Make Crispy Tomato Chips With Your Leftover Skins For An Easy Snack

Got a recipe that calls for peeled tomatoes? Are you left with a bunch of tomato peels lying around? Save the skins and don't toss them out! Instead, avoid food waste by transforming the skins into crispy, flavorful chips that make for a uniquely satisfying and sustainable snack. With this simple hack, you can be a part of the solution to combat food waste while treating your tastebuds and body with a healthy, crispy snack.

Pat the tomato skins dry with a clean dish cloth to remove any residual moisture, as this step will allow them to crisp up better when being roasted into a chip. Toss the dried skins with your favorite unique spices and seasonings to curate your desired blend, and gently coat in olive oil (or any oil of your choice). Roast the seasoned tomato skins briefly at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes until crisp, while keeping a close eye to prevent the delicate skins from burning. Once done and cooled, sprinkle on sea salt and chili flakes for a desirable kick and snack away! Tomato chips can also be cooked in the microwave by placing the oiled and seasoned peels between two layers of parchment paper and heating on high for three minutes.

For irresistibly crispy tomato chips, it's critical to select the right tomatoes for the task. Given their larger size, beefsteak tomatoes and large heirloom varieties are fantastic choices, offering generous, wide strips of skin that make a great foundation for substantial chips. Furthermore, they offer the perfect canvas to incorporate your desired seasonings into your crispy chips while holding up well during the roasting process.

Smaller varieties like the standard Roma tomatoes may work if you can manage to get larger peel sizes. However, you want to avoid small, thin strips of tomato skin, as they may easily get charred and burnt in the oven. The key is choosing firm, unblemished tomatoes because, at the end of the day, the quality of the skin is only as good as the quality of the entire fruit. So for your next gathering, consider serving up a chip medley featuring tarty tomato chips alongside subtly sweet carrot chips and crispy, oven-baked potato chips, showcasing the versatile potential of simple produce.