Breaking Down the Different Flavor Profiles of Tomatoes
I hear over and over again from fellow tomato heads that they ache to find a tomato that tastes just like the old-fashioned flavor they remember from the tomatoes their elders grew back in the day. So many of us remember that seemingly “perfect” tomato flavor that is etched into our memory, and we can search for decades trying to find one that has a flavor profile just like the ones we remember from our childhood.
But with tens of thousands of different tomato varieties out there, it is hard to know where to start! Not to mention, taste is subjective, so there isn’t one variety that we will all agree is the ‘holy grail’ of tomatoes!
As a matter of fact, there are a lot of factors that contribute to flavor. Growing conditions and methods definitely make a difference. A plant that gets a ton of rain or water will produce tomatoes that taste more muted than that same variety grown in a hot and dry climate. Flavor is also affected by ripeness when harvesting and eating.
But while Mother Nature definitely plays a part in flavor, we can do our part in what flavors we grow by selecting the varieties that generally present with the profiles we enjoy! Not all tomatoes are created the same, and depending upon the color, size, and even the shape you grow, you will get very different flavors when it comes time to sink our teeth into and enjoy them!
But where to start when it comes to selecting? First you need to decide what nuances in flavor you tend to enjoy the most.
Different tomatoes have very distinct flavor profiles that are generally broken down into sweetness, acidity, and umami. Some of us (like me!) enjoy a perfect balance of all three, while others like varieties that are more sweet with less acidity or more savory (umami) without the sweetness.
There are often other sub-flavors that you may read about when perusing tomato reviews or listings from vendors. These can be tastes such as smoky, spicy, fruity, salty, rich, savory, floral, and tropical.
How do we know which tomatoes will have which flavors?
Sweetness in a tomato is caused by fructose and glucose levels which are brought out by photosynthesis in the plant. Cherry tomatoes are generally much sweeter than beefsteaks because their fructose levels are more concentrated than the larger tomatoes we grow. Beefsteaks contain more water than cherries which dilutes their sweetness. That’s not to say there aren’t some excellent tomatoes out there that will tickle the sweet tooth of those who enjoy that flavor in their tomatoes!
Acidity in tomatoes is caused by citric and malic acids which are compounds which create the bright and tangy flavors so many of us enjoy! Green when ripe (GWR) tomatoes are a great option for those who love bright tanginess! As I wrote in a post a few months ago, because GWR tomatoes maintain their green color at ripeness, they skip out on the acid-reduction phase that mellows out other varieties that ripen to colors such as red or pink.
Umami flavors in tomatoes are caused by something called glutamates which are what creates the earthiness flavor in mushrooms. It is a natural MSG that brings out a wonderful savory and rich flavor that so many enjoy and create that “tomato-ey” flavor so many love. Glutamates can also be more concentrated when leaving tomatoes to ripen longer on the vine.
If you are looking for sweeter, fruitier tomatoes with less acidic flavor, you will want to look at yellows, oranges, whites, and bicolors which generally contain more fructose and lack the lycopene found in red tomatoes which creates a more acidic flavor. It is a myth that these tomatoes are actually “low acid”, but you can find these to taste less acidic and tangy which many tomato lovers prefer.
Green tricolors are also fruitier than just straight GWR tomatoes and they are both beautiful and full of flavor. One I love is actually a tomato I personally stabilized called Bananas Noire which is a plant that is incredibly productive and disease resistant. It is sugary sweet but with enough acidity to make my taste buds happy. Other great tomatoes in this category would be Ananas Noire and Jarson 10 Tricolor (which is insanely delicious!)
If you are looking for deep, rich, and spicy umami flavors, you will want to look at deeper colored tomatoes such as blacks and purples. The richness in flavor doesn’t come from the umami alone, but in their pairing with sweetness and acidity. Cherokee Purple is a perfect example of a tomato that contains all these compounds, and it is a beloved classic for good reason.
If you are looking for deep tomato-ey flavors, you will want to grow paste or Roma tomatoes which contain less water to dilute the rich flavors of the lycopene created by the red coloring. They have dense, strong tomato intensity. Opalka is a wonderful heirloom that contains these flavors as is Cuore Antico di Acqui Terme.
Many red beefsteaks will also give you that old-fashioned flavor with both richness and acidity. A variety I really loved last year that gave me that old-fashioned, tomato-ey flavor without much sweetness was a red striped variety called Hazel Grouse Under the Pineapple which is sold right here at Secret Seed Cartel!
If you like intensely-flavored tomatoes that contain a great balance of all three of these main flavor profiles, it is no secret that I’m a fan of a lot of GWR and purple striped tomatoes. They contain a richness, sweetness, acidity, and umami marriage that makes my taste buds sing and also makes me grow them over and over each season. Some of my all-time favorites are Suffer Well by Bill Yoder, Malachite Box which is a Russian GWR, Shake the Disease which is another fantastic purple striped by Bill Yoder, and a wonderful Ukrainian GWR dwarf I discovered this past growing season called Dwarf 622-08. I also love many pink tomatoes and am having a great time sampling those. All of these are what my personal taste buds prefer, but again….this is something we all need to decide for ourselves through trial and error!
So before finalizing your grow list, take a moment to ask yourself which flavors you are looking for, and do ample research to find which varieties and colors you’d like to try! Perhaps find a tomato influencer who you feel has similar taste buds to you and see what they like! Join tomato communities (like mine at “Tomato Lover’s Collective & Swap”) and ask lots of questions to see what others say about the flavors of varieties they have grown.
Make sure you take lots of notes each year so you can narrow down what you like and what you don’t. You’ll find some winners and losers each year, but the quest for that ‘perfect’ tomato is part of the fun!
Known as Mrs. Tomato Head, Lauren Blanchard Zalewski has spent over 30 years growing, tasting, and celebrating tomatoes with her husband Rob (Mr. Tomato Head). She founded the community “Tomato Lover’s Collective & Swap” on Facebook and hosts a lively and interactive weekly YouTube show called “Lauren’s Tomato Awesomesauce!!”, where she spotlights extraordinary cultivars from around the world. She is also the co-host of the monthly “Tomato Talk Live” with Jen Joy and is a passionate grower and educator in the wonderful world of tomatoes!
You can find her on IG and YouTube at: @mrandmrstomatohead
Join her community at: Tomato Lover’s Collective & Swap