Tomatoes come in many shapes, sizes and colours. Some are tiny and sweet. Some are firm and meaty. Some are large, juicy and perfect for slicing. Others are colourful, striped or unusually shaped.

Choosing the right tomato can make a real difference to your soup, salad, sauce or side dish. Cherry tomatoes are great for salads and snacking. Plum tomatoes are excellent for sauces and soups. Beefsteak tomatoes are ideal for slicing, stuffing and grilling. Heritage tomatoes bring colour, character and flavour to simple dishes.

The British Tomato Growers’ Association lists common British tomato types including classic, cherry, cocktail, plum, beef, speciality and vine tomatoes. The RHS also highlights the wide range of tomato shapes, colours and growing varieties available to gardeners.

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Main Types of Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are small, round and usually sweet. They are one of the easiest tomatoes to use because they need very little preparation. Just wash them and add them to salads, lunch boxes, pasta dishes or roasted vegetable trays.

They are especially good for children’s plates because they are colourful, bite-sized and naturally sweet.

Best for:

1. Salads.
2. Lunch boxes.
3. Snacking.
4. Roasting.
5. Pasta bowls.

Simple serving idea:
Halve cherry tomatoes and mix with cucumber, red onion, basil, olive oil and lemon juice.

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Cocktail Tomatoes

Cocktail tomatoes are slightly larger than cherry tomatoes but still sweet and juicy. They are a useful middle ground between small cherry tomatoes and larger salad tomatoes.

They work well raw or cooked. You can slice them into salads, roast them whole, or add them to warm grain bowls and pasta dishes.

Best for:

1. Salads.
2. Roasting.
3. Pasta dishes.
4. Kebabs and skewers.
5. Quick side dishes.

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Plum Tomatoes

Plum tomatoes are oval-shaped and usually firmer and fleshier than round tomatoes. They often have fewer seeds and less watery juice, which makes them very useful for cooking.

They are a favourite for tomato sauces, soups, stews and passata-style dishes. Roma and San Marzano are well-known plum-style tomatoes.

Best for:

1. Tomato soup.
2. Pasta sauce.
3. Pizza sauce.
4. Roasting.
5. Tinned tomatoes.

Simple serving idea:
Roast plum tomatoes with garlic, herbs and a little olive oil, then blend them into soup or sauce.

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Salad Tomatoes

Salad tomatoes are the familiar medium-sized tomatoes found in many kitchens. They are good all-rounders because they can be sliced, chopped, cooked or eaten raw.

They have a balanced flavour and are useful when you want one tomato that can do a bit of everything.

Best for:

1. Sandwiches.
2. Salads.
3. Soups.
4. Sauces.
5. Everyday cooking.

Simple serving idea:
Slice salad tomatoes and serve with a little salt, black pepper, olive oil and fresh herbs.

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Vine Tomatoes

Vine tomatoes are sold still attached to the vine. They are often chosen for their fresh smell, bright colour and attractive appearance.

They are good for simple dishes where the tomato is one of the main ingredients. They can be sliced into salads, roasted on the vine, or served as part of a colourful sharing plate.

Best for:

1. Salads.
2. Roasting on the vine.
3. Sharing platters.
4. Sandwiches.
5. Simple side dishes.

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Beefsteak Tomatoes

Beefsteak tomatoes are large, juicy tomatoes. They are ideal when you want thick slices or a tomato that can hold its shape when stuffed.

Their size makes them useful for burgers, open sandwiches, grilled tomatoes and baked stuffed tomatoes. Some beefsteak types have a ribbed shape and a rich, full flavour. RHS describes ‘Costoluto Fiorentino’ as a beefsteak tomato with bright red, flattened, strongly ribbed fruit and firm, succulent flesh.

Best for:

1. Slicing.
2. Stuffing.
3. Grilling.
4. Burgers.
5. Big salads.

Simple serving idea:
Cut thick slices of beefsteak tomato and layer with basil, mozzarella or avocado.

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Heritage Tomatoes

Heritage tomatoes are grown for flavour, colour and character. They can be red, yellow, orange, purple, green or striped. They may be round, ribbed, pear-shaped or uneven.

They are especially good when served simply, because their colour and flavour can stand out. A mixed heritage tomato salad can look beautiful with very little effort.

Best for:

1. Colourful salads.
2. Sharing boards.
3. Simple raw dishes.
4. Summer plates.
5. Food photography.

Simple serving idea:
Slice different coloured heritage tomatoes and serve with herbs, olive oil and a little vinegar.

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Green Tomatoes

Green tomatoes may be unripe red tomatoes or varieties that stay green when mature. They are firmer and sharper in flavour than ripe red tomatoes.

They are often used for chutneys, pickles and frying. Because they are less sweet, they work best in recipes where their firm texture and tangy flavour are useful.

Best for:

1. Chutney.
2. Pickling.
3. Frying.
4. Relishes.
5. Preserves.

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Which Tomato Should I Choose?

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Good Varieties to Know

There are thousands of tomato varieties, but these are useful names to recognise:

• Sungold F1 — A golden-orange cherry tomato known for very sweet fruit.
• Gardener’s Delight — A classic cherry tomato and a favourite with home growers. It is reliable, tasty and easy to grow, making it a good choice for beginners.
• Sweet Million — A popular cherry tomato type that produces lots of small fruits.
• Roma — A plum tomato often used for cooking and sauces.
• San Marzano — A famous plum tomato type often associated with sauces.
• Marmande — A beefsteak-style tomato with large fruit.
• Costoluto Fiorentino — A ribbed beefsteak tomato with firm, succulent flesh.
• Tigerella — A striped tomato variety often used for colourful salads.
• Alicante — A classic salad tomato often grown by home gardeners.

Mrs SAS favorite: I grow Gardener's Delight cherry tomatoes most years now. Easy to grow from seed, relaible crop, tasty, great roasted in soups or used in salads.  

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Best Tomatoes for Soup

For soup, choose tomatoes with good flavour and enough flesh to create body. Plum tomatoes are usually a strong choice because they are meaty and cook down well. Ripe salad tomatoes and vine tomatoes also work nicely.

Cherry tomatoes can be excellent in soup if roasted first. Roasting helps bring out their sweetness and gives the soup a deeper flavour.

Best choices for soup:

1. Plum tomatoes.
2. Roma-style tomatoes.
3. Ripe salad tomatoes.
4. Vine tomatoes.
5. Roasted cherry tomatoes.
6. Tinned tomatoes.

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Best Tomatoes for Salad

For salad, choose tomatoes that are sweet, juicy and colourful. Cherry tomatoes are quick and easy. Heritage tomatoes are ideal when you want a more interesting plate. Salad and vine tomatoes are good everyday choices.

Best choices for salad:

1. Cherry tomatoes.
2. Cocktail tomatoes.
3. Heritage tomatoes.
4. Salad tomatoes.
5. Vine tomatoes.
6. Yellow and orange tomatoes.

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Buying and Storing Tomatoes

Choose tomatoes that look bright, smooth and fresh. They should feel firm but not hard. Very soft tomatoes may be overripe, but they can still be useful for sauces and soups.

For the best flavour, keep tomatoes at room temperature until ripe. Chilling tomatoes can reduce their flavour and change their texture, so only refrigerate them if they are fully ripe and you need to keep them for a little longer.

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Simple Tomato Variety Plate

For an easy colourful salad, try mixing:

1. Red cherry tomatoes.
2. Yellow cherry tomatoes.
3. Sliced beefsteak tomato.
4. Chopped plum tomato.
5. Heritage tomato slices.
6. Fresh basil.

Add a little olive oil, black pepper and lemon juice or vinegar. This gives you different colours, textures and flavours on one plate.

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Final Thought

There is no single “best” tomato. The best tomato depends on the job.

Use small sweet tomatoes for salads and snacks. Use plum tomatoes for soups and sauces. Use beefsteak tomatoes for slicing and stuffing. Use heritage tomatoes when you want colour, flavour and character.

For Mr Soup and Salad, the simple rule is:

Sweet tomatoes for salads.
Meaty tomatoes for soups and sauces.
Large tomatoes for slicing and stuffing.
Colourful tomatoes when you want the dish to look beautiful.