How To Dice Tomatoes

When you have a bounty of fresh summer tomatoes on hand, you have the delicious foundation of so many irresistible dishes: pasta tosses, refreshing salads, salsas, sauces, and more. And when you think of cutting the tomatoes for those kinds of dishes, you might think of a mess of juices and seeds overflowing the cutting board and flooding your countertop.

Not to worry, though. With our easy guide, you’ll neatly dice those tomatoes like a pro.

What's the Best Kind of Knife to Dice Tomatoes With?

To easily glide through the tomato, use a sharp serrated knife. The saw-like blade will cut through the skin without squishing the tomato; just make sure to use a back-and-forth sawing motion. 

What Does Dice Mean, Anyway?

To dice food means to cut it into cubes—small, evenly sized pieces ranging in size anywhere from 1/4 inch (for small dice) to 3/4 inch (for large dice), or somewhere in between for a medium dice.

Step-by-Step Guide: How To Dice Tomatoes

Follow this method for round tomatoes (such as globe or beefsteak) or oblong ones (such as Roma). It’s not the method to use for petite grape or cherry tomatoes, which you typically just cut in half.

1. Wash and dry:

   Wash the tomato and pat it dry. Remove any stems that are still attached.

2. Position the tomato:

   Stand the tomato up on the cutting board, stem side up.

3. Slice one side:

   Slice off one “cheek” from the tomato by cutting one side off to the left or right of the indentation where the stem was. Cut vertically from the top of the tomato down to the cutting board.

4. Slice the other side:

   Slice off the cheek on the opposite side of the tomato.

5. Cut away the core:

   Lie the core down on the cutting board and cut off the remaining two half-cheeks of the tomato. Discard the core.

6. Remove seeds:

   Remove and discard any seeds from the tomato pieces, if desired. This step is optional and based on personal preference.

7. Cut strips:

   Turn the tomato pieces skin side down on the cutting board. (Placing them skin side up increases the chance of you squashing the tomato, as you have to pierce through the skin as you start your cut.) Cut the pieces lengthwise into evenly spaced strips.

8. Cut cubes:

   Cut crosswise across the strips to form cubes.

Now that you have a diced tomato, you’re ready to make perfect bruschetta, salsa or pico de gallo, chopped salad, fresh tomato pizza, pasta salad, and much more.