How to cut tomatoes for salads

Use the cut and gut technique to get seedless tomato deliciousness in your salads

Unless you’re using cherry tomatoes, you gotta know how to cut tomatoes for salads.

I learned this trick in Puerto Vallarta during Mexican Shabbas dinner. My buddy Sugs’ wife, Emma taught me.

It’s simple, but good to know: The right way to cut tomatoes for your salads.

How to cut tomatoes for salads

The trick is gutting the seeds. Because in your salads, you want the insides of the tomato.

You just don’t really want the seeds. They’re gooey.

And, generally, the seeds are what people find gross about tomatoes.

Here’s the steps:

1. Rinse the tomatoes. Tomatoes are one of those fruits that often are covered in pesticides. Buy organic if you can, but still rinse.

2. Slice in half, equator-style. If the stem is the North Pole, slice as if you’re making a line for the equator.

3. Gut the seeds under water. Poke out the seeds with your fingers. Get into the little cavities.

4. Slice away. Long slices are kinda nice for salads. Triangles work well (see below). Small squares are good if you’re making taco salad.

One thing to consider (before discarding the seeds)

Seeds carry most of the nutrients in tomatoes.

Yeah, the texture is not ideal for a salad.

But can they be repurposed? Put into bloody mary mix?

Or maybe a dressing!?

One more thing to consider (before serving that salad with tomatoes)

Tomatoes make salads good.

But the right dressing?

The right dressing makes a salad great. The right dressing is what your guests will talk about afterwards.

Of course you can buy store-bought. But if you really want to impress your guests, consider making your own.

This balsamic vinaigrette is our go-to and really brings out the flavors of your tomatoes. Plus, it’s incredibly easy.

And if you really want to take your vinaigrette to the next level consider our pumpkin balsamic, this apricot poppyseed vinaigrette, or the popular and gorgeous bright blueberry balsamic.

Those are some of our favorite Vitamix dressing recipes for seasonal salads. But for the classics, these are great, too:

• Chopped salad? Try our (vegan and delicious) ranch.
• Caesar dressing? Try our mouth-watering Caesar.
• Taco salad? Try our mango cilantro lime dressing (pictured right with a non-taco salad, but the only one I could find with tomatoes!).

Note 1: I know that’s a lot of dressings to choose from. But try one!

Note 2: If you’re not using a Vitamix, you may not get the same creamy texture as shown in the pictures. But these recipes should work pretty well in any blender. 🙂

Conclusion

Use the cut and gut method to cut tomatoes for salads. And while you’re getting fancy, whip up a homemade dressing.