Kitchen Hack: How to Cut Cherry Tomatoes
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Learn How to Cut Cherry Tomatoes in seconds with this simple method. Trust me, you’ll wonder how you didn’t think of it already. No more fancy equipment or nicked fingers… Cutting cherry tomatoes has never been so easy! Plus, you can use this kitchen hack to cut grape tomatoes, olives, grapes, and cherries too!
How to Cut Cherry Tomatoes
I’m all about making mealtime simple, and the prep work is usually what takes the longest.
But once I learned how to slice cherry tomatoes in batches, the process went so much smoother.
Fresh tomatoes are one of the most used ingredients in my recipes. They add such an amazing flavor, and it’s so easy to toss them into most dishes.
I mean, they’re in just about every pasta salad recipe I’ve shared with you!
But the best part about learning how to cut cherry tomatoes? You can use the same kitchen hack for olives, grapes, pitted cherries… just about anything small and round-ish. Score!
And that makes dishes like my pan-fried chicken thighs or Gigi’s Apple Salad easier to throw together too.
Sliced Cherry Tomatoes: What You’ll Need
- Bread Knife – I learned a long time ago that my bread knife only has 2 purposes in life. One, of course, is bread. The other is for slicing tomatoes.
The serrated blade cuts easily through the firm skin and squishy flesh so you get clean slices instead of a squished mess. - Lids – That’s right…lids! Grab two from your plastic storage containers, Pyrex bowl set, canning jars, empty yogurt containers — you can use any size as long as it has a lip around the edge. And it helps if they match!
In a pinch, I’ve even used small appetizer plates. A lip around the edge just helps to hold them all in place. - Tomatoes – Obviously, this method is for cutting cherry tomatoes, but don’t forget it works just the same on grape tomatoes, a medley, or any other small, round-shaped food as well.
Look for fruits and vegetables with a firm texture and vibrant color, without any bruising or squishy bits. And be sure to wash before getting started!
How to Slice Cherry Tomatoes: The Best Method
- Add tomatoes to one lid.
Place your lid with the lip facing up, so you have an edge that will hold your food. Fill lid with cherry tomatoes. - Set another lid on top.
This time, you want the lip to be facing down. Both lips will keep the tomatoes from rolling out the sides. - Press down and slice.
Be firm enough to hold the lids in place, but not so hard as to squish your tomatoes.
Slide the knife through the gap between the lids and out the other side. It’s like magic — the bread knife will perfectly slice through the skin without smooshing the insides.
Repeat until each cherry tomato is cut in half!
Tips and Tricks for Cutting Cherry Tomatoes & Other Round Food
- Keep similarly sized foods together.
Usually, there are some that are a bit smaller or a bit larger than the rest, especially when it comes to cherry and grape tomatoes.
Separate these out and either slice them individually or group them together in their own batch.
If you just grab them all by the handful, your sliced cherry tomatoes will have uneven cuts and some might even get missed.
- Larger lids mean you can cut more at once.
I definitely recommend starting with smaller batches when learning how to cut cherry tomatoes and other round foods this way.
But once you get the hang of it, work your way up in lid size until you can halve a whole container in one slice.
- Try olives, grapes, and cherries next.
Once you’ve sliced cherry tomatoes in seconds, you’re going to want to try all kinds of foods!
This method works best on smaller, round-ish produce — and you’ll have to remove any pits or seeds first.
Since olives and grapes (and grape tomatoes) are more oval-shaped, let them lay naturally on the longer side instead of trying to stand them up tall. Trust me, it’s just not going to happen!
Cherry Tomato Cut in Half FAQ
It’s definitely a good idea! A quick rinse under cool water is usually enough, but you can also swish them around in a big bowl of water with a splash of vinegar. Just be sure to drain and rinse them with clean water right after.
The blade needs to be longer than the widest part of the lids to get each cherry tomato cut in half.
So unless you’re only slicing a few at a time, a long bread knife is the best tool for the job.
Both are bite-sized, but grape tomatoes are smaller and more oblong whereas cherry tomatoes are round.
The flavors are also slightly different! Grape tomatoes have slightly thicker skin, and the flesh is meatier and less watery.
On the other hand, cherry tomatoes are sweet and have that irresistible juicy pop when you bite into them.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Kitchen Hack: How to Cut Cherry Tomatoes
Equipment
Materials
- 15 cherry tomatoes or grapes, pitted olives or pitted cherries
Instructions
- Grab 2 same size lids or plates. I use the lids from my Ziploc Twist N Lok containers.The lid does not have to be round. You can use any size lid as long as it has a lip around the edge. You can even use small appetizer plates from your kitchen.
- Place lid with the lip facing up, so you have an edge that will hold your food. Fill lid with cherry tomatoes.
- Place the 2nd lid on top of the tomatoes with the lip facing down. Firmly press down on the top lid, but do not squish your tomatoes.
- The 2 lips will hold the tomatoes in place so they do not roll off the lid. Slide your knife between the lids and carefully slice through them.
Nutrition
Originally published August 2016, updated and republished August 2024
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So cool, why did I not think of that. Will certainly be using it from now on. Thanks for the Hack, love it
Great kitchen hack! Really did save me quite a bit of time this evening! Thank you!