Tomato, king of vegetables: varieties, history and uses

Updated on 19 September 2026Published on 15 August 2022

New varieties of tomatoes produced every year show how important this king of vegetables is for us

Several thousand varieties, each one unique in shape, colour, texture and size: the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) was nonetheless grown only as an ornamental vine, thought poisonous, deep into the 1700s. Low in calories and high in vitamins, it repays patience above all, since the tastiest fruit are the local and heirloom sorts ripened under high summer sun.

An ornamental plant until the 18^th century

Old german image of an ornamental tomato vine — Grown for show, not for eating, into the 1700s

Hard to believe, but in olden times we didn’t even eat tomato. Thought to be poisonous, the vines were only used as ornamental plants deep into the 1700s. Two centuries earlier, the Aztec “tomatl” had crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

First it settled in Southern Europe. Peoples around the Mediterranean started cooking it. They added it to sauces to make them tastier and spicier. Then, the fruit slowly kept expanding its cooking range.

Today, in the Western world, nearly 30 pounds (14 kg) of tomatoes are consumed per person in a year, according to statistics offices.

Tomato: at first, cooked like a vegetable

In salads, together with fish or meat, tomato is most often cooked or baked like you would a vegetable.

The favorite vegetable of all

However, the science is clear: it is a fruit of which there are now several thousand varieties. Each differs and is unique: shape, color, texture, size…

In summer, the tiny cherry tomato is a must-have for appetizers and barbecues.
In fall, its larger cousins help make a tasty pasta dinner.

As for the “Beefsteak tomato”, it’s now making a comeback after having nearly disappeared from market stalls. Its best mode of cooking? Stuffed and oven-baked! With a very low calorie count and high vitamin content, tomato can be now savored year-round thanks to indoor and greenhouse growing.

Westerners eat nearly 30 pounds of tomatoes every year, or 15 kg — Northern countries eat more tomatoes than they can grow

Most countries in the North import tomatoes, since they eat much more than they can produce.

Nonetheless, when summer is in full swing, the tastiest tomatoes reach our plates: local and heirloom varieties, grown under the sun.

Read also: How to grow tomato

Which tomato for which dish?

The article describes several kinds of tomato, each suited to a different moment of the year and a different way of cooking. Here they are side by side.

Which tomato for which dish?
Tomato	When it shines	Best use
Cherry tomato	Summer	Appetizers and barbecues
Larger tomatoes	Autumn	A tasty pasta dinner
Beefsteak tomato	Back on market stalls after nearly disappearing	Stuffed and oven-baked
Local and heirloom varieties	High summer	Eaten as they are, for pure flavour

Outside those peaks, indoor and greenhouse growing keeps tomatoes on the table all year.

Eight tomato varieties worth growing

Beyond the broad families, a handful of named varieties turn up again and again on seed racks and garden centre benches. Here is how the most reliable of them compare.

Eight tomato varieties worth growing
Variety	Fruit type	Growth habit	Where it does best	Best use
Sungold F1	Cherry, golden-orange	Cordon (indeterminate)	Greenhouse or sheltered wall	Eaten straight off the vine
Roma VF	Plum, few seeds	Bush (determinate)	Outdoors, sunny bed	Sauces, passata, drying
Gardener’s Delight	Small cherry, red	Cordon (indeterminate)	Outdoors or greenhouse	Snacking and salads
Moneymaker	Medium round, red	Cordon (indeterminate)	Greenhouse	Slicing, everyday salads
Shirley F1	Medium round, red	Cordon (indeterminate)	Greenhouse, cooler summers	Heavy pickings for the kitchen
Ailsa Craig	Medium round, red	Cordon (indeterminate)	Greenhouse or warm outdoor spot	Salads and sandwiches
Tumbling Tom Red	Cherry, red	Trailing bush	Hanging baskets, pots	Patio picking

Tomato strawberry basil cocktail

Ingredients for 4 persons:

4 cluster tomatoes,
7 oz (500 g) strawberries,
8 basil leaves,
1 table spoon balsamic vinegar,
2 table spoons olive oil,
1 pinch of salt

Steps to prepare this cold smoothie

Clean the strawberries and tomatoes.
Remove stems from strawberries.
Dice the tomatoes.
Place these fruits in a blender.
Add the balsamic vinegar, salt and olive oil.
Blend.
Clean and dry the basil leaves.
Slice the leaves into thin slivers.
Add the basil to the mix. Stir and and serve cold.

Refreshing summer drink with blended tomato and strawberry — Tomato, strawberry and basil, blended and served cold

M.B.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

Botanically the science is clear: the tomato is a fruit. In the kitchen, though, it behaves like a vegetable, going into salads or being cooked and baked alongside fish or meat. That double life is why it is so often called the king of vegetables.

Why were tomatoes once thought to be poisonous?

For a long time the plant was believed to be poisonous, so nobody ate it. The vines were grown purely as ornamental plants, right the way into the 1700s. Only later did the fruit move from the flower bed to the plate.

Where does the tomato originally come from?

It reached Europe from the Americas, where the Aztecs knew it as “tomatl”, crossing the Atlantic some two centuries before it was eaten in the north. It first settled in Southern Europe, and it was peoples around the Mediterranean who started cooking it, adding it to sauces to make them tastier and spicier.

Can you eat good tomatoes all year round?

Thanks to indoor and greenhouse growing, tomatoes are available all year, with a very low calorie count and a high vitamin content. Most northern countries also import them, because they eat far more than they can produce. The tastiest ones, however, still arrive when summer is in full swing.

Image credits (edits Gaspard Lorthiois):
Public Domain: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Swallowtail Garden Seeds
CC BY-SA 2.0: Kai Schreiber
Pixabay: Dmitry

Written by Gaspard Lorthiois | Loves helping out, especially when it comes to growing things. Worked in herbal medicine, runs a farm, and dabbles in tech. Master's degree and engineer.

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