Roma Tomato (Plum Tomato)
Solanum lycopersicumAn oval-elongated tomato variety with few seeds and dense flesh. Its low juice content makes it a practical choice for paste, sauce, and drying.
What Is Roma Tomato (Plum Tomato)?
Roma tomato is an oval-elongated tomato variety resembling a plum shape, widely grown in many regions of the world (Solanum lycopersicum). It's also known in Turkish as "erik domates" (plum tomato) or "salçalık domates" (sauce tomato).
Its water ratio is low, flesh dense, and seed cavity small; this structure makes it a variety that thickens quickly when cooked and is suitable for drying. It can be thought of as San Marzano's non-geographically-protected counterpart grown worldwide.
Nutritional Values of Roma Tomato
100 grams of raw Roma tomato contains about 18 kcal of energy, 3.9 g of carbohydrate, and 1.2 g of fiber; like standard tomatoes, it's rich in vitamin C. Values are approximate.
How Should Roma Tomato Be Consumed?
Roma tomato can be considered part of a balanced diet as a low-calorie source of vitamin C; it's mostly consumed cooked, as sauce, tomato paste, or dried.
This information is general; Roma tomato is a food, not a substitute for medical treatment.
How to Choose Roma Tomato?
A good Roma tomato has tight-smooth skin, red color, and a regular-oval shape. Softened, cracked, or green-blemished ones should not be preferred.
- Skin should be tight and smooth
- Color should be evenly red
- Shape should be oval-regular, without cracks
How to Store Roma Tomato?
Roma tomato is stored at room temperature in a cool place for a few days; fridge cold dulls its taste. If unripe, it can be left at room temperature and, once ripe, kept briefly in the fridge.
Using Roma Tomato in the Kitchen
Roma tomato is mostly used in making tomato paste, sauce, stew, and dried tomato; its low-juice structure also makes it suitable for oven-drying.
Is Roma Tomato Suitable for Salad?
It can be, but it doesn't give as juicy-fresh a taste as juicier tomato varieties; large table tomatoes or cocktail tomatoes are more often preferred in salads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Roma tomato and plum tomato the same?
Yes; "erik domates" is the common Turkish name for Roma tomato, both describe the same group.
Why is Roma tomato preferred for paste?
Since its water ratio is low and flesh dense, it thickens quickly when boiled, giving a concentrated paste with less cooking time.
What can be used instead of Roma tomato?
San Marzano tomato or a quality canned plum tomato gives a similar result.