Yellow Stuffer tomato plant with ripe fruit

How to Grow Yellow Stuffer Tomato From Seed

Updated July 2026

The Yellow Stuffer is a striking novelty heirloom that looks just like a small yellow bell pepper, with a ribbed, blocky shape and a hollow, chambered interior. It is an indeterminate, vining plant that grows tall and produces all season, so it needs staking or a strong cage. The bright-yellow fruit has thick, meaty walls and a mild flavor, making it purpose-built for stuffing and baking. Fun to grow and unmistakable in the garden, Yellow Stuffer is a conversation-piece tomato with real kitchen usefulness.

Quick start

Start seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, kept warm at 70 to 80F. Once frost has passed and the soil is 60F or warmer, transplant deep, burying about two-thirds of the stem for a strong root system, and space plants 24 to 36 inches apart. Give full sun and a tall, sturdy stake or cage, because this indeterminate vine grows large and keeps producing all season. Expect the first ripe, hollow, bright-yellow bell-pepper-shaped tomatoes in roughly 80 to 85 days.

Best tip

Yellow Stuffer looks and behaves like a tomato but is shaped and hollow inside like a bell pepper, which makes it a novelty worth staking well since the vine gets tall and heavy. Let the fruit ripen to a full, glossy yellow before picking so the walls are firm enough to hold a filling. In hot climates like Texas or Florida, mulch and keep water even to avoid cracking; in cooler northern gardens, start seeds early indoors so this longer-season variety has time to ripen before frost.

At a glance

Botanical nameSolanum lycopersicum
Plant typeWarm-season annual (indeterminate)
USDA zones3 to 12 (grown as an annual)
SunFull sun (6 to 8+ hours)
Days to maturity80 to 85 days from transplant
Height6 to 8+ feet (indeterminate)
Spacing24 to 36 inches apart
WaterDeep and even; 1 to 2 inches a week

Uses

Yellow Stuffer is the classic stuffing tomato, with a hollow, chambered interior and thick walls that make it ideal for filling with rice, ground meat, cheese, tuna, or grain salads and baking. Its sturdy bell-pepper shape also makes it a striking edible vessel for cold, no-cook fillings served fresh. The mild, meaty flesh holds its shape when cooked, and the bright-yellow color adds a cheerful pop to stuffed-tomato platters and mixed dishes.

Frequently asked questions

How long do Yellow Stuffer tomatoes take to grow?

Yellow Stuffer tomatoes are generally ready about 80 to 85 days after transplant. Start seeds indoors roughly 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, then transplant out once the soil has warmed to 60F or more.

Are Yellow Stuffer tomatoes determinate or indeterminate?

Yellow Stuffer is indeterminate, growing as a tall vine that keeps producing all season. Since plants can reach 6 to 8 feet or more and the fruit is heavy, give them a sturdy stake or strong cage.

What do Yellow Stuffer tomatoes look and taste like?

They look like small yellow bell peppers, with a ribbed, blocky shape and a hollow, chambered interior. The bright-yellow flesh is thick, meaty, and mild in flavor, holding its shape well when cooked.

What are Yellow Stuffer tomatoes best used for?

As the name suggests, they are made for stuffing: fill the hollow fruit with rice, meat, cheese, or grain salads and bake, or use them raw as edible cups for cold fillings. Their sturdy walls and cheerful color make them a standout on stuffed-tomato platters.

Ready to grow your own? Yellow Stuffer seeds give you a tall, all-season vine bearing hollow, bell-pepper-shaped yellow tomatoes that are made for stuffing and baking. For the full step-by-step, see our complete tomato growing guide linked at the top of this page.

Tomato Yellow Stuffer Seeds
Tomato Yellow Stuffer SeedsHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Yellow Stuffer — hollow, pepper-shaped tomatoes made for stuffing.$4.99
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Want more tomatoes? These value packs pair Yellow Stuffer with other varieties:

14 Unique Tomato and Tomatillo Variety Pack
14 Unique Tomato and Tomatillo Variety Pack14 tomato & tomatillo varietiesFourteen heirloom tomatoes and tomatillos in one pack — the easiest way to grow a whole rainbow of varieties.$19.99$16.99
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14 Herbs & Veggies Salsa Mix Seeds Variety Pack
14 Herbs & Veggies Salsa Mix Seeds Variety Pack14 salsa-garden varietiesEverything for homemade salsa in one pack: tomatoes, peppers, onion, cilantro, and more.$19.99$17.49
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20 Vegetable Seeds Variety Pack
20 Vegetable Seeds Variety Pack20 vegetable varietiesA full vegetable garden in one pack, tomatoes included, plus nineteen more garden staples.$21.99$17.99
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Maxim Kaufman, Founder and CEO of Organo Republic

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.