How to cut tomatoes … Kitchen helper
Knife
A serrated knife is best for cutting tomatoes. If you have a really sharp cook’s knife you can use that, but a serrated knife like a bread knife or a steak knife will do a great job.
Tomato slices
Cutting against the core of the tomato is the key to slicing, as each slice is held together by the supporting flesh attached to the core.
- Place the tomato on its side so the stem (the top of the tomato) is facing either to the left if you’re left-handed or right if you’re right-handed.
- Thinly slice the top of the tomato off to remove the stem and expose the flesh.
- Cut even slices and work your way along the tomato until you’ve sliced it all. Slice to the thickness you prefer.
Tomato wedges
The key to cutting the perfect tomato wedge is to keep the seeds and juice inside their individual pockets. A great mental cue is to imagine slicing up an orange wedge.
- Place the tomato top side up, so the stem is facing the ceiling. Make sure to remove any green stems.
- Cut straight through the top of the tomato to the bottom, slicing in the centre through the stem, making two halves.
- Cut each segment in half again through the stems, making four even quarters.
- Depending on the size of the tomato, these segments can all be sliced in half again through the stem. It depends on how many wedges you want and what size.
Angel & cherry tomatoes
You’ll very rarely need to cut angel and cherry tomatoes, they are often bite size and can be mixed straight into most dishes. If you do decide to cut them however, make sure to follow the previous steps and cut down the centre of the stem, from top to bottom. Slicing this way will keep the seeds and juice intact. You can also save time by cutting a whole punnet at once by laying the tomatoes out in a circular arrangement. Place a plate over the top and apply gentle pressure. Then use a knife to slice horizontally through the whole punnet of tomatoes at once.
