Tomatoes are often called vegetables in cooking because they are used in savory dishes. From a botanical perspective, tomatoes are fruits because they come from the flower of a flowering plant and contain seeds.
From a purely culinary perspective, tomatoes are considered a vegetable because of their use in savory dishes. Unlike traditional fruits (apple, strawberry, or banana), tomatoes are rarely prepared as a dessert. They are mostly found in salads, sauces, or stews. The tomatoes' mildly sweet flavor contributes to this impression. Essentially, in cooking, we don't pay much attention to botanical definitions; the logic comes more from how we use them in recipes.
From a strictly scientific point of view, the tomato is classified as a fruit because it comes directly from the flower of the plant and has seeds derived from fertilized ovules. Basically, as soon as a plant-based food contains seeds, it is almost always a fruit. In contrast, vegetables generally include leaves (like lettuce), stems (celery), or roots (carrot). The tomato, on the other hand, clearly grows from the ovary of the flower after pollination, which technically makes it a true fruit. From a botanical standpoint, no one really debates this: it's a clear and straightforward fact.
In 1893, the Supreme Court of the United States found itself having to decide whether the tomato was legally a fruit or a vegetable. Why? Because at the time, imported vegetables were taxed, while fruits were not. The result: for purely economic reasons, the judges declared that the tomato should be considered a vegetable. Their reasoning was simple and straightforward: since tomatoes are most often eaten as vegetables, with savory foods, during the main meal, they should be classified as such. This official ruling permanently reinforced the public perception of the tomato as a vegetable, even though scientifically, it remains a fruit.
In everyday life, the tomato is often called a vegetable, simply because it is mostly used in savory dishes: salads, sauces, or garnishes. In cooking, we primarily think in terms of flavors and practical uses rather than in relation to science. From a scientific perspective, it’s different: a fruit comes directly from the flowers of the plant and contains seeds, which is exactly the case with the tomato. This difference between culinary use and scientific category often creates misunderstandings and fuels general confusion in everyday language.
This fruit/vegetable debate is not just a matter of words; it also affects your wallet! In the United States, for example, the classification of tomatoes as vegetables has led to different taxation, with vegetables often subject to certain customs and tax rules unlike fruits. This means that if the tomato is classified as a vegetable administratively, it may cost a little more or a little less depending on the law in force. The same goes for food standards: if for you the tomato is a vegetable, then what you put on your label or your advertisement will sometimes have to comply with certain specific standards for vegetables rather than fruits. Therefore, behind the innocent tomato lies a whole administrative and fiscal story that has real consequences for both consumers and distributors.
Zucchini, cucumber, eggplant, and bell pepper are also considered fruits botanically, as they contain seeds and develop from the flower of a plant.
In 1893, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the tomato was a vegetable for tax purposes, allowing for the maintenance of a specific tax on imported vegetables.
From a botanical point of view, strawberries are not technically berries, unlike tomatoes, grapes, or avocados, which officially are!
The tomato belongs to the nightshade family, just like the potato, eggplant, and pepper, and thus contains small amounts of alkaloids that are naturally present in these plants.
Scientifically, a fruit is the plant organ that develops from the flower and contains the seeds. Since tomatoes grow from flowers and contain seeds, they perfectly meet this botanical criterion.
The tax status of a food can vary by country: in some cases, such as in the United States, classifying the tomato as a vegetable allowed for the application of a specific customs or sales tax on the import of vegetables, but not on fruits.
In everyday cooking, the scientific distinction is not essential, but it can be relevant for botanical, nutritional, or regulatory considerations. Some people prefer to know these distinctions in order to choose their foods according to their dietary needs.
Supermarkets generally place tomatoes in the vegetable section because they are typically used and cooked as such — in savory sauces, salads, or hot dishes — unlike what is usually associated with fruits, which are often consumed sweet or in desserts.
No, many other fruits are also considered vegetables in cooking, such as cucumbers, avocados, and zucchinis, because of their flavor and associated culinary uses.
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