Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple…nope, we’re not talking about the rainbow; we’re talking about tomatoes! The Blue Beauty tomato falls under the indigo/purple category of tomatoes, but it definitely deserves a section of its own.
Let’s talk about the Blue Beauty tomato, what it tastes like, how to use it, and how to grow it.
Description of the Blue Beauty Tomato
First of all, Blue Beauty tomatoes are not entirely blue. The top or “shoulders” of a Blue Beauty looks like it’s stained a dark, rich hue. The dark stain bleeds into the rest of the tomato, which is red inside and out (or green, if not yet ripe).
Every Blue Beauty tomato is unique in shape and color. Some are mostly red, and some are mostly blue on the outside. They can be almost entirely smooth or extremely bumpy with deep ridges.
What part and how much of the tomato turns blue depends on sun exposure. Any part of the tomato shaded from the sun while growing will turn out red. As you can imagine, this leads to lots of variety in color from any given tomato plant!
Heirloom Variety
Blue Beauty tomatoes belong in the category ofheirloom varieties, which means they are non-GMO, open-pollinating, and true breeders.
Heirloom tomatoes are genetically unique, and they are generally superior in flavor and texture. More specifically, Blue Beauties are created to be heirlooms, developed by purposefully crossbreeding two varieties of tomato.
What do They Taste Like?
As an heirloom tomato, the Blue Beauty is very flavorful, aromatic, sweet, and slightly acidic. It tastes just like a red tomato since the blue skin pigmentation is flavorless. When it comes to texture, these tomatoes are meaty and great for slicing.
History of the Blue Beauty Tomato
A famous tomato farmer from California named Bradley Gates developed the Blue Beauty tomato by crossbreeding two varieties: the Beauty King and the classic Blue tomato.
The idea behind combining varieties is to produce a tomato with the best flavor, nutrition, and disease resistance possible. Another common name for the new variety he created is Indigo Blue Beauty.
Why Are They Blue? *
What makesblueberriesblue? The same thing that gives Blue Beauty its unique color: an antioxidant called anthocyanin. Red tomatoes possess this antioxidant too, but there are much higher levels in blue tomatoes.
Uses for Blue Beauty Tomatoes
The high level of anthocyanin in the Blue Beauty tomato is the main reason for its increased nutritional content. Rich flavor, dense texture, unique coloring, and added health benefits…these tomatoes truly offer it all. Remember to leave the skin on when preparing them to show off their beautiful coloring.
Health Benefits
The Blue Beauty tomato’s high antioxidant content helps fight off diseases. Another nutrient found in the Blue Beauty called Lycopene helps fight cancer, and some degree of heating the tomato actually increases the Lycopene benefits. There are so many health benefits in this single variety of tomato:
- Vitamins A, B, and C
- Calcium and iron
- Phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur
- Fights diabetes, obesity, inflammation, cancer, and cardiovascular problems
Recipes
One of the best ways to eat Blue Beauty tomatoes is fresh off the vine, sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper. They’re a great choice for summer tomato salads with oil, herbs, and cheese. For cooking, they can be paired with red meats and produce like zucchini, eggplant, squash, and onions.
Want to show off the beautiful and unusual color of these tomatoes? Try one of these recipes for a delicious, healthy dish:
- Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad
- Heirloom Tomato Pie
- Quick and Easy Baked Tomatoes with Goat Cheese
How to Grow Blue Beauty Tomatoes
Look no further than Blue Beauty for a specialty farmer’s market item that will stand out among the rest of the produce.
These tomatoes areindeterminate plantsthat will keep producing until cold weather sets in, and their heirloom hardiness helps them keep fresh longer. After planting, it takes around 80 days to enjoy the first ripe crop.
When to Plant
Blue Beauty tomato plants like full sun and warm weather. Either start them indoors or wait until any chance of cold weather is over to plant. Since they keep growing all season, some growers set upstakesorcagesto support the plants.
Planting and Watering
Place the seeds about 1/8 inch into the soil and water the well, spaced about two feet apart. Make sure the garden area gets plenty of direct sunlight and the soil will drain well, so it doesn’t get soggy. Blue Beauties are resistant to sun exposure, cracking, and splitting.
Cultivating and Fertilizing
The plants will begin sprouting around a week or so after planting. Fertilize them regularly throughout the growing process while coaxing the long vines to grow upwards. Remember, flowering and fruiting will continue after the first harvest until the weather gets too cold.
This variety tends to bond tightly on the vine and hang well. Whatever part of each tomato that’s exposed to the sun will first turn a light purple color and then ripen into a darker shade, the tomatoes will vary in size from 4-8 oz.
When to Harvest
Probably the trickiest part of growing Blue Beauties is knowing when to pick them. The dark coloring can make them appear ripe well before it’s best to pick them. Don’t be afraid to let them stay on the vine a bit longer and go by how soft or squishy they feel rather than their color.
It’s easier to judge the ripeness of these tomatoes by the shaded red areas, usually on the bottom of each fruit. When fully ripe, the red side will be a rich, dark shade. These tomatoes will stay fresh for a few weeks, especially if refrigerated, but wash and eat them right away for the richest flavor.
Where to Buy Blue Beauty Tomato Seeds
Time to order someseedsand get planting! A huge perk of growing heirloom tomatoes like the Blue Beauty is that the seeds from each harvest can be saved and planted next season.
In fact, by picking out which tomatoes turn out the juiciest, prettiest, and most flavorful, you can save the seeds of only those tomatoes and curate an even better harvest for next year. To start though, you can find your first batch of seeds on Amazon.
Wrapping Up the Blue Beauty Tomato
Who would have thought that a blue tomato would be such a special garden item? From its flavor to nutrition to color to longevity, the Blue Beauty is an all-around winner. For even more growing tips and information on other tomato varieties, check out our overview page ontomato plants.
