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Concassé

Concassé is a French culinary technique that produces peeled, seeded, and diced ingredients—most commonly tomatoes—creating a refined product without skins or seeds.

Concassé is a French culinary technique that produces roughly chopped ingredients—most commonly tomatoes—that have been peeled, seeded, and diced. The term comes from the French verb “concasser,” meaning “to crush or grind,” though the result is a clean, uniform chop rather than a mash.

The Classic Tomato Concassé Technique

Professional kitchens prepare tomato concassé through a specific sequence. First, score the bottom of each tomato with an “X” using a paring knife. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 15-30 seconds until the skins begin to loosen. Immediately transfer them to an ice bath to shock them and stop the cooking process.

Once cooled, peel away the loosened skin. Cut each tomato through its equator (not pole to pole) to expose the seed chambers. Gently squeeze or scoop out the seeds and watery pulp. The remaining tomato flesh can then be diced to your desired size—from brunoise (fine dice) to larger rough chops.

Why Remove Seeds and Skins

The peeling and seeding process eliminates bitter flavors and rough textures. Tomato skins become tough when cooked and can curl into unpleasant strands in sauces. Seeds and their surrounding gel add excess moisture and can create a slightly bitter taste. What remains after proper concassé technique is pure, silky tomato flesh.

This refined texture makes concassé ideal for dishes where presentation matters and excess liquid would be detrimental—think delicate sauces, elegant garnishes, or pristine bruschetta.

Best Tomatoes for Concassé

Roma or plum tomatoes deliver the best results. Their meaty flesh, minimal seed cavities, and lower water content mean more usable product and less waste. San Marzano tomatoes, a type of plum tomato, are particularly prized. During peak summer season, any ripe, firm tomato variety will work—heirloom tomatoes can create beautiful, colorful concassé for special presentations.

Common Applications

Italian bruschetta represents the most recognizable use—small-dice concassé tossed with olive oil, fresh basil, and garlic, then piled on grilled bread. French cuisine adds tomato concassé to béarnaise sauce to create Choron sauce, typically served with lobster or other seafood.

Beyond these classics, concassé serves as a foundation for fresh tomato sauces, a component in ratatouille, a finishing garnish for grilled fish or chicken, and a fresh element in pasta dishes. Some chefs use it as a base layer under seared proteins or folded into risotto just before serving.

Storage and Prep Planning

Fresh tomato concassé keeps refrigerated in a covered container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze it in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags for up to 6 months. Many prep cooks prepare large batches as part of their mise en place, listing quantities needed on the daily prep sheet.

The technique requires time but minimal skill once the process is understood. During tomato season, dedicating prep time to process bulk quantities means ready-to-use concassé whenever needed.

Common Uses

Chefs and prep cooks use "concassé" primarily when referring to tomato preparation. In a professional kitchen, you might hear: "We need two quarts of tomato concassé for tonight's special" or "Concassé those tomatoes for the bruschetta mise." The term appears on prep sheets and recipe specifications. While the technique can apply to other vegetables, saying "concassé" without qualification almost always means tomatoes in restaurant kitchens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Concassé (pronounced kon-kah-SAY) is a French term meaning "to crush or grind," referring to ingredients that have been roughly chopped. In professional kitchens, it specifically describes tomatoes that have been peeled, seeded, and diced into clean pieces without skins or seeds.
Removing seeds and skins eliminates bitter flavors and tough textures. Tomato skins become leathery when cooked and can curl into unpleasant strands. Seeds and their gel add excess water and slight bitterness. What remains is pure, silky tomato flesh ideal for refined sauces and presentations.
Roma or plum tomatoes are ideal because they have meaty flesh, fewer seeds, and less water content—meaning more usable product and less waste. San Marzano tomatoes are particularly prized. During peak season, any ripe, firm tomato variety will work, including heirlooms for colorful presentations.
Score the bottom of each tomato with an X, blanch in boiling water for 15-30 seconds, shock in ice water, then peel. Cut each tomato through its equator, squeeze or scoop out seeds, and dice the remaining flesh to your desired size. The entire process takes about 15 minutes for a batch.
Fresh tomato concassé keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze it in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags for up to 6 months. Label containers with the date and dice size for easy identification.
Common applications include Italian bruschetta, Choron sauce (béarnaise with tomato), fresh tomato sauces, ratatouille, pasta dishes, garnishes for grilled proteins, risotto, and as a base layer under seared fish or chicken. Any dish benefiting from clean tomato flavor without excess moisture works well.
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