat its fruit. Leaves contain solanine, making them unhealthy.
Red, Round, and Healthy? Not always red—find purple, yellow, orange, green, brown, black varieties.
Pomi d'Oro: Italians cherish "pomodoro," meaning love or golden apple.
Tomato Stains: Act fast—pre-treat with bile soap and lukewarm or fizzy water. Use bleach on whites or shaving cream on set stains, then machine-wash hot.
Green Tomatoes: They ripen in color off-vine, but flavor develops only on the plant.
