One cup of mini tomatoes has about 27 calories, and a single piece averages near 3 calories depending on size.
Calorie Load
Sugars
Potassium
Raw Snack
- Rinse and eat whole.
- Pair with hummus.
- Pinch of salt or herbs.
Fast & Fresh
Salad Toss
- Halve for bite-size.
- Add leafy greens.
- Olive oil + vinegar.
Light Meal
Roasted Tray
- Drizzle with oil.
- 20–25 min at 200°C.
- Finish with garlic.
Deep Flavor
Why Mini Tomatoes Are So Low In Calories
Water makes up most of a tomato’s weight. That’s the simple reason the calorie count stays tiny. A cup of raw cherry tomatoes clocks in at about 27 calories for roughly 149 grams, based on laboratory-sourced data from MyFoodData, which compiles and standardizes USDA datasets. That math lines up with broader tomato figures that sit near 18 calories per 100 grams.
Size changes the bite, not the fundamentals. Grape tomatoes are a touch denser and often taste sweeter, but the energy per gram is still small. You’ll see slight swings from variety, ripeness, and growing conditions, yet the spread stays narrow.
Calories In Tiny Tomatoes By Size And Serving
Pick the serving that matches how you eat them. The numbers below keep things practical and cover the most common amounts.
| Serving | Approx. Weight | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mini tomato (average cherry) | ~17 g | ~3 |
| 5 mini tomatoes | ~85 g | ~15 |
| 10 mini tomatoes | ~170 g | ~31 |
| 1 cup whole mini tomatoes | ~149 g | ~27 |
| 100 g raw | 100 g | ~18 |
These values come from widely used reference sets: one piece near 17 grams at about 3 calories, one cup at 149 grams averaging 27 calories, and a 100-gram baseline near 18 calories for raw tomatoes. The per-piece rows scale from those anchors, so your exact count may shift if your tomatoes run larger or smaller. Authoritative references include MyFoodData’s cherry tomato entry and long-standing datasets that peg raw tomato calories around 18 per 100 grams.
Planning a light snack gets easier once you know how low these bites run on energy. Many people build plates around low-calorie foods like these and add protein or healthy fats to round things out.
Serving Sizes That Show Up On Labels
Fresh produce usually doesn’t carry Nutrition Facts in the store, but household measures and weights are still standardized for nutrition databases. For cherry types, a common entry lists “1 cup” at roughly 149 grams, which yields that 27-calorie figure. The 100-gram reference is helpful when you weigh ingredients or need quick math.
If you’re curious about how regulators define serving amounts and label rules, the FDA publishes tables and guides for raw vegetables and reference amounts used on packaged foods. Linking to every clause here isn’t the point, but the raw vegetables info and the Reference Amounts document show the standards behind what you see on labels.
What Changes The Calorie Count
Water loss from cooking. Roasting drives off moisture. The tomatoes shrink; calories per cup go up even though total calories in the batch stay the same. A sheet pan of roasted minis packs more energy by volume than the same cup of fresh.
Oil and dressings. A tablespoon of oil adds over 100 calories to a pan or salad, so small pours add up quickly. If you’re tracking, drizzle, toss, then measure what’s left in the bowl to see what actually stuck.
Variety and ripeness. Sweeter types or fully ripe fruit can edge higher in sugars per gram, but the bump is modest. The per-cup figure still stays in the 20s for raw minis.
Carbs, Fiber, And Micronutrients Per Cup
A cup of raw cherry tomatoes typically shows about 5.8 grams of carbohydrate, with roughly 1.8 grams coming from fiber and around 3.9 grams from natural sugars. You also get vitamin C in the low-20-percent range of the Daily Value and a helpful dose of potassium. Those values trace to lab-based profiles used by dietitians and nutrition software.
| Nutrient (Per 1 Cup Raw) | Amount | %DV |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | ~5.8 g | — |
| Dietary Fiber | ~1.8 g | ~6% |
| Sugars | ~3.9 g | — |
| Protein | ~1.3 g | ~3% |
| Vitamin C | ~20.4 mg | ~23% |
| Potassium | ~353 mg | ~8% |
| Calories | ~27 kcal | — |
Data in this snapshot reflects raw, red cherry tomatoes measured as one cup (about 149 grams). The vitamin C and potassium lines are a big part of the appeal for many eaters. Source profile: MyFoodData cherry tomatoes.
How Many Do You Need For A Snack Or Recipe?
Quick snack. Five to ten pieces give you crunch and color for 15–30 calories. If you like a creamy dip, portion the dip first so the add-on doesn’t overshadow the fruit.
Salad bowl. A standard “handful” often lands near a cup. That’s the 27-calorie mark. Halving them helps the juices mingle with the dressing, which can let you use less oil without losing flavor.
Sheet-pan roast. A pint container is usually close to 280–300 grams before removing stems. Roasted with garlic and herbs, the entire pan stays under 60 calories before oil. Plan your fat add-ins with intention if you’re watching totals.
Cherry Versus Grape: Any Calorie Difference?
They’re both small, sweet, and thin-skinned. Cherry types tend to be rounder and a bit juicier; grape tomatoes lean oval with a thicker bite. Calorie numbers overlap. In large datasets, you’ll see per-100-gram values around 18–30 calories for these minis, with many entries still landing near 18 for raw fruit. In practical terms, cup-for-cup, you won’t see a meaningful gap in everyday meals.
How To Count Accurately Without Overthinking
Use A Simple Baseline
When you don’t have a scale, the cup estimate is your friend. One cup whole minis ≈ 149 grams ≈ 27 calories. A small handful (about five) ≈ 15 calories. Ten pieces ≈ 31 calories. That’s plenty precise for daily tracking.
Weigh Once, Then Eyeball
Weigh a cup at home so you can picture the volume in your usual bowl. The next time you portion at work or on the go, you’ll be closer than guessing blind.
Watch The Add-Ons
Olive oil, cheese crumbles, nuts, and creamy dressings raise the energy density. None of that is “bad.” It just means the tiny base sets the stage, while toppings decide the final tally. If you want a high-fiber boost across the day, skim our quick primer on recommended fiber intake and aim for smart pairings like beans or whole-grain sides.
Nutrition Footnotes And Sources
Per cup values. The 27-calorie cup (about 149 g) and the macro/micronutrient lines come from a curated lab profile for cherry tomatoes.
Per piece estimate. Individual fruit weights vary; a common database entry lists one cherry at roughly 17 g and about 3 calories. When you scale to 5 or 10 pieces, small rounding swings are expected.
Per 100 g baseline. General tomato data remains near 18 calories per 100 grams across long-running references. That baseline is useful for any raw tomato when you’re weighing ingredients.
Produce guidance. For seasonality and storage tips, the USDA produce guide offers a handy overview that aligns with how most shoppers handle fresh tomatoes.
Smart Ways To Use Mini Tomatoes
Snack Board
Pair minis with cucumber, snap peas, a few olives, and a protein like turkey slices or tofu. You get volume, crunch, and color for very few calories.
Quick Skillet
Halve a couple of handfuls, heat in a nonstick pan until the skins blister, and finish with balsamic. Spoon over eggs, fish, or grilled chicken for bright acidity without much energy cost.
Meal Prep
Roast two trays on Sunday with garlic and herbs. Use one tray right away in pasta; stash the other in the fridge to toss into grain bowls. Because roasting concentrates flavor, smaller portions still pop.
Bottom Line For Meal Planning
These little tomatoes punch above their weight on flavor and potassium while keeping energy light. Count a cup at roughly 27 calories, a piece near 3 calories, and shape the rest of your plate around your goals. If you want a simple way to scan options for a low-energy day, you might enjoy our brief guide to low-calorie foods.