How to Ripen Tomatoes off the Vine

It's possible to ripen green tomatoes indoors as long as they've been kept at room temperature. Tomatoes start the ripening process on the vine and continue to ripen after they've been picked because they produce a gas called ethylene. Ethylene gas is produced by many fruits and vegetables—including bananas and avocados—and helps with the ripening process. In fact, commercial tomato growers commonly pick tomatoes while they're still underripe because the green tomatoes will continue to ripen during shipping. When growing and harvesting underripe tomatoes from your own tomato plants at home, look for green fruits with spots of light red on the blossom end and tomatoes that have a slight give to them when squeezed.

There are several ways to achieve a perfectly ripe tomato. Consider ripening tomatoes using one of these methods.

1. 1. Place underripe tomatoes on a sunny windowsill. One of the most tried-and-true methods for ripening a tomato indoors is to place it on a windowsill that gets direct sunlight. Place the tomato stem-side down to prevent it from rolling away or bruising.
2. 2. Place tomatoes in a breathable container. Place unripe tomatoes in a plastic bag punctuated with holes, a brown paper bag, or a cardboard box in a warm place away from drafts. Make sure the tomatoes form a single layer and are not stacked on top of one another.
3. 3. Store tomatoes with a ripening banana. To speed up the ripening process, place a ripening banana in a breathable container with the tomatoes. Ripe bananas produce a lot of ethylene gas and will increase the likelihood of quickly getting red tomatoes.
4. 4. Hang the entire plant upside down. When the growing season is coming to a close, growth tends to slow down. At the end of the season, you're likely left with a bunch of green tomatoes. If this is the case, you can cut down the entire plant and hang it upside down in your garage or garden shed.

If you're not ready to eat your ripe tomatoes, you can store tomatoes by freezing or canning them. If you're looking to use those juicy, ripe fruits as soon as possible, consider trying one of these recipes.

1. 1. Tomato bruschetta: Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer that consists of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and finished with a drizzle of olive oil. In Italy, bruschetta refers to the grilled bread, but in other parts of the world, bruschetta refers to the topping on the grilled bread.
2. 2. Tomato chutney: Tomato chutney, or thakkali chutney, is a popular Indian condiment, served as a side dish to various South Indian breakfast dishes and snacks. A staple in many Indian households, this vibrant red chutney consists of tomatoes simmered with a blend of spices until thickened and soft.
3. 3. Cherry tomato and cucumber salad: A tadka, the Indian technique of cooking a mixture of spices in fat to release their essential oils, is used to season dishes from dals to salads. This simple tomato and cucumber salad is topped with a two-ingredient tadka—one made with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Be patient and attentive while making your tadka; the mustard seeds will have reached optimum flavor when they stop sputtering in the hot oil, and the curry leaves should be translucent and curled.

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