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    Home » Recipes » Cooking Basics and How To

    Easy Steps for How to Dice a Tomato

    Published: Aug 28, 2023 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Diced red tomatoes in a glass bowl on a the counter.
    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Learn how to dice a tomato the best way so you're a more confident cook and get your prep work done faster. Learn the quick way to chopping tomatoes for using in recipes or freezing diced tomatoes for later use. Here are step-by-step instructions with photos. If you've been looking for the easiest way to chop tomatoes, look no further.

    Diced red tomatoes in a glass bowl on a the counter.

    Diced tomatoes are used in many recipes and are a versatile ingredient. From soups and stews to salsa and sauces, tomatoes are everywhere. While canned tomatoes are called for in many recipes, sometimes fresh diced tomatoes are needed.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Like This Recipe
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Substitutions and Variations
    • Terminology & Tomato Tips
    • Recipe Instructions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • FAQs
    • Recipes with Tomatoes
    • ⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Like This Recipe

    • It's a method or classic culinary technique.
    • Follow it once and you'll always know how to it.
    • Use fresh diced tomatoes in many recipes.
    • Handy in summer months when tomatoes are their best and abundant.

    Here's a terrific use for fresh diced tomatoes; use them as part of my recipe for classic steam mussels in white wine.

    Recipe Ingredients

    A round sieve with whole ripe Roma tomatoes draining after washing.
    • Tomatoes: The type of tomato best for dicing is Roma tomatoes because they are meatier, but this method works for most any kind of tomato. Romas tomatoes are also called plum tomatoes or Italian tomatoes. Buy ripe tomatoes but not overly-ripe (squishy) tomatoes.

    Sizes in tomatoes vary a lot. For reference, the first pound I bought at the grocery store were smaller tomatoes; 5 Romas were a pound. The next 5 I bought were larger tomatoes and weighed 1 ¾ pounds. Of the 1 pound batch, after seeding and dicing the yield was 11 ounces.

    Use fresh diced tomatoes in Tabouli, a terrific Mediterranean salad recipe.

    Substitutions and Variations

    Can I substitute fresh diced tomatoes for canned diced tomatoes?

    It depends on the recipe. If a recipe calls for canned diced tomatoes and their juice, you will need to compensate for the juice with another liquid. Possibly tomato juice or pureed tomato.

    If the recipe has broth, like a soup recipe, you might be able to compensate with broth. If the recipe needs a boost of tomato-y goodness, try adding a little tomato paste.

    Generally 2 cups of fresh diced tomato equals 1 can of diced tomatoes (undrained) or 1 cup drained. Another thing to think about with recipes; canned tomatoes are peeled. If the peel will not be appealing in your recipe, peel your tomatoes. If in doubt, stick with canned diced tomatoes which are easy to keep in the pantry or be willing to experiment.

    Freezing Tomatoes

    What about freezing tomatoes? Frozen tomatoes last 6-9 months in the freezer. Raw tomatoes can be frozen whole, sliced, chopped (diced), or even puréed. After thawing use tomatoes in cooked dishes because the texture will be mushy due to changes in cell structure. Unfortunately frozen tomatoes don't substitute well for fresh tomatoes in most recipes.

    To freeze diced tomatoes, use freezer zip bags. Gently spread tomatoes into a single layer, then gently press the air out before sealing the bag.

    A zip bag of fresh diced tomatoes ready for the freezer.

    Here's a great guide on tomatoes from UC Davis and how to freeze foods from the University of Minnesota.

    Terminology & Tomato Tips

    What does dice mean?

    To dice is to cut an ingredient into even small cubes, whether small, medium, or large. For dice size, technically fine dice is ⅛", small dice is ¼", medium dice is ½", and large dice is ¾". It's a common term. This method works great for dicing bell peppers too, even cucumber.

    What is the best knife to dice tomatoes?

    You need the right knife for dicing tomatoes. There are two I use for slicing, chopping or dicing tomatoes. You need a sharp chef's knife or a handy utility knife called a Santoku.

    For tomato slices, a serrated knife is handy because tomato skins can be stubborn to cut through unless you have a very sharp knife. Serrated edges make it easy and you can cut nice thin tomato slices. Instead of a long serrated bread knife, get an inexpensive tomato knife. It's a smaller serrated kitchen knife and a great addition to your knife collection, handy for many uses.

    Some people use a paring knife to core the tomatoes first, but I find this method faster and easier when I need diced tomatoes.

    Chef's Tip: A cook's best friend is a sharp knife. Have them professionally sharpened a few times a year. I use a mobile service and get their notifications when they are in my area. Sharp knives make a huge difference! Dull knives are dangerous and make everything harder. Sharp knives are a pleasure to use.

    Recipe Instructions

    Follow along step-by step for how to dice a tomato. It's good knife skills practice and the first thing you learn in culinary school. Once you get comfortable with this method you can get through a bunch of tomatoes in no time with minimal effort.

    First step for cutting tomatoes, top sliced off and cut it in half, then quarters.
    Step 1: Slice a thin piece off of the stem end (top) of the tomato and slice in half from top to bottom. Then slice the halve into quarters.
    Slicing seedy centers out of tomatoes on a walnut cutting board with a sharp knife.
    Step 2: Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, slice out the tomato seeds. It's a bit of a juicy mess so push that aside and have a clear place to dice. A bench scraper is a handy tool.
    Roma tomatoes cut in strips for dicing crosswise into nice cubes.

    Step 3: Once the seeds are gone, slice each quarter tomato into long thin strips. Thick slices or thin slices, it depends on the size of diced tomato you need. The thinner the strips, the small the diced tomato will be. If you want perfect cube edges, clean up the strip edges before dicing.

    Cubes of chopped tomatoes on a dark brown cutting board.
    Step 4: Create your dice by chopping your tomato strips crosswise into cubes.

    Serving Suggestions

    Once you know how to dice a tomato, here's just a few ways to use your newly developed culinary prowess.

    • Make a fresh salsa like pico de gallo with diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and lime juice.
    • Top crispy crostini drizzled with balsamic dressing as an appetizer.
    • Skip canned tomatoes and use fresh diced tomatoes in this tortilla soup recipe, or Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe.
    • Sprinkle them into grilled shrimp tacos or any tacos.
    • Scatter them over pizza or flatbread drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, and maybe some freshly chopped basil leaves.

    Diced tomatoes keep in an airtight container 3-5 days. Beyond that, freeze them.

    FAQs

    Do I need to remove the seeds before dicing a tomato?

    Most of the time I remove the seeds before dicing a tomato. Tomato seeds are surrounded by a juicy gel-like fluid, and if you don't want the extra juice added to your recipe, it's best to remove the seeds before dicing a tomato.

    How do I dice a tomato without making a mess?

    If your tomatoes are super juicy, using a cutting board with a juice edge helps contain any running juices (and use a good size cutting board not a tiny one). The other thing is to slice all of your tomatoes into quarters following my method then sweep your cutting board clean of the seeds and core before continuing with chopping tomatoes.

    What's the difference between dicing, chopping, and mincing a tomato?

    Dicing, chopping and mincing are all descriptions for the same culinary job. Mincing means very small or very fine chopping. Dicing technically refers to a specific size of the cube: ¼", ½", or ¾" in a professional kitchen. Chopping can mean more general and not necessarily a specific size as how it is cut may not matter.

    Should I use a cutting board or a special surface for dicing tomatoes?

    Use a heavy enough cutting board with enough real estate (size) to work on. I like to use a cutting board in the 12"x18" size or larger. Don't use a flimsy cutting mat. Another trick is to put a damp clean kitchen towel under the cutting board for stability. Also, if you're dicing a lot of tomatoes, use a cutting board with a juice groove to contain the mess of the juices from over flowing onto your counter.

    Should I peel the tomato before dicing it?

    Peeling depends on the intended use and recipe. Many times you don't have to peel tomatoes before dicing plus there is fiber and nutrition in the peels you might as well retain. Not peeling tomatoes before dicing helps them hold their shape better. If you want diced tomatoes to soften and almost disappear into a recipe, them yes, you can peel them as canned tomatoes are peeled.

    Recipes with Tomatoes

    You can substitute fresh diced tomatoes in many recipes where cherry tomatoes are called for. Usually canned diced tomatoes can be substituted as long as they don't need the juice in the can. If the recipe needs it you will have to compensate for the liquid.

    • Instant pot lentil soup
      Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe
    • Colorful Hearty Plant-Based Chili
    • Taco meat in a cast iron pan with fixings for tacos around it.
      Ground Beef Taco Recipe (or ground turkey)
    • Gluten-free pasta salad with tomatoes, cucumber, pine nuts, herbs, and more.
      Lemony Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe

    ⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?

    If this how-to post helped you, please add your comment. I enjoy writing these types of posts to help you be a more confident cook and I enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.

    📖 Recipe

    A glass bowl of perfectly diced tomatoes on a cutting board.

    How to Dice a Tomato

    Sally Cameron
    1 pound of Roma tomatoes (plum tomatoes) seeded and diced yields approximately 11 ounces of diced tomatoes or 2 cups. A pound is about 5 medium tomatoes.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 Yield 11 ounces
    Calories 14 kcal

    Equipment

    • Chef's knife or a Santoku utility knife
    • Produce wash

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes

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    Instructions
     

    • Slice a thin piece off of the top of the tomato, then slice vertically into halves then quarters.
      Lay the quarters flat and with your knife parallel to the cutting board, slice out the seeds and gel like fluid. Next slice the cleaned quarter into long thin strips, the crosswise into nice cubes (dice).
    • Diced tomatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer in a flat zip bag with the air pressed out for 3 months. Remember to label with the quantity and date.

    Notes

    Dice sizes, technically: small dice = ¼", medium dice = ½", large dice = ¾"
    Substituting fresh diced tomatoes for canned diced tomatoes. 
    It depends on the recipe. If a recipe calls for canned diced tomatoes and their juice, you will need to compensate for the juice with another liquid. If the recipe needs a boost of tomato-y goodness without the canned juices, try adding a little tomato paste.
    Generally 2 cups of fresh diced tomato equals 1 can of diced tomatoes (undrained) or 1 cup drained. Another thing to think about with recipes; canned tomatoes are peeled. If in doubt, stick with canned diced tomatoes which are easy to keep in the pantry. See more tips in the post.
     
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 14kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 179mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 630IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.2mg
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    Chef Sally Cameron of aFoodcentricLife.com in her kitchen.

    Welcome! I'm Sally, a professionally trained chef, former personal chef and caterer, lover of fresh healthy food, and sharing it with others.

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