Indigo Blue Beauty Tomatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes are large beefsteak varieties characterized by their dense, meaty texture. They are heavier than most tomatoes, averaging about 170 to 330 grams. This variety has a round shape with a slightly flattened figure. They have red skin with indigo-blushed highlights on their shoulder or wherever the fruits receive the most sun exposure. Their skin is shiny, smooth, and easily bitten into to reveal a red-pink flesh. Within this flesh are seed pockets with small, yellow-white seeds. Their flesh is aqueous and meaty, making them sturdy to cut into. Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes are sweet and richly flavorful with moderate acid levels.
Seasons/Availability
Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes are available in the summer and fall.
Current Facts
Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes are botanically known as Solanum lycopersicum and belong to the Solanaceae family, which includes eggplants, potatoes, tomatoes, and chili peppers. This variety is the largest tomato in the Indigo series, a group that includes other tomatoes like Indigo Gold Berries, Indigo Cherry Drops, Blue Berries, Indigo Apple, and Indigo Rose. The Blue Beauty is a cross between Beauty King tomatoes, which are yellow with bright red streaks, and blue tomatoes. They are sunburn and crack-resistant, known to hold well on the vine for extended periods of time. Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes are primarily used for their culinary value and grow prolifically in home gardens. They are indeterminate and continue to grow, flower, set fruit, and ripen throughout the growing season on long vines, which often require caging or staking.
Nutritional Value
Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes have high levels of anthocyanin, a naturally occurring antioxidant found in blueberries. Anthocyanin reveals itself in the tomato’s vibrant indigo pigmentation. This variety is rich in vitamin C, supporting a strong immune system, promoting collagen production for healthy skin and connective tissues, and acting as a powerful antioxidant to protect cells from damage. The presence of B vitamins, such as B6, aids in energy production, brain function, and red blood cell formation, while vitamin A supports good vision, skin health, and immune function. Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes are a good source of calcium, which is crucial for strong bones and teeth, and iron, which is vital for oxygen transport and preventing anemia. The phosphorus in these tomatoes helps with energy storage and usage, as well as maintaining healthy bones. Sulfur plays a role in detoxification and maintaining healthy hair, skin, and nails, while potassium supports heart health by regulating blood pressure and maintaining proper muscle and nerve function.
Applications
Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes can be enjoyed fresh, cooked, or roasted. They can be thickly sliced into salads with ingredients like cucumbers and leafy greens. They may be sliced into salsas, used as a topping for bruschetta, pizza, and flatbreads, or incorporated into tomato sauces or homemade ketchup. Their thick nature makes this variety a complimentary ingredient for sandwiches and burgers. Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes may be paired with mozzarella, shallots, garlic, basil, oregano, chili, parsley, chives, celery leaf, mint, lemon balm, and sage. Store Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes at room temperature until ripe, after which refrigeration can slow the process of decay.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Oregon State University, along with several independent breeders such as Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms, has made significant strides in developing cultivars within the Indigo tomato series using conventional breeding methods. Their primary goal has been to blend striking and unique color patterns with the rich, complex flavors traditionally associated with heirloom tomatoes. Oregon State University is especially recognized for advancing the Indigo series, emphasizing traits such as enhanced antioxidant content, prolific yield, and eye-catching multi-colored appearances. These efforts have led to the creation of visually stunning and nutritionally potent tomato varieties that appeal to both home gardeners and commercial growers alike.
Geography/History
Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes were developed at Oregon State University in the 1960s by crossing cultivated tomatoes with wild species from the Galapagos Islands and Chile. They need warm weather to grow well, often requiring greenhouses when sowed in colder seasons as they cannot withstand frost. This variety is popular in the UK but frequently grown on the West Coast of the United States in California and Oregon. Demand for blue tomato varieties like these has increased in popularity. Nurseries in Northern California have progressively boosted their production of these tomatoes due to their novel hue and ease of growth. Indigo Blue Beauty tomatoes are a relatively rare variety that may be found at farmers’ markets or purchased from seed to grow in home gardens.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Indigo Blue Beauty Tomatoes. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Taste and Tell |
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Tomato Tart with Bacon and Gruyere |
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