Why do tomatoes taste sweeter when roasted?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Sugars caramelize and concentrate
Water loss makes them drier — Wrong. Water does evaporate, concentrating sugars, but roasting also caramelizes sugars (breaking them down into sweeter-tasting compounds).
Acid evaporates leaving sweet — Wrong. Some volatile acids do evaporate, but sweetness mainly increases from sugar concentration and caramelization.
Sugars caramelize and concentrate ✓ — Correct! Roasting evaporates water from tomatoes, concentrating natural sugars. High heat (above ~120°C) also caramelizes sugars—breaking them into sweeter, more complex flavor compounds. Roasting also reduces perceived acidity as volatile acids evaporate. Double sweetening effect!