How to Seed a Tomato

There's more than one way to remove the seeds from a tomato before you use it in recipes like tomato sauce, tomato soup, and salsa. We'll guide you through two easy methods.

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Photo: Meredith

Why Seed a Tomato?

Turns out there's no real evidence behind the claim that tomato seeds are bitter, so removing the seeds comes down to an aesthetic choice. Sometimes you just might not want to see tomato seeds in your recipe; this is especially true if you're making salsa, tomato sauce, tomato soup, or gazpacho. But if you're looking for maximum flavor — and the extra pulp and juice from seeds won't make your recipe too soupy — then leave in the seeds!

But this is about how to remove seeds from a tomato, so let's get on with it.

Two Ways to Seed a Tomato

Whether you're using peeled or unpeeled tomatoes, you'll seed them in the same way.

The first step is to cut the tomato in half. Most tomatoes should be cut in half around the middle, not from top to bottom. However, if you're seeding Roma tomatoes, you can cut them in half from top to bottom. At this point, you have two options for removing the seeds.

Option 1: Squeeze

The first option is to gently squeeze the tomato. Be cautious with the amount of pressure you exert when squeezing, otherwise, you might destroy the shape of the tomato (which will make dicing more difficult).

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Option 2: Scoop

The second option is to scrape the seeds out of the tomato with a small tool or even with your finger. This option requires more time but will reserve the tomato's shape better than the squeezing method.

You could also remove the compartment walls with a spoon if you would like to create a nice tomato cup for stuffing. If you intend to use the tomato for a cup, slice off a very thin slice from the bottom so that it will not fall over, tilt, or roll around when served.

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VIDEO: How to Peel, Seed, and Dice Tomatoes

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