Potatoes And Tomatoes Have More In Common Than People Thought

At first glance, potatoes and tomatoes don't seem to have a whole lot in common, other than the fact they are both vegetables. Well, to be fair, tomatoes are a little bit vegetable and also a little bit fruit, but both of these foods are definitely plants. However, if you think that is where their similarities end, you may be surprised to learn their connection to each other actually runs much, much deeper.

Potatoes are believed to have first appeared in the Andes Mountains of South America, but until recently their actual origin was a bit unclear. Wild tomatoes are believed to have originated in the same place. They are both members of the Solanaceae family, also known as nightshades, but one is hard and starchy, while the other is soft and juicy, so it seems like a bit of a stretch to think the two might be related in any way. In reality, they are each other's closest relatives.

Scientists studied the genomes of the two plants and discovered they evolved from a common ancestor around nine million years ago. In other words, they needed each other to become the two different foods we know and love today. More specifically, wild tomato plants got frisky with Etuberosum — an ancient potato-like plant that didn't produce actual potatoes — and a new plant evolved with the capacity to grow tubers. Tubers are the underground root systems that hold reserves of starches, carbohydrates, and nutrients needed to grow potatoes and other tubers, like Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes (an underrated vegetable packed with prebiotics for gut health).

Thanks to this union, today we have many different types of potatoes, as well as an impressive variety of tomatoes to choose from today. And they each bring their own flavor, texture, nutrients, and persona to recipes. But when it comes to the evolution of the potato and the tomato's role in it, it seems like the two were meant to be.

Modern potatoes and tomatoes don't just share history and genes, they also pair beautifully in recipes and complement each other in just the right way. And like the plants themselves, these recipes pop up in cuisines around the world. French fries and ketchup? That's an American classic. For an Italian-inspired side, potatoes and tomatoes with garlic and herbs like rosemary and basil, create an incredibly simple dish that is packed with flavor and texture. Tomato's tanginess bounces off the starchiness of the potatoes for a complex symphony made from the simplest of ingredients. 

South American cuisine utilizes the pair in dishes like sudado de pollo, a Columbian chicken stew that features a tomato-based sauce with potatoes and chicken, while Indian cuisine showcases the two in dishes like aloo tamatar, a spicy potato and tomato curry dish. These meals are just a small sampling of what tomatoes and potatoes can do together, not to mention all the wonderful recipes potatoes and tomatoes create on their own. But without the fateful crossbreeding event that occurred nine million years ago, none of it would be possible.