All About the Amish Paste Tomato

Amish Paste tomatoes are an heirloom variety that Americans have enjoyed for over 15 years.

One of the most popular ways to enjoy these tomatoes is by using them to make fresh tomato sauce and tomato paste. Some people swear Amish Pastes are the best type of tomato to use for these recipes!

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Characteristics of Amish Paste Tomatoes

Amish Paste tomatoes are Roma tomatoes, which is a category of plum-shaped, meaty, and nearly seedless tomatoes. Unlike regular tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, also known as paste tomatoes, contain less water, which contributes to its full texture.

Appearance

The shape of Amish Paste tomatoes can resemble that of a strawberry, acorn, or plum, with a slight point on the bottom. These fruits weigh between eight and 12 ounces when ripe.

Taste

These tomatoes are sweet and slightly acidic.

Texture

Amish Pastes are juicy and rich, which majorly adds to its appeal. It’s also core-less and contains few seeds.

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Cooking with Amish Paste Tomatoes

Amish Paste tomatoes are great to use in cooking because they’re so versatile.

You can peel, chop, slice, dice, and add these tomatoes to all sorts of recipes. Amish Pastes are particularly used for making tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup.

Making Tomato Sauce and Paste

The texture and low seed count is what makes these tomatoes so popular for making sauce, paste, and ketchup. The smooth skin is also easier to peel and peeling them takes less time compared to other tomato types. Likewise, you can use Amish Paste tomatoes for canning or preserving sauce and paste to use in the coming months.

Ways to Enjoy Amish Pastes Every Day

Amish Paste tomatoes can take the lead role in appetizers and dishes, or they can serve as a flavorful ingredient.

You can use Amish Pastes to make rich, Italian-style dishes like bruschetta, Caprese salad, or as a topping on bruschetta and margarita pizzas.

You can chop and add them to salads, like a refreshing watermelon and tomato salad with feta, or a simple chopped cucumber, onion, and tomato salad.

You can also use these fruits to make hearty tomato soup. Visit our blog, “The Best Tomato Soup Recipe to Enjoy with Grilled Cheese,” for a delicious recipe you can make easily at home.

Snacking

Taco tomatoes are a great snack you can use Amish Paste tomatoes for. Simply put, tomato tacos are sliced and filled with your favorite taco ingredients, like ground beef, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream.

You can also keep it really simple and slice Amish Pastes, drizzle the fruit with olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and enjoy.

Or, you can use these tomatoes to make fresh salsa. Read our post, “Delicious and Easy Tomato Salsa Recipe,” to learn how to make these healthy and satisfying dish.

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Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Not only are tomatoes delicious, but they are also nutrient-dense.

The fact that Amish Paste tomatoes are red is a sign they contain lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that’s believed to help lower the risk of cancer and contribute to skin health.

Red tomatoes, as opposed to yellow or green tomatoes, also contain more beta-carotene, which supports eye health. These tomatoes also have high amounts of Vitamins B and C, as well as calcium and potassium. Cooking tomatoes destroys the Vitamin C, however, so the fruit must be eaten raw to retrieve this nutrient.

Check out our comprehensive guide, “The Complete Tomato Nutrition Guide: 6 Benefits of Eating Tomatoes,” to learn more about the amazing health benefits associated with eating this fruit.

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Growing Amish Paste Tomatoes at Home

Americans have been growing Amish Paste tomatoes for over a century and a half! These tomato plants aren’t the hardiest when compared to others, but they produce fruit that are widely popular and enjoyed in so many households, nonetheless.

Growing

Amish Pastes are indeterminate. Indeterminate tomatoes grow tall on vines instead of in bushes. The vines of this plant grow up to six feet tall and there are even accounts of vines growing taller than a house! Because of its growing habit, you’ll need to stake or cage the plants to keep them standing upright.

Plants should receive at least six hours of unobstructed sunlight every day. The leaves of Amish Paste tomatoes are sparse, which leaves the fruit exposed to sun.

When to plant

You should plant seeds indoors in planter’s pots about eight weeks before the final frost of the season. After this period, you can transfer the plants outdoors. Plants will germinate seven to 14 days after seeds are planted.

Harvesting

Amish Paste tomatoes take anywhere from 74 to 85 days to produce fruit. You should pay careful attention to pick the fruit when it is fully ripe, or when there is no green, yellow, or orange color showing. Ripe Amish Paste tomatoes are uniform deep red.

You should also pick these tomatoes as they ripen and not in bunches.

Pests and diseases

Like many other tomatoes, Amish Pastes are susceptible to pests and diseases like anthracnose, blight, flea beetles, Septoria leaf spots, tomato hornworms, and tomato wilt. Avoid watering plants at night to prevent some of these diseases.

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History of Amish Paste Tomatoes

Amish Paste tomatoes originated in an Amish community, as the name suggests. These tomatoes started in the 1870s in Medford, Wisconsin, one of the oldest Amish communities.

Over time, the seeds made their way to another Amish community near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where they were discovered by a commercial seed producer. By 1987, Amish Paste seeds were distributed nationally.

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A Favorite for Saucing and Canning

With Amish Paste tomatoes remaining popular for 150 years, we can only assume there’s something special about these red fruits! Well, we know there is—but we suggest you give them a try and find out on your own!

Interested in learning about other tomato varieties? Visit our directory on Tomato Plants to read about 75 other types of tomatoes!