What’s the Difference Between Grape and Cherry Tomatoes? (2024)

Christine Gallary

Christine GallaryFood Editor-at-Large

Christine graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, and she has worked at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW.com. She lives in San Francisco and loves teaching cooking classes. Follow her latest culinary escapades on Instagram.

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updated Aug 22, 2022

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What’s the Difference Between Grape and Cherry Tomatoes? (1)

Bite-sized tomatoes are one of my favorite summer treats — especially when I pick them right off my cherry tomato plants. They’re the perfect size for skewers, summer salads, and roasting.

But what about the similar-looking grape tomatoes? Are they the same thing? Cherry and grape tomatoes can be used interchangeably, but you might prefer one over the other based on your dish.

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes get their name because they’re the size and shapes of cherries. These little round tomatoes are juicy, sweet, and have thin skins. Since they have a high water content, cherry tomatoes are notorious for squirting when you bite into them!

These tomatoes are great for hollowing out and stuffing, and come in red, yellow, and orange colors.

Grape Tomatoes

Grape tomatoes are oblong and shaped like grapes. They’re about half the size of cherry tomatoes, with thicker skins. Grape tomatoes aren’t as sweet as cherry tomatoes, and their flesh is meatier and less watery. Since grape tomatoes last longer than cherry tomatoes, they’re becoming more and more popular since they are hardier and less fragile to pack and transport.

Can I Use Them Interchangeably?

Cherry and grape tomatoes can be used interchangeably for most recipes like salads, but you might have to cut cherry tomatoes into smaller pieces since they’re larger. The only times cherry tomatoes are really preferable over grape is when you want to stuff them, but if you want to the tomatoes to last a little longer, you should choose grape.

In general, though, you should buy what looks and tastes the best and not worry too much about labeling! These little tomatoes are summer in a basket.

Cherry & Grape Tomato Recipes

What’s the Difference Between Grape and Cherry Tomatoes? (2024)

FAQs

What’s the Difference Between Grape and Cherry Tomatoes? ›

The easiest way to remember the difference between the two is by paying attention to their name! A Grape Tomato is shaped like a typical grape – most grow to be a longer, oval shape. In comparison, a typical Cherry Tomato is shaped like a cherry – most grow perfectly round!

What is the difference between grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes? ›

Grape tomatoes are oblong and shaped like grapes. They're about half the size of cherry tomatoes, with thicker skins. Grape tomatoes aren't as sweet as cherry tomatoes, and their flesh is meatier and less watery.

How are cherry tomatoes different? ›

The size is round small , big, tangy/sour taste and has less shelf life as compared to regular tomatoes which are oval in shape, are hybrid normal size ,has sweet taste and has more shelf life. In terms of nutritional values all other are somewhat same, but the lycopene content is more in cherry tomatoes .

Are cherry or grape tomatoes easier to grow? ›

Cherry Tomatoes are the easiest tomatoes for beginners to grow. They produce crop after crop and have very few problems!

Are cherry or grape tomatoes better for salad? ›

As the larger (and more watery) of the two types, cherry tomatoes are ideal for hollowing out and stuffing, while grape tomatoes are great to toss into a salad. Of course, cherry tomatoes will also taste delicious in a salad, but you might want to cut them into halves or quarters first.

What cherry tomatoes grow like grapes? ›

The 1999 AAS winner, Juliet Tomato, is a bright red, 1 oz. cherry tomato hybrid with a great sweet flavor that can't be beat! This tomato variety produces grape-like clusters on long, vigorous vines.

What is special about cherry tomatoes? ›

Cherry tomatoes are low in calories but high in fiber, vitamins A and C, and carotenoid antioxidants such as lutein, lycopene, and beta carotene.

What are grape tomatoes good for? ›

Health Benefits

Fiber is an important nutrient for your heart and your digestive tract. Grape tomatoes have vitamins A and C. Vitamin A supports eye, bone, and skin health and protects against infection. Vitamin C is needed by the body for healing.

What are the best small tomatoes for salad? ›

Cherry tomatoes are small, round tomatoes that are perfect for snacking and salads. As their namesake suggests, they are about the same size and shape as a cherry. Most cherry tomatoes are red, but they do come in other colors like yellow and orange.

What is the most flavorful tomato? ›

Tomato 'Rosella Purple'

"The flavor of 'Rosella Purple' is truly outstanding," says LeHoullier. "The ability to get such flavor on a tomato plant easily grown in a 5-gallon pot on a porch or deck is a true advance in the selection of tomatoes possible for space-constrained gardens."

What's the easiest tomato plant to grow? ›

Cherry tomatoes are the easiest to grow from seed, especially hybrid determinate bush varieties.

What is the sweetest tomato? ›

'Sun Sugar': The tangerine-orange fruits of 'Sun Sugar' are some of the sweetest, tartest, and best tasting around. The disease-resistant, indeterminate vines will stand up to fusarium wilt and tobacco mosaic virus, and they produce long trusses of crack-resistant fruits. 9.

Which is healthier cherry or grape tomatoes? ›

Nutrition. When it comes to Cherry and Grape Tomatoes, their nutritional value is very comparable. That means that no matter what type you prefer, you're going to get the same health benefits from both! Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, as well as vitamin A and vitamin C.

Which tomatoes are healthiest to eat? ›

Black, Brown, and Purple Tomatoes

These colors offer high levels of lycopene, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium, so they are nutritionally complete in comparison to lighter colors. Black, brown, and purple tomatoes are also packed with flavor and often have a surprisingly sweet taste.

What are the best tomatoes for sandwiches? ›

Some of the tomatoes that professional chefs and foodies prefer to use on sandwiches are:
  • The Mortgage Lifter. Big sandwiches call for big tomatoes. ...
  • The Brandywine Tomato. Another type of heirloom beefsteak tomato with a fantastic rich flavor is the Brandywine tomato. ...
  • Big Boy Tomato. ...
  • Black Krim Tomato.
Sep 6, 2023

Are grape or cherry tomatoes better for pasta? ›

Grape and cherry tomatoes are mostly interchangeable. However, the meatier grape tomato is less sweet and less juicy than a cherry tomato. Hollow out cherry tomatoes and stuff, but use either one for a lettuce salad, pasta dish or skewer.

Do grape tomatoes need to be refrigerated? ›

The Short Answer: Don't Refrigerate Tomatoes

The standard rule is to keep tomatoes out of the refrigerator. It all comes down to science: Tomatoes contain an enzyme that reacts to cold temperatures, causing the cell membranes to break down and leaving you with a piece of fruit that's mushy and mealy.

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