Tomatoes come in so wide interesting, and unique varieties. Have you ever heard of the German queen tomato? This heirloom beefsteak variety has a lovely pink color and a classic tomato-y flavor.
With its delicious flavor and pretty appearance, the German queen is a great variety to add to your garden or kitchen. Keep reading to learn about the German queen tomato, including tips on growing your own!
Where did it Come From?
Originally from the Bavarian region of Germany, the German queen tomato dates back to at least the 1870s. It was brought to the United States in the early 1880s by a man named Michael Ott.
This variety is believed to be a descendant of the Brandywine tomato though no one can say for sure.
Characteristics of the German Queen Tomato
This lovely heirloom tomato is more than just a pretty face. The plants are prolific, resulting in high yields of tasty fruit. Here’s what this royal tomato looks and tastes like.
Appearance and Size
German queen tomatoes are a large beefsteak variety. Each tomato can grow up to 32 ounces, though most are usually closer to 16-18 ounces.
They’re a pretty pink color that changes from light to medium pink as the tomatoes ripen. The tops sometimes maintain a touch of yellowish green, even when ripe.
These tomatoes are round and slightly flattened, with many ridges along the top.
What do They Taste Like
German queen tomatoes are low in acid with an old-fashioned, classic tomato taste. Lightly sweet and rich, it’s the perfect slicing tomato.
Like other beefsteak varieties, the texture of German queens is rich and meaty. Their skins are thin and tender, and there usually aren’t very many seeds inside.
German Queen Tomato Recipes
German queen tomatoes are incredibly versatile. They’re delicious in all kinds of recipes. Use them raw as slicing tomatoes for sandwiches and burgers, as a salad topping, in salsas, or even for juicing.
They’re also perfect for roasting and sauteing. Cook them into soups, stews, sauces, and casseroles for a rich, sweet flavor.
Here are some recipes to try when you get your hands on some of these tasty German tomatoes.
Easy Tomato Salsa
Fresh Tomato Soup
Panko Crusted Beefsteak Tomatoes
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Tomato Health Benefits
Not only are they delicious, but tomatoes are good for you too!
They’re full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that do amazing things in your body.
Tomatoes may help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, improve your immune system, fight disease and signs of aging, reduce the risk of heart disease, and much more!
Vitamins and Nutrients
Tomatoes are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, folate, lycopene, and fiber. They’re a nutritious addition to any diet. In fact, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t start enjoying some of these delicious tomatoes right away.
Where to Get German Queen Tomatoes
Have I convinced you to try these pretty pink tomatoes for yourself?
Check with your local farms or farmer’s markets to find whole, fresh tomatoes. Since it’s a less common variety, you probably won’t find German queen tomatoes at the grocery store.
Your best bet to get your hands on this variety is to grow your own. With your own German queen tomato plants, you’ll have a steady supply of tasty tomatoes all summer long.
You can find German queen tomato seeds online from Amazon.
Beginner’s Guide to Growing the German Queen Tomato
Growing the German queen variety is similar to growing other types of tomatoes. Here are some tips and helpful information to get you started.
Planting and Soil
Start tomato seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost to start enjoying the harvest as early as possible. If you live in a zone with a long growing season, you can also plant tomato seeds directly outside in the garden.
Choose a planting site that gets plenty of sunlight. Tomatoes can be planted in the ground or in containers if you choose a large one.
Tomatoes need rich, fertile soil with plenty of organic matter. If growing in containers, use high-quality potting soil.
For in-ground beds, add organic material like compost or leaf mold when planting to give your plants a nutritional boost.
Staking and Pruning
Like the German queen variety, beefsteak tomatoes are an indeterminate plant type. That means they’ll keep growing and producing all throughout the growing season.
Indeterminate varieties need to be staked with tomato stakes or cages to give them support and keep the fruit off the ground.
They usually benefit from some pruning to control the plant’s size and shape and improve air circulation. Without pruning, this type of tomato plant grows wild and straggly. They can easily take over an entire garden bed!
Water and Fertilizer
Water deeply every few days and add a small amount of balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Tomatoes are heavy feeders. Adding fertilizer regularly is a good way to keep the plants well-fed and producing.
Harvesting and Storage
German queen tomatoes are ready to harvest when they’ve reached their full size and color. You can tell when tomatoes are ripe if they easily pull away from the plant. If your tomatoes resist when you give them a gentle tug, leave them on the vine to ripen a little bit longer.
After harvesting, store tomatoes on the counter for the best flavor. Ripe tomatoes last for about a week or two on the counter. Refrigerating helps tomatoes last longer, but it also weakens the flavor.
For long-term storage, German queen tomatoes can be frozen or canned.
To learn more about planting and growing your own tomatoes, check out our complete guide on How to Grow Tomatoes.
Time to Enjoy the German Queen Tomato
Are you ready to get your hands on the tasty German queen tomato? It’s a delicious variety you’re sure to enjoy. With such a royal name, how could it be anything but good?
To learn more about different tomato varieties, check out the tomato page. There we have profiles on dozens of tomato varieties, plus tips and tricks for how to grow your own tasty tomatoes!
- About the Author
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Sadie Teh has experience writing on a wide range of topics including gardening, outdoor life, crafts, travel, and more. She currently lives on 5 acres near Nashville, Tennessee, where she enjoys growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers (there’s always room for one more plant!)
Sadie’s writing is driven by a genuine desire to help people grow beautiful, thriving gardens while sharing the joy and satisfaction that gardening brings. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in education, Sadie’s background not only adds depth to her writing but also allows her to effectively communicate with a wide range of readers.
Sadie’s favorite things to grow are flowers (especially sunflowers) and tomatoes. When she’s not writing or working in the garden, you can find Sadie substitute teaching at her kids’ school, curled up with a good book, or poring over seed catalogs.
Sadie can be reached at stehwriting@gmail.com