It’s no surprise that canned tomatoes are a pantry staple--they’re easy to use, easy to find on grocery store shelves, easily found in recipes from a number of different cuisines, and, with most store brands of canned tomatoes costing less than a dollar, easy on your wallet!
The 7 Main Types
Whole Tomatoes: Whole tomatoes are great because you can make them into whatever form you need--chop them up when you need diced, or put them in a blender to make a puree or sauce.
Diced Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes are easy to use since all the prep work is done for you--so just open the can and go!
Crushed Tomatoes: Great for pasta sauces and smooth soups, the texture is between diced and puree.
Stewed Tomatoes: Cooked prior to canning with added seasonings like spices, salt, or sugar. Read the ingredients label before using to make sure that the seasonings will complement the flavors in your dish.
Tomato Puree: Similar to crushed tomatoes, but smoother and thicker.
Tomato Sauce: Tomatoes that have been cooked and blended to make a very smooth, pourable sauce. Not the same as pasta sauce, which includes seasonings and spices, but can be used as a base to make pizza sauce, or dipping sauces, or as a glaze on meatloaf.
Tomato Paste: Tomatoes are cooked down until all the juice evaporates, leaving a concentrated savory flavor that also helps thicken soups and stews. Leftover tomato paste is easy to freeze for later use.
5 Easy Ways to Use
Homemade Pasta Sauce: Add canned tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Italian seasonings like basil and oregano for extra flavor. Cook the sauce on low heat for about 10 minutes and serve over whole wheat pasta or veggies.
Meatloaf: Add crushed tomatoes to your favorite meatloaf recipe. Tomatoes will add great moisture to your meatloaf. Spread a layer of tomato sauce over meatloaf before baking to create a flavorful glaze.
Vegetable or Minestrone Soup or Chili: Use canned tomatoes in vegetable or minestrone soup or our Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili. If you have whole canned tomatoes on hand, crush in the soup pot to release juice.
Casserole: Add diced or crushed tomatoes to leftover chicken, cooked pasta or rice, and cooked vegetables for a quick, weeknight meal. Or, use canned tomatoes and leftover cooked rice to make our Corn and Pepper Cups.
Homemade Salsa: Add canned, diced tomatoes to onion, garlic and lime juice. Mix together and serve as a dip or on top of fish, chicken, or tacos.
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