Ingredient Guide•Tomato
All Ingredients
Good source of Vitamin CGood source of PotassiumRich in AntioxidantsLow Calorie
VegetablesNightshadesSouth America
TomatoCalories, Nutrition Facts, Culinary Uses & Recipes
Scientific Name:Solanum lycopersicum
Also known as:
TamatarTomato
The tomato is actually a botanical fruit treated as a culinary vegetable. Originating in South America, it has become an indispensable backbone of global cooking. Rich in lycopene, vitamin C, and tangy natural umami, it forms the base for everything from Indian gravies and Italian pasta sauces to fresh salsas and chutneys.
Calories (100g)18 kcal
Dietary ProfileVegan & Vegetarian
Default UnitPiece
Calories in Tomato & Nutritional Facts
Standard food-composition values per 100g edible portion and realistic serving portions
How many calories are in Tomato?
100 grams of Tomato (raw/dry reference weight) provides approximately 18 kcal, 3.9g carbohydrates, 0.9g protein, 0.2g fat, and 1.2g dietary fiber. A realistic single-person portion of 50g contains roughly 9 kcal before cooking oils or garnishes.
18.0kcal
Calories
0.9g
Protein
3.9g
Carbs
0.2g
Fat
1.2g
Fiber
2.6g
Sugar
| Portion Size | Calories | Carbs | Protein | Fat | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per 30g (Small / 2–3 Tbsp) | 5 kcal | 1.2g | 0.3g | 0.1g | 0.4g |
| Per 50g (Standard Home Serving) | 9 kcal | 1.9g | 0.4g | 0.1g | 0.6g |
| Per 100g (Standard Reference) | 18 kcal | 3.9g | 0.9g | 0.2g | 1.2g |
Source & Disclaimer: Nutritional figures represent approximate values per 100g edible portion compiled from standard food-composition references (including ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables & USDA FoodData Central). Values vary by grain thickness, moisture, brand, and added cooking oils or garnishes. Provided for general culinary information only and not as medical or clinical dietary advice.
Storage Instructions
Keep Tomato fresh and long-lasting
Never Put Fresh Tomatoes in the Fridge: Cold temperatures ruin the texture and destroy their natural aroma, making them mealy and tasteless. Keep them on your kitchen counter at room temperature stem-side down. Store Stem-Side Down: Placing tomatoes stem-down on a flat surface stops moisture from evaporating and prevents air/bacteria from sneaking in through the stem end. Overripe Tomatoes? Puree & Freeze: If your tomatoes are getting too soft, blend them into a puree, boil it down slightly with a pinch of salt, and freeze in ice trays or airtight containers for quick curry bases later.
Kitchen Preparation & Cooking Uses
Best culinary practices & prep tips
Deseed for Smooth Gravies: If you want a smooth, rich gravy without extra tartness or seeds, cut the tomato in half and gently squeeze out the watery seed pockets before chopping or blending. To remove the skin quickly for soups or makhani gravies (in india), cut a small "X" mark at the bottom of each tomato, plunge them into boiling water for 1–2 minutes, and then drop them into cold water. The skin will peel off like magic. Cook with Healthy Fats: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene (a powerful antioxidant). Cooking tomatoes in a little mustard oil, ghee, or olive oil helps your body absorb lycopene much more effectively than eating them raw.
Culinary Uses, Origins & Cultural Heritage
How Tomato is used across regional kitchens and history
Common Culinary Uses
When tomatoes were first introduced to Europe, Europeans were terrified of them! They nicknamed the tomato the "Poison Apple." Rich aristocrats ate from pewter plates (which contained high lead levels). The high acidity of tomatoes leached lead out of the plates, causing lead poisoning, which people blamed on the tomato itself! It wasn't until the late 1800s, when pizza was invented in Naples, Italy, that the world completely fell in love with tomatoes.
Historical Roots
When the Spanish brought tomatoes from South America to Europe, people treated them purely as ornamental plants—grown only in royal gardens for their pretty, bright red fruits! The real transformation happened during the British colonial period in the late 19th century. British officials encouraged mass farming of tomatoes across India to satisfy their craving for soups and stews. Indian cooks quickly realized how beautifully the tomato's natural sourness and juice blended with local spices, replacing traditional souring agents like tamarind, raw mango (amchur), and curd in many northern and central Indian gravies. Within a few decades, this once-foreign fruit completely revolutionized everyday Indian home cooking!
Regional & Cultural Traditions
In India, It is hard to imagine cooking without tomatoes today, but they were actually a late addition to our kitchen! Paired with onions and ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes form the core masala base for almost every North Indian gravy, South Indian thokkus, and coastal curries.
Did You Know?
Botanically, a tomato is 100% a fruit (a berry, to be precise). However, in 1893, the Supreme Court of the United States legally ruled that tomatoes should be classified as a vegetable for custom tax purposes, because people served them with dinner rather than dessert!
Chef & Cooking Tips
If your tomato gravy or sauce turns out too sour or acidic, don't just dump in water. Add a tiny pinch of sugar or a micro pinch of baking soda to neutralize the acid without altering the rich flavor.
Recipes Using Tomato
Explore 8 recipes featuring Tomato
Frequently Asked Questions about Tomato
Common questions on calories, cooking methods, and kitchen storage
How many calories are in Tomato?
Per 100 grams (raw/dry reference weight), Tomato contains approximately 18 kcal, 3.9g carbohydrates, 0.9g protein, 0.2g fat, and 1.2g dietary fiber. A typical 50g culinary portion provides roughly 9 kcal before cooking oils, butter, or garnishes are added.
What is Tomato and how is it used in cooking?
The tomato is actually a botanical fruit treated as a culinary vegetable. Originating in South America, it has become an indispensable backbone of global cooking. Rich in lycopene, vitamin C, and tangy natural umami, it forms the base for everything from Indian gravies and Italian pasta sauces to fresh salsas and chutneys.
How do you prepare and cook with Tomato?
Deseed for Smooth Gravies: If you want a smooth, rich gravy without extra tartness or seeds, cut the tomato in half and gently squeeze out the watery seed pockets before chopping or blending. To remove the skin quickly for soups or makhani gravies (in india), cut a small "X" mark at the bottom of each tomato, plunge them into boiling water for 1–2 minutes, and then drop them into cold water. The skin will peel off like magic. Cook with Healthy Fats: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene (a powerful antioxidant). Cooking tomatoes in a little mustard oil, ghee, or olive oil helps your body absorb lycopene much more effectively than eating them raw.
How should Tomato be stored to keep it fresh?
Never Put Fresh Tomatoes in the Fridge: Cold temperatures ruin the texture and destroy their natural aroma, making them mealy and tasteless. Keep them on your kitchen counter at room temperature stem-side down. Store Stem-Side Down: Placing tomatoes stem-down on a flat surface stops moisture from evaporating and prevents air/bacteria from sneaking in through the stem end. Overripe Tomatoes? Puree & Freeze: If your tomatoes are getting too soft, blend them into a puree, boil it down slightly with a pinch of salt, and freeze in ice trays or airtight containers for quick curry bases later.
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