How to Peel and Seed Tomatoes

Every so often, recipes call for peeling and seeding tomatoes. But how exactly do you do it? Follow these easy steps to help you prepare tomatoes for your next dish.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tomatoes
• Water
• Bowls
• Kitchen Utility Knives
• Saucepans

1. Place a saucepan 3/4 full of water over high heat and bring to a boil.

2. 

   Dip tomatoes that need to be peeled in the boiling water for 1 minute.

3. 

   Remove tomatoes and set aside to cool enough so that you can handle them.

4. 

   Gently pierce, just barely, the skin of the tomatoes with the tip of a sharp knife. Loosen the skin with the knife and peel away. Repeat with all the tomatoes.

5. Cut peeled tomatoes in half.

6. Hold tomato half in your hand over a small bowl.

7. 

   Gently squeeze tomato half so that seeds drip into the bowl. Discard seeds.

8. 

   Use tomatoes as recipe requires.

Tips & Warnings

• Some people cut a small "x" in the base of the tomato before dipping it in the boiling water. The skin splits slightly around the x; peel back the corners of the x to remove the skin.

• If the tomatoes don't peel well, dip them back in the boiling water for 30 seconds.

• If you don't peel tomatoes, the skins will fall off when cooking, leaving bits of tomato skin in your dish. Likewise, the tomato seeds will float around as well. In many dishes, tomato seeds aren't a big deal, but rolls of tomato skin can be annoying to eat.