The Secret Trick to Make Your Tomatoes Taste So Much Better (2024)

FAQs

The Secret Trick to Make Your Tomatoes Taste So Much Better? ›

Cream of tartar

It's a simple trick, really: All you do is sprinkle the tomatoes with salt. Yes, I know, salt brings out the flavor of everything.

You want to give your tomatoes contact with a direct heat source. That means cooking them at the bottom of whatever saucepan or Dutch oven you're using. The goal here is to remove water from the tomato solids and allow them to caramelize somewhat, which will concentrate their flavor.

The salt actually highlights the tomatoes' sweetness by acting as a foil. Think about it: That's why there's salt in nearly every baked good. In the case of tomatoes, the salt is also drawing water out, intensifying the fruits' natural flavors. In this ultimate caprese, the tomatoes are generously sprinkled with salt.

Good tomato fertilizer is organic. Artificial fertilizer (especially nitrogen-containing fertilizer) gives less flavor to tomatoes than organic fertilizer. We saw this happening very clearly in our pot tomato nursery.

The flavor pairing of Tomatoes and oregano is a classic found throughout Italian cuisine. Most Tomato-based sauces and marinades with Italian roots will add oregano to the mix, but some Mexican, Greek, and Mediterranean dishes have also been known to pair these two flavors together.

Chris's solution is to use salt to lose the excess liquid; draining the bland water leaves you with concentrated tomatoey flavors.

Spread the tomatoes (cut-side up) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if you like, although it's not totally necessary. Put the baking sheet in a 250°F oven and cook for 30 minutes to two hours.

Adjust the flavor balance of your sauce: If too tart or acidic, add 1/4 tsp. sugar and stir well. If too bland or sweet, add 1/4 tsp. red wine vinegar and stir well.

And flavor, said Jay Scott, an emeritus tomato breeder at the University of Florida, basically comes down to just three things — sugar, acids, and aromatic volatiles. Some people like much sweeter tomatoes while others like less sweet tomatoes — no one tomato variety will ever be a “perfect” tomato to everyone.

Why don't my tomatoes have much flavor? ›

When a plant starts fruiting, it starts looking yellow and tired. That's when we often rush out and water the plant to help perk it up. This is the wrong thing to do. In the simplest terms, all of that water ends up in your fruit, compromising its flavor and texture.

Flat or bland sauce likely needs a hit of something acidic to lift and enhance its flavors, such as a small splash of high-quality, flavorful vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a few drops of not-too-fiery hot sauce.

Tomato plants require approximately 1 inch of water per week. Plants may wilt badly when soils are dry, but will revive rapidly when they are watered. A thorough watering once a week during hot, dry weather should be sufficient.

Yes, there are other ways to make your tomatoes taste even better and increase the acidity. There is lemon, vinegar, or my personal favorite, balsamic. Just imagine a tomato bruschetta with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top.

Well, if you really want to amp up the taste of your tomatoes, cream of tartar is your answer. Yes, there are other ways to make your tomatoes taste even better and increase the acidity. There is lemon, vinegar, or my personal favorite, balsamic.

Roasting. Roasting tomatoes can help to bring out their natural sweetness and flavor. Once roasted, they can be used in a variety of dishes, including pasta sauces, soups, and salads.