Slicing cherry tomatoes is one of those small cooking tasks that feels much more fussy than it should. The tiny fruits roll around just enough to be annoying, and no matter how quick you are with your knife, you’re still standing there tediously slicing them one by one for far too long. Which is why a recent clip from Rachael Ray caught my attention. In it, she shares a simple method for slicing a whole batch of tomatoes at once without a special tool or complicated knife work.
I’ve been using this trick for so long that I didn’t even realize I probably got the idea from Rachael. There’s a very good chance it came from watching her show back when I was learning to cook. It was always on in the background! And just like her garbage bowl hack, this tomato slicing trick makes prep so much easier.
What is Rachael Ray’s tomato-slicing hack?
In the Instagram Reel, Rachael shows how to slice multiple cherry tomatoes at once using two plastic lids—the kind that come with quart containers. She places the tomatoes on one lid, sets the second on top, and presses down lightly to hold everything in place. Then, instead of cutting them individually, she slides a knife horizontally between the lids, slicing straight through the middle.
The lids keep the tomatoes from slipping and guide the knife so the tomatoes are sliced evenly in one pass. It’s simple, practical and the kind of trick that makes you rethink how you’ve been doing something for years.
Plastic lids have a way of taking over most kitchen cabinets. In mine, it’s thanks to my chef husband, who has a habit of drinking soda from quart containers on his drive home from the restaurant. The lids just keep stacking up in our cabinets—somehow multiplying at an impressive rate—and this is easily my favorite use for them.
How to Slice Tomatoes Using the Lid Method
To try it at home, place a single layer of cherry or grape tomatoes on a flat plastic lid, tucking them inside the rim. Set a second lid on top, but upside down. Basically, the rims should be “hugging” to keep the tomatoes from rolling around. Keep it secure with one hand, and run a sharp knife horizontally between the two lids. In one smooth motion, you’ll slice every tomato in the batch in half.
Once you start halving your tomatoes this way, it will quickly become one of your favorite cooking hacks. Nothing is rolling off the cutting board, and you’re not stuck there working through them one by one while everything else waits.
