What are Tomato Keftedes? You start with the tomato I discovered on Santorini. An incredible small tomato that packs a punch of flavor. In fact it is referred to in various parts of Greece as the Santorini tomato. It only grows here in Santorini developing its tart, rich deep flavor from the relentless sun, wind and lack of water. My dear friends at Iconic Santorini Hotel suggested I try their Executive Chef Konstantinos Avgoulis’ version of Tomato Keftedes.
Born and raised on Santorini, Chef Avgoulis treats Iconic guests, one of the Mantis Hotel Collection , to many of his treasured family recipes including his rose jam and this one using the noblest of ancient fruits, the tomato. Of course there is nothing to compare with tasting these for the first time sitting at the edge of the caldera outdoors in Iconic’s shady pergola covered restaurant accompanied by a lemony Assyrtiko from Estate Aryros or some cold bubbly from Santo Wines. 
Iconic Santorini Tomato Keftedes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Eaten as a pupu or a full entrée, these are decedent and simple. It’s the tomato that does the work.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 kilo Santorini tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- 2 large red onions
- 3 spring onions
- 1 zucchini
- 4 tbsp. (60 ml) of finely chopped mint
- 250 gr. soy flour (self-rising flour)
- 150 gr. hard flour
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) of baking soda
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut the tomatoes in small pieces and put them in a large bowl. Grate the zucchini and one of the onions and put them also into the bowl. Then you must finely chop the other onion and the mint and add them into the mixture together with the baking soda.
- Add as much salt and pepper as you wish into the mixture in the bowl and mix all the ingredients very well. Then you must let the mixture rest in the fridge for about 5 hours.
- Finally, add the two types of flour and mix well, until the mixture becomes a thick dough. Use a spoon to cut the shape of each tomato ball and drop each spoonful into boiling oil to deep-fry them until they get that nice golden-brown colour. Drain and serve hot.
- Tip: if the tomato balls dissolve in the hot oil, you can add more flour to the batter to make the mixture even thicker.Kali Oreksi! (enjoy your meal)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 keftedes
- Calories: 200
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is special about Santorini tomatoes, and can I substitute something else?
Santorini tomatoes are small, intensely flavoured, and exceptionally tart due to the island’s relentless sun, wind, and dry soil — the article describes them as packing “a punch of flavor.” The recipe offers cherry tomatoes as the practical substitute.
Why does the batter need to rest in the fridge for 5 hours before frying?
The tomato mixture releases a lot of liquid; the 5-hour refrigerator rest allows the moisture to draw out and the mixture to firm up before the flour is added, which helps the fritters hold together in the hot oil.
What should I do if the fritters dissolve in the hot oil?
The recipe includes a direct tip from Chef Avgoulis: if the tomato balls dissolve in the oil, add more flour to the batter to make the mixture thicker before frying the remaining batch.
