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Bring indoors only sound, full-sized tomatoes—especially fruit that has started to show its ripe color. Keep them at room temperature, out of direct sun, and check them regularly. Tomatoes can continue ripening after harvest, but a bag, banana, or warm windowsill cannot make very immature fruit taste like a tomato that ripened fully on the vine.
Which green tomatoes are likely to ripen indoors?
Maturity at harvest is the biggest factor in how well a tomato ripens and tastes. Choose full-sized, firm, undamaged fruit, prioritizing tomatoes that have begun to blush or change from green toward their ripe color. Cornell Cooperative Extension identifies the first color change as the flavor-focused point to pick: Cornell’s tomato guidance.
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Some mature-green tomatoes can ripen after picking, but tiny, clearly immature fruit is less dependable. Before frost, bring in the sound fruit you have; set split or damaged tomatoes aside to use promptly rather than holding them with the rest.
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How to ripen them indoors
- Sort and handle gently. Keep intact fruit for indoor ripening. Brush off loose soil if needed, but avoid bruising tomatoes.
- Choose a dark, comfortable room-temperature spot. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on a tray or in a shallow box, with space to inspect them. UC Davis identifies 20°C (68°F) as the optimum ripening temperature for sensory and nutritive quality, while Cornell recommends 70–75°F (21–24°C) for household storage in the dark. These are practical reference points, not a guarantee of a particular result. See the UC Davis tomato factsheet.
- Use a paper bag or box if you want to encourage faster ripening. A loosely folded paper bag can retain some ethylene, the gas tomatoes produce as they ripen and respond to. Leave a few openings and check the fruit often. A tray or open box is also fine and makes inspection easier; a special container is not required. Illinois Extension explains the paper-bag method.
- Add ripe fruit only if speed matters. A ripe tomato or another ethylene-producing fruit nearby or in the bag may help move ripening along. It does not make an immature tomato mature or restore flavor it did not develop on the plant.
- Inspect regularly and remove fruit as it ripens. Check at least every few days—and daily if fruit is enclosed—so you can take out ripe tomatoes and discard any that become soft, wet, or moldy. Iowa State Extension also advises monitoring stored tomatoes: Iowa State’s indoor-ripening guidance.
Tray, bag, or ripe fruit: which should you use?
| Method | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Open tray or shallow box, single layer | Easy inspection and airflow | Less ethylene is retained, so ripening may be slower. |
| Loosely folded paper bag or box | A small batch when you want to retain some ethylene | Inspect frequently for softening, moisture, or decay. |
| Ripe tomato or other ethylene-producing fruit nearby | Encouraging faster ripening | Can affect speed, but does not guarantee better flavor or compensate for immature harvest. |
How long will indoor ripening take?
There is no single dependable schedule: maturity and temperature matter. Illinois Extension says partially colored tomatoes may ripen in one to five days, depending on how under-ripe they are. Iowa State estimates about two weeks for mature-green tomatoes kept at 65–70°F. Those are different conditions and starting points, not competing promises for every tomato.
Quick Recap
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- Discover the Heirloom Tomatoes Collection by Now Designs, featuring a playful and vibrant pinch bowl set that brings a touch of culinary artistry to your kitchen.
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Now Designs Tomato Collection Tomato Shaped Bowl, 4.5 Inch, Stoneware, Dishwasher & Microwave Safe, 8 oz Capacity
- Now Designs' Tomato collection brings a touch of garden-fresh charm to your table with this Tomato Shaped Bowl, perfect for enhancing your summer gatherings.
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What to avoid if flavor matters
- Do not use a sunny windowsill as a ripening trick. Light is not needed; direct sun can overheat fruit. A dark indoor location is suitable.
- Do not refrigerate tomatoes while they are ripening. Cornell advises against refrigeration for fruit intended to ripen with good flavor.
- Do not expect ethylene to replace vine time. A bag or ripe banana may speed ripening in suitable fruit, but it cannot guarantee the flavor of a tomato left to ripen fully on the plant. Iowa State notes that indoor-ripened tomatoes may be less flavorful than vine-ripened ones.
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