Arabic version: متى تُزال بذور الطماطم لتحسين الطهي؟

According to The Guardian, whether tomatoes should be deseeded depends on both the variety and the dish being prepared. Rachel Roddy says some Sicilian varieties grown with little water contain many small, bitter seeds that should be removed or sieved out.

For salads, seeds can be useful. Jay Patel, co-owner of London Italian restaurant Legare, says meaty vesuvio tomatoes generally have few seeds and can simply be sliced, dressed with olive oil and salt. In watery winter tomatoes, he says, seeds add a pop and acidity.

Pasta sauces are a common reason to deseed tomatoes, though the method changes with the desired result. Patel uses tinned chopped tomatoes, including their seeds, for slow-cooked sauce, but blanches, peels and deseeds fresh tomatoes for a lighter, fresher sauce. Nick Molyviatis of Zylia in London uses a teaspoon or grates tomatoes, while Roddy recommends a food mill.

Roddy says seeds do not contain flavour as such, but the fleshy gel around them does. A food mill can press flavour from the gel and skin while separating seeds and skin from the sauce base. Patel removes the watery gel for tomato tarts, where excess moisture can make pastry soggy.

Skin also affects the decision. Molyviatis says its texture can be unpleasant, while Roddy notes that thick skins can curl during cooking and become troublesome in sauces. She loosens skins by moving tomatoes from boiling water into cold water, while Patel uses a serrated knife for bull’s heart tomatoes.