Don't Let Green Cherry Tomatoes Ripen — Pickle Them Now For Extra Flavor Later

If you grow cherry tomatoes, then you're probably no stranger to the conundrum of having too many ripe ones all at once. If you've ever wondered what you should do when you have too many cherry tomatoes sprouting up, the answer might be unexpected. Rather than looking up endless recipes for cherry tomatoes or whipping up more salads than you could ever eat, the (very green) solution may be right in front of your eyes.

Everyone knows a perfectly ripe tomato when they see one: It's deep in color, red all around, and ready to fall off the vine. What if you pick them while they're still green, though? Whipping up a batch of pickled green cherry tomatoes opens up a whole new world of ways you can enjoy your fresh fruit. Beyond that, though, picking cherry tomatoes early also allows you to make the most of your time — your fruit will stay good longer, and you can start reaping the benefits earlier.

Pickling green cherry tomatoes gives you the freedom to use the fruit from your garden much earlier than you usually might. Once pickled, cherry tomatoes are also a lot more like... well, pickles. They'll be far crunchier and more acidic than your average red cherry tomato. If you're a big pickle fan, you can simply enjoy them right out of the jar — green cherry tomato pickles are perfect for snacking. Otherwise, they make welcome, flavorful additions anywhere you might typically add tomatoes (or pickles): They're delicious toppings on burgers, sandwiches, and tacos, and they're still great in salads.

Once you get the hang of how to make pickles at home (and once you swap out the cucumbers for small, green tomatoes), you'll likely realize that the process is simpler than you might have expected, and it gives you plenty of additional freedom with your fresh produce. Once you start pickling your cherry tomatoes, you'll see just how easily you can alter the flavor depending on the spices and seasonings you use in your brine. From spicy pickles to more sour options, you can create many different flavors with just a simple unripe fruit.