Why Cherry Tomatoes Often Taste Better Than Large Tomatoes

The promise of a large, red tomato can far too often be a disappointment. Even when selecting the juiciest and ripest-looking fruit, you can end up with something bland. Opt for cherry tomatoes, on the other hand, and it's hard to go wrong. But why are these bite/sized beauties so much richer in flavor than the larger types of tomato? The answer is two-fold: the structure of cherry tomatoes and how they're farmed.

First, the smaller size of cherry tomatoes means that all the things that make tomatoes taste great are more concentrated — sugars, malic acid, and the amino acid responsible for tomatoes' umami flavor. Compared to a regular-sized tomato, cherry tomatoes also have thinner skin and interior walls, offering comparatively more of the flavorful pulp.

Secondly, in order to make tomatoes attractive and available year-round across different parts of the country, they have been selectively bred for shelf life and durability during transit rather than taste. This more robust structure allows farmers to harvest tomatoes while they're still green, after which they're artificially ripened with ethylene gas, which, while it aids in their bright red color, doesn't produce the same depth of flavor. 

Cherry tomatoes are likewise the result of selective breeding, and while extending shelf life was a priority, they were also engineered to be juicier and sweeter. As well as a higher concentration of sugars, cherry tomatoes contain more fructose — a sugar that humans perceive as being sweeter than others.

The size and juiciness of cherry tomatoes make them ideal for snacking as they are, but there are so many other delicious ways to make the most of that concentrated flavor. If you prefer to eat them fresh, consider making caprese salad tulips. To extend the shelf life of your fresh produce, making a jar of pickled cherry tomatoes will allow you to enjoy them for up to a month. 

Cherry tomatoes are sometimes overlooked for smooth soups or sauces because of the work involved in removing the skin, but if you're looking for a rustic texture, then they're perfect for a pasta dish bursting with flavor. Roasting cherry tomatoes concentrates the tastes and sugars even further, while reducing the moisture content, giving you a better bruschetta that won't go soggy.