How To Ripen Green Tomatoes

While fried green tomatoes are delicious, sometimes you want your green tomatoes to be red. 

All tomatoes are green before they ripen, so if you’ve seen green tomatoes before, they are red tomatoes that have not fully ripened yet, or heirloom tomatoes, which can range in color from purple to deep green when fully ripe.

Though allowing tomatoes to ripen naturally on the vine is optimal, it’s not always feasible if a cold weather front moves in and your gardening season comes to an abrupt halt. Thankfully, you can ripen green tomatoes pretty easily. If you find yourself desperate to enjoy the last of your tomato harvest and ripen the green tomatoes you’ve got, here are five simple ways to try.

Use a Brown Paper Bag

Though it may feel like tomatoes need sunlight to thrive, it’s really ethylene gas that helps tomatoes ripen. Tomatoes, like avocados and apples, are ethylene producers. Because of this, speeding up the ripening process can be done using a brown paper bag and a dry, temperature-stable location. 

How to ripen tomatoes in a brown paper bag: Simply put green tomatoes inside the bag, roll the bag shut, and keep it in a location around 70°F to 75°F, such as the kitchen counter. 

Store on the Counter

Because storing tomatoes in the refrigerator changes their texture and flavor profile, putting them on the counter to ripen is a safe bet. Keeping them out of direct sunlight is important to ensure even ripening.

Bring Your Tomato Plant Inside 

If it’s possible, bring your tomato plant inside to finish out the season. Because tomatoes taste best when ripened on the vine, bringing your tomato plant inside to finish out its natural ripening process will ensure both taste and color.

If your tomato plant is potted, simply bring the entire pot indoors and keep it in a partially sunlit space to finish out the ripening process.

Dig Up Your Tomato Plant

If your tomato plant is in the ground, dig it up and hang it up inside to ripen the green tomatoes left on the vine. Hang the plant (roots and all) in a cool and dry location for the remaining tomatoes to fully ripen. Avoid direct sunlight, if possible.

Use Another Ethylene Producer

If you have an ethylene producing fruit at home, use it to your advantage to give the green tomatoes a little kickstart in the ripening process. Because green tomatoes need ethylene to ripen, consider using a ripening banana or some figs in a brown paper bag to bring your tomatoes up to speed.