How To Properly Ripen Tomatoes Off The Plant

There's nothing like adding fresh and plump tomato slices to a stacked turkey sandwich or a bed of fresh greens. However, you need ripe tomatoes to make ultra-satisfying salads and sandwiches or flavorful fresh salsa. When it comes to selecting your weekly produce from the grocery store or farmers market, you might prefer buying tomatoes that are a tad too firm rather than squishy or soft. While this is a sound idea, you may need to ripen your tomatoes before eating them. 

To ripen tomatoes quickly and effectively off the plant, all you need is a brown paper bag. Like apples, peaches, and avocados, tomatoes produce ethylene gas, which — under certain conditions — speeds up the ripening process. When you place tomatoes in a closed but breathable container like a brown paper bag, the ethylene-based emissions become trapped. In turn, this gas turns the starch from tomatoes into sugar, ultimately producing riper fruits. 

To use this technique at home, place your bag of tomatoes in an area of your house that generally sits between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, don't overcrowd your paper bag with too much produce; each enclosed tomato should be sitting flat against the surface with room on all sides. And, even with this effective method, there are still a few more creative ways you can speed up the ripening process if necessary.

With the help of a brown paper bag, you can have perfectly ripe tomatoes in just a few days. Just make sure to check on your tomatoes every day to test their depth of color and level of firmness. If you happen to start the process with green tomatoes as opposed to red, ripening may take up to two weeks. Regardless, always check your tomatoes periodically for any signs of mold or decay.

Besides ripening just one or two tomatoes, you can also use this method to ripen a large number of tomatoes all at the same time. Instead of using multiple brown paper bags, opt for a large cardboard box with a perforated lid. Whether you're using a brown paper bag or a cardboard box, you can also add another ethylene-producing fruit to your container to speed things along. Avocados or bananas are both solid options.

Last but not least, if you're fresh out of paper bags and cardboard boxes, place your tomatoes stem-side-down on a sunny spot on your kitchen counter and leave them for a few days until ripe. Once they're ready, you can add ripe tomatoes to all your favorite dishes like homemade pasta salad and cheesy roasted tomato pie. Also, don't forget to boost the flavor of your tomatoes with staple seasonings like salt and sugar.