Kitchen Hack: Slice 30 Cherry Tomatoes in 5 Seconds

Cherry tomatoes are healthy, delicious, and available year-round in most locations. They are amazing in salads, dressed simply and beautifully (singer and saucier Kelis’ course has some great dressing ideas). They’re also great in pasta dishes or eaten plain with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

The trouble is, slicing cherry tomatoes can be a messy, laborious job. But with this easy trick, it’s simple to halve a whole pint of the jewel-like fruits in just five seconds. And there’s no gloppy mess to clean up!

Ingredients 

All you need is a pint of cherry tomatoes! Make sure they’re washed and gently dried.

Equipment 

For this trick, you don’t need any fancy equipment. Just grab two plates of equal size and a large serrated knife (like a bread knife).

How to Do It

Step 1: Lay Tomatoes on a Plate

Lay the tomatoes on the plate so they are at the same height as each other (if they are pear-shaped, lay them flat).

Step 2: Top With a Second Plate

Place the second plate on top of the tomatoes and line up the edges of the two plates. Firmly hold the top plate in place with one hand.

Step 3: Slice!

With the other hand, take your serrated knife and slice across the gap in the plates. With a sawing motion, carefully cut through the middles of every cherry tomato. When the knife comes out the other side, you’re done!

Wasn’t that simple? Now you have halved cherry tomatoes to use in a salad or sauce, or just as a snack. And there’s no mess to clean up! Use this revelatory trick anytime you have a pint of cherry tomatoes that need slicing, and tell your food-loving friends about it (they’ll thank you)!

Learn More Chef Secrets

Knife Skills: A Mini Class to Chop Like a Chef .

Take the Class