What Are the Sweetest Tomatoes for Soup?

Brandywine

• Brandywine tomatoes are well reputed for their sweet and rich flavor and texture. A beefsteak tomato, Brandywines can weigh upwards of 1 1/2 lbs. per fruit. Though a popular variety, Brandywine tomatoes are finicky growers. One individual fruit may not ripen consistently, and they can sometimes sport green patches and cracks. Its history is unclear, but sources claim that seeds for the plant were first offered in an 1886 catalog of Burpee.

Super Sweet 100

• The name of this tomato variety imparts much information about its characteristics. It is notoriously sweet and prolific; one plant can produce 100 petite cherry tomatoes in clusters. The sheer volume of fruit and their small size can encourage you to pluck them before fully developed. You can hasten their ripening by placing Super Sweet 100 tomatoes -- still connected to the vine -- into a paper bag. Puncture the bag and fold it over.

Momotaro

• One of Japan's most praised and popular varieties of tomato is the Momotaro. Their sweetness is exceptional. Coupled with low acidity, the Momotaro tomato's sugary flavor brims over and makes them outstanding tomatoes for soup. Meaning "tough boy" in Japanese, Momotaro tomatoes are hardy growers and produce ample fruit that appear to be perfectly round. Though of Japanese origin, these tomatoes have enjoyed similar ubiquity in America. Many seed companies and nurseries specialize in offering the plant in the U.S.

Black Krim

• The Black Krim is a rare type of beefsteak heirloom tomato. "Heirloom" means that the variety is rather old but has been brought back into cultivation. It hails from the Black Sea's Isle of Krim of the former Soviet Union. The flesh has an alluring maroon and blood-red color. It also boasts a refreshingly complex flavor, incorporating natural saltiness and a bold sweetness. The Black Krim has developed a strong following among gardeners, and chefs will enjoy its unique and robust taste.