20 Types of Tomatoes to Eat, Cook, and Enjoy

• Type: Determinate
• Mature Size: 3-5 ft. tall, 2-4 ft. wide
• Days to Maturity: 76 days
• Use: Sauce, canning

Roma is a classic plum tomato popularly used to produce tomato paste and canning due to its slender and firm nature. These oval-shaped beauties have dense flesh with few seeds and are grown in the United States, Australia, Great Britain, and Mexico.

The most commonly sold commercial plum tomatoes in the Western Hemisphere markets are Romas or related types. Although it is an open-pollinated variety rather than a hybrid, most Roma tomato vines are now resistant to verticillium and fusarium wilts.

• Types: Determinate
• Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall
• Days to Maturity: 62 days
• Use: Salads, slicer

A beefsteak tomato is a large tomato variety that can weigh over 450 grams. It produces deep red sweet tomatoes with many tiny seed compartments distributed throughout the fruit. As suggested by their name, they have a rich beefsteak taste.

Beefsteaks are popular among home growers for use as toppings for beef sandwiches and other applications that require a large tomato. However, they are not cultivated commercially as other varieties since they are not seen to be as suitable for mechanization as smaller slicing tomatoes.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 8 to 9 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 80 to 100 days
• Use: Slicer

The Brandywine tomato is a popular heirloom variety considered great for slicing onto a sandwich. With a weight of approximately 0.7 kg (1.5 lbs), this huge, juicy, pink beefsteak-shaped tomato is said to have a "great tomatoey flavor."

One of the common tomato varieties with the slowest maturation time, Brandywine takes 80 to 100 days to mature. The cultivar yields less than average as well. Nonetheless, the plant is heavily grown all over the world.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 4-6 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide
• Maturity Period: 80 days
• Use: Slicer

Cherokee Purple is a popular heirloom tomato known for its large, sweet fruits and deep, dusky-rose skin. The skin color gradually transitions from dusky-rose to somewhat green when mature. This variety was one of the first in the darker color group of tomatoes, often referred to as "blacks."

These tomatoes are beefsteak in style. They have a lush, juicy texture with small seed locules scattered irregularly throughout the flesh. They are typically available during the summer and fall seasons and are best enjoyed when fresh. They are commonly used in BLT sandwiches and salads.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 5 to 6 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 85 days
• Use: Canning, sauce

A San Marzano tomato is a type of plum tomato known for its distinct flavor and quality when used for canning. It is thinner and more pointed compared to the Roma tomato. The flesh is thicker with fewer seeds, and the taste is more intense, less sour, and sweeter.

The San Marzano vines have a slightly longer growing period than other paste tomato varieties. This makes them a good choice for places with warmer climates. Like other heirloom plants, San Marzano is a variety that can be pollinated naturally and the seeds will produce the same type of tomato in future generations.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 6 to 8 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 78 days
• Use: Slicer

The Green Zebra is a tomato cultivar known for its dark green and yellow stripes. It has a more tart flavor, often described as 'spicy' and 'zingy', compared to regular tomatoes. It is also an early cultivar. Depending on the growing conditions, it may produce somewhat mealy fruits than other tomato varieties.

The Green Zebra tomato remains green throughout its lifecycle, making it difficult to determine its ripeness. Different people have different preferences regarding the ideal ripening stage for harvesting. For a sweeter tomato, it is recommended to leave it on the vine for a longer period of time.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 4 to 6 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 70 to 90 days
• Use: Slicer

The Black Krim is an heirloom tomato variety originating from Crimea. The plant produces medium-sized flattened round fruits weighing about 8 ounces, which are a dark reddish-purple to black color with green/brown tops.

In 1990, the Black Krim became the first "black" tomato to be sold in stores in the United States. It has a tangy and strong taste, making it great for adding to salads or using in a BLT sandwich.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 3 to 4 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 50 to 65 days
• Use: Snacking, salads

The cherry tomato is a small round tomato believed to be a mix between wild currant-type tomatoes and domesticated garden tomatoes. They come in different sizes, ranging from a thumb tip up to the size of a golf ball, and can be round or slightly oblong in shape.

While they are usually red, cherry tomatoes also come in other colors like orange, yellow, purple, green, and black. The oblong ones are similar to plum tomatoes and are called grape tomatoes.

• Type: Determinate
• Mature Size: 4 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 75 to 80 days
• Use: Sauce, canning

A plum tomato, also called a paste tomato or processing tomato, is a type of tomato that is specifically bred for making sauce and packing purposes. It has an oval or cylindrical shape with fewer seed compartments, which makes it easier to process into paste.

Plum tomatoes are sometimes preferred by cooks when tomatoes are not in season because they are easier to handle and are usually closer to being ripe compared to other supermarket tomatoes.

• Type: Semi-determinate
• Mature Size: 5 to 10 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 70 to 75 days
• Use: Slicing, salad, sauce

The Celebrity tomato is a hybrid cultivar that yields long fruit-bearing stems that can support up to twenty or more robust, juicy tomatoes. This is a great, all-purpose, dependable option for your "basic" tomato requirements. It is a popular choice for gardeners because it is resistant to disease.

People usually eat Celebrity tomatoes sliced or raw in sandwiches and salsas. They can also be used to make thick sauces, soups, and salads. Green and unripe tomatoes are perfect for for chutneys or pickling.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 8 to 12 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 80 days
• Use: Snacking, salads

The yellow pear tomato is the most common variety of the pear tomato also known as teardrop tomato. The other varieties are red and orange Pear tomatoes. They are usually sweet and come in the shape of a pear, but smaller.

This unusual-looking tomato is distinctively tangy and juicy, which makes it a desirable choice for the summer. While the tomatoes are small, the plant can get enormous often over ten feet tall. Keep it in check by giving it a trim, and eliminating any discolored or wilted leaves.

Related: 20+ Types of Potatoes from Around the World

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 9 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 50 days
• Use: Slicer

The Early Girl tomato is a medium-sized hybrid tomato popular among home gardeners because of its early ripening. Weighing around 4 to 8 ounces, these tomatoes are like tennis balls in both size and shape, offering a burst of bright color and great flavor.

With their meaty and fragrant attributes, they're perfect for slicing onto sandwiches. What's more, Early Girl also thrives in dry farming, a specific agricultural approach for the non-irrigated cultivation of crops.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 5 to 8 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 70 to 75 days
• Use: Salad, slicer

The Better Boy tomato is an enhanced version of the cherished 1949 hybrid Big Boy. Both varieties excel in cooking, salads, and slicing. Better Boy shares a similar medium-size, juicy, firm sweet-tart flesh, and has a lengthy harvest period like Big Boy.

Nevertheless, Better Boy surpasses Big Boy with significantly improved disease resistance and the capacity to thrive in diverse growing conditions, making it an ideal choice for novice gardeners. Additionally, they yield a relatively high amount of fruits.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 4 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 65 to 70 days
• Use: Sauces, snacks, salads, soups

Gardener's Delight, one of the most popular tomatoes grown in the United Kingdom, is a favorite for many horticulture experts. The red cherry tomatoes are frequently praised as one of the tastiest and sweetest varieties, commonly called "Sugar Lump."

The flavor of this highly productive German heirloom is the prime reason for its success and popularity among home growers. Similar to other tomatoes, Gardener's Delight is typically sown indoors or under cover between January and April.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Maturity Size: 6 to 8 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 88 days
• Use: Salads, slicing, sauce

The Oxheart tomato, an old heirloom from the 1920s, remains just as popular today as it was back then. These beefsteak-style tomatoes earn their name from their distinctive heart shape and substantial size, weighing around 1 to 2 pounds.

Ideal for slicing and elevating sandwiches and salads, Oxhearts boast meaty flesh with minimal seed pockets. While they might not be paste tomatoes and could take a bit longer to thicken into a sauce, the flavor is exceptional.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 6 to 8 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 70 to 80 days
• Use: Salads, canning, sauces

The Rutgers tomato, a globe-shaped variety created in the 1930s, is a smaller-sized tomato, weighing around 12-14 ounces. Crafted with the aim of producing tasty, hearty, and versatile fruit, these deep red tomatoes boast an intense, classic tomato flavor and a firm texture.

Perfect for canning, sauces, and salads, Rutgers, an open-pollinated variety, is cherished for its dependability and its delicious, old-fashioned flavor, winning hearts worldwide.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 8 to 10 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 60 days
• Use: Salads, sauces

A grape variety, Juliet tomato is sweet and delicious often nicknamed “mini Roma” due to its shape. Resembling cherry tomatoes in their soft and juicy texture, these little wonders have an extended shelf life.

They are perfect for slicing in half and they appear like red raisins when dried. They shine best in salads like Tabbouleh as fresh fruit. Roasted Juliet tomatoes make a great pasta sauce or a delightful crostini topping with grated parmesan when pureed in a food processor.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 7 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 75 days
• Use: Salads, snacking

True to their names, these tiny golden tomatoes provide a burst of sweetness with every bite, almost like enjoying a piece of candy. The plants are easy to grow and resistant to diseases, producing a plentiful harvest throughout the season.

Additionally, each 1/2 ounce of Sun Sugar tomatoes contains three times more vitamin A compared to most other red tomatoes. They also boast a high sugar content that is a customer favorite for a reason.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 4 to 6 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: 65 to 80 days
• Use: Salads, snacks, soups, sauces

The Moneymaker tomato is a classic heirloom "greenhouse" tomato that produces uniform, smooth skin, medium-sized fruits, weighing in at 113-170g (4-6 oz). These tomatoes have long been a popular cash crop for farmers and are also favored by home gardeners.

They're at their best when enjoyed fresh -try them in salads or as a snack. However, they also play well in soups and sauces. Given the Moneymaker's high yield, it's a good idea to preserve some of the fruits for winter.

• Type: Indeterminate
• Mature Size: 5 ft. tall
• Maturity Period: Over 65 days
• Use: Salad, snacking

Indigo Rose tomatoes are a late-harvest tomato variety, offering a mild flavor with a touch of sweetness and a dash of higher acidity. With a tender texture, they leave you with a classic sour tomato aftertaste.

When it comes to looks, these tomatoes are globular, similar in size to your typical cherry or salad tomato, tipping the scales at just over an ounce. These tomatoes come in different colors, starting from a light pinkish-red and going all the way to a deep purplish-black shade.