Yellow Roma tomatoes, botanical name Lycopersicon esculentum ‘Roma’, are an open pollinated, improved tomato variety and a member of the Solanaceae family along with the potato, eggplant and tobacco. Roma tomatoes have been bred specifically for disease resistance, shape and durability. Most Roma tomatoes are used in processed tomato products such as ketchup, soup, tomato paste and sauce. Yellow Roma tomatoes, however, are a fresh market tomato through and through. Nature commands the coloring of yellow Roma tomatoes as they carry a recessive mutant gene that is responsible for the fruit’s coloring. Unlike Red tomatoes, yellow Roma tomatoes have reduced levels of chlorophyll and they are absent of detectable anthocyanins, the compound responsible for the red pigment in food plants. The yellow coloring is also a direct result of the fruits containing high levels of yellow carotenoids (carotene) and flavonoids in the skin.

Yellow Roma distinguish themselves by their elongated torpedo shape and their warm golden cororing. Their skin is smooth and thin, their flesh has two cavities that carry edible tiny seeds. They have both low acid and sugar content which results in a mild tomato flavor with a subtle sweetness that is amplified when cooked. Yellow Roma tomatoes have a lush meaty flesh that holds up well in both cooked and raw tomato preparations.

Serving Ideas

Though Roma tomatoes are the trademark tomato for sauce, paste and soup tomatoes, yellow Roma tomatoes are used for both cooked and raw preparations. Yellow Roma tomatoes can be slow roasted, dried, stuffed and baked or sliced and added to stews, soups and sauces. Their lush flesh makes them perfect for chopped and tossed salads and salsas. They pair well with garlic, chilies, beans, shrimp, summer squash, eggplant, watermelon, cucumbers, basil, oregano, cilantro and cheeses both fresh and aged. Use yellow Roma tomatoes with other in-season ingredients to achieve the highest quality, nutrition and flavor.

Geography/History

The history of yellow Roma tomatoes was of little importance until the late 20th century brought about intense interest from a collective of scientists intent on understanding the the gene pool of tomatoes. Consecutive sojourns to South America led to hundreds of studies and published results of these studies. Eventually, that collective would undercover the historic gene pool of all tomatoes. Yellow Roma tomato’s shape would also have genetic reasoning. It has been proven that the change in shape from round to torpedo was actually the result of a mutation in genes. The scientist responsible for the research and discovery of this mutation is Esther van der Knaap. This mutation was identified as SUN after the tomato variety, Sun 1642. This gene causes uniform fruit elongation in longitudinal directions and it is responsible for the Roma tomato’s shape. The scientist responsible for the research and discovery of this mutation is Esther van der Knaap.

Seasons/Availability

Yellow Roma tomatoes are available in late summer to early fall.