Why bother deseeding tomatoes?
It all depends on the variety of tomato and the dish you’re making, says our panel of experts
TL;DR
- The need to deseed tomatoes varies by variety and the specific dish being prepared.
- Some tomato varieties, like Sicilian, are seedier and may require deseeding, while others, like Vesuvio, are meaty and can be used whole.
- For pasta sauces, tinned tomatoes are often used whole, but fresh tomatoes for lighter sauces may be blanched, peeled, and deseeded.
- Tools like teaspoons, graters, or food mills can be used for deseeding.
- Tomato skins can also affect texture and unpleasantness in dishes, with thin skins generally not posing an issue.
- Peeling methods include blanching in boiling water or using a knife, especially for easily peelable varieties.