Sweet, tart and tangy, tomato is a fruit with a mild, subtle and balanced flavor that allows various cooking techniques such as grilled, blended, pan seared, pickled, roasted, and stir-fry.
From fresh to cooked, there are many ways to present tomatoes as breakfast, appetizer, and dinner ideas. But food pairing can become intimidating when olive oil and balsamic vinegar is all you initially think of serving.
What to eat with tomatoes? Tomatoes pair wonderfully with arugula, basil, cheese, chili peppers, cilantro, cucumber, fennel, garlic, lemon, marjoram, mint, olives, onion, parsley, peppers, shallots, and thyme.
Additionally, tomatoes are great ingredients to make into pasta sauce, pizza, salads, and soups. As a result, this fruit are widely used in Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Spanish cuisine.
Serve with a simple drizzle olive oil and scrambled eggs for breakfast, slice tomato wedges with a sprinkle of sea salt for snack, and at dinner they are stewed, simmered or added to a casserole.
Sadly, tomatoes lose their spark over time without variety, but this summer we aren’t letting that happen! Here are some possible pairings that will offer variety and maintain the tomato hype throughout summer.
What goes well with tomatoes?
Of course, tomatoes pair perfectly with almost everything. However, they taste best when paired with Italian flavors such as balsamic vinegar, oregano, fresh mozzarella cheese, garlic, olive oil, broccoli, and capers.
They can also be paired with Mediterranean flavors such as cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese.
Regardless of international cuisine, these ingredients blend perfectly well with tomatoes to create wonderful dishes.
- Meats: anchovies, chicken, eggs, fish, ham, lamb, veal
- Vegetables: arugula, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, leeks, mushrooms, okra, onions, peas, shallots, zucchini
- Beans: fava, green
- Cheese: blue, Cabrales, cheddar, feta, goat, gorgonzola, mozzarella, parmesan, pecorino, ricotta, sheep’s milk
- Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts
- Legumes: chickpeas
- Condiments: aioli, honey, horseradish, mayonnaise, pasta sauce, sugar, Tabasco sauce, olives
- Spices: allspice, cayenne, chili peppers, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, peppers, red pepper flakes, saffron
- Herbs: basil, bay leaf, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill, chives, marjoram, spearmint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, tarragon
- Dairy: cream, cream cheese, yogurt
- Vinegar: balsamic, raspberry, red wine, rice, sherry, tarragon, white, wine
- Wine: red, rosé, vermouth, white
What fruits taste good with tomatoes?
The acidity in tomatoes tampers the sweetness while highlighting the bright contrast.
Combining tomatoes with other fruits provides multiple benefits in terms of texture and flavor:
- lemon
- lime
- mango
- melon, especially cantaloupe and honeydew
- orange
- pineapple
- raspberries
- strawberries
- watermelon
What flavor goes well with tomatoes?
Adding a pinch of salt to tomatoes gives them a riper and fruitier taste. Feel free to add them to a sandwich, consume raw or use while cooking.
Try adding pineapple juice to the raw tomatoes for those who aren’t into a sweet and salty combo. This gives a tropical feel as the pineapple juice mimics the sweetness and acidity, while making the otherwise sub-par tomatoes even tastier.
Additional flavors to combine with tomatoes include parsley, dill, rosemary, thyme, chives, cilantro, oregano, and black pepper. It may sound unusual, but the herb pairing between tomatoes and lemon balm is quite a unique choice.
Here are classic flavor combinations that go well with tomatoes:
- tomatoes + avocado + basil + lemon + crab
- tomatoes + basil + mozzarella cheese + garlic + olive oil + balsamic vinegar
- tomatoes + chili peppers + garlic + onions
- tomatoes + fennel + gorgonzola cheese
- tomatoes + garlic chives + lemon basil
- tomatoes + horseradish + lemon
- tomatoes + olive oil + balsamic vinegar
Eat with Tomatoes: Conclusion
Tomatoes are an incredibly versatile and delicious fruit that can be served with other fruits, vegetables, meats or even snacks. So, be more adventurous the next time you incorporate them into a meal or dish.
With the right ingredients, you can serve tomatoes in pasta sauce, pizza, salads, and soups at anytime of the day.
Fresh and ripe tomatoes are useful in Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Spanish cuisine to impart flavors ranging from sweet to spicy based on the variety.
Enhance the sweetness by pairing with other citrus, berries and tropical fruits to blend into savory dishes. Additionally, herbs and spices complement with tomatoes equally so.
Classic flavor of tomato is derived from multiple sources. Consider the available options and experiment with new tomato pairings that you have never conceived of before!