The Ultimate Guide To 9 Types Of Canned Tomatoes And How To Use Them

Welcome to our ultimate guide on the wonderful world of canned tomatoes! Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook looking to spice up your kitchen routine, understanding the various types of canned tomatoes and their best uses can elevate your dishes to the next level. From the rich, concentrated flavor of tomato paste to the rustic charm of whole peeled tomatoes, this guide will walk you through nine distinct types of canned tomatoes, offering handy tips on how to use each one effectively.

Whole Peeled Tomatoes

Best Uses:

Whole peeled tomatoes are a must-have pantry staple—a key ingredient in a myriad of Italian recipes and everyday creations. These tasty tomatoes are perfect for rich, slow-simmered pasta sauces to dazzle gnocchi, seafood pasta recipes and even baked pasta dishes like lasagna. Create veggie-loaded broth-based soups like the famous Pasta Fagioli Italian Bean Soup. Seasoned simply with herbs, our canned tomatoes make for a light and refreshing pizza sauce.

Tips and Tricks:

• Texture control:

• Hand crush: Gently squeeze the tomatoes with your hands over the pot to create a chunky texture.

• Food processor: Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor for a more uniform consistency.

• Kitchen shears: Snip the tomatoes directly in the can for quick chopping.

• Draining and seeding:

• Drain first: Pour the tomatoes into a colander to separate them from the liquid before using.

• Seed removal (optional): If you want a smoother sauce, cut the tomatoes open and gently squeeze out the seeds.

• Cooking method:

• Slow simmering: Whole peeled tomatoes are ideal for dishes that cook slowly, allowing them to break down naturally.

• Concentrating flavor: To enhance the tomato flavor, cook them down slightly on their own before adding other ingredients.

Substitutions:

You can substitute whole peeled tomatoes with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, or fresh tomatoes.

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Diced Tomatoes

Best Uses:

Diced tomatoes are a pantry essential—a ready-to-use ingredient perfect for a number of everyday recipes. Our Diced Tomatoes are great for homemade pizzas, like the classic Margherita Pizza. Cook up sauces for pasta, gnocchi and lasagna. Create hearty soups like Lentil Soup and Spicy Chili. Try diced tomatoes as a simple sauce with fresh herbs to dazzle seafood dishes of shrimp, fish and mussels.

Tips and Tricks:

• Drain for thicker consistency:
  • If you want a thicker sauce, drain some of the liquid from the diced tomatoes before using them.
• Great for chunky dishes:
  • Diced tomatoes are perfect for adding texture to dishes like chili, salsa, stews, and casseroles where you want noticeable tomato pieces.
• Pulse for smoother texture:
  • If you need a slightly smoother texture, pulse the diced tomatoes in a food processor to crush them a bit.
• Seasoning matters:
  • Enhance the flavor of your dish by adding herbs and spices like oregano, basil, garlic powder, or a pinch of salt and pepper to the diced tomatoes.

Substitutions:

If you need a substitute for diced tomatoes, you can use: crushed tomatoes, fresh tomatoes (diced), tomato sauce, tomato puree, tomato passata, tomato paste (with added water to thin it out) depending on the recipe and desired consistency.

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Crushed Tomatoes

Best Uses:

Crushed tomatoes are great to use in any recipe that calls for tomatoes (whole, diced and tomato sauce). Use them to make homemade pasta sauce, stuffed peppers, gnocchi dishes, hearty soups, and more. Crushed tomatoes straight from the can uncooked with a little bit of salt added makes a great authentic Margherita pizza sauce that’s typical of traditional Italian pizza.

Tips and Tricks:

• Texture control:
  • To achieve a smoother sauce, blend crushed tomatoes before cooking, but if you want a chunkier texture, leave them as is.
• Adjusting consistency:
  • If your sauce is too thick, add a bit of water or broth to thin it out.
• Flavor enhancement:
  • Season well with herbs and spices as crushed tomatoes can be quite plain on their own.
• Suitable dishes:
  • Use crushed tomatoes in dishes like pizza, lasagna, pasta sauce, chili, stews, and soups.
• Check for additives:
  • Be aware that some brands might add calcium chloride to their crushed tomatoes which can prevent them from breaking down easily.

Substitutions:

If you don't have crushed tomatoes, you can substitute them with whole peeled tomatoes (crush them by hand) diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato puree, pasta sauce, or tomato paste.

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Roasted Tomatoes

Best Uses:

Serve this antipasto alongside other traditional Italian cheese board offerings like cured meats, olives and peppers. The sweet-smoky and lightly herbaceous flavor pairs up well with mild and creamy cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta. Use them as a flavorful crostini topping or serve as a stand-alone antipasto. As a gourmet ingredient, roasted red tomatoes are a sweet and smoky addition to pizzas, fresh garden salads, pasta salads and hot pasta recipes, panini melts, Italian-style wraps and just about anything you can dream up.

Tips and Tricks:

• Use as a base:
  • Utilize roasted tomatoes as a foundation for sauces, particularly when making a quick pasta sauce, by simply adding them to a pan with garlic, onion, and a little liquid.
• Bruschetta topping:
  • Spread roasted tomatoes on toasted bread with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of balsamic glaze for a classic bruschetta.
• Soup enhancer:
  • Incorporate roasted tomatoes into tomato-based soups to add depth and complexity.
• Add acidity:
  • Depending on the recipe, consider adding a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes.

Substitutions:

If you don't have roasted tomatoes, you can substitute canned tomatoes (whole, crushed, diced), roasted red peppers, or tomato sauce. You can also add smoked paprika to canned tomatoes to mimic the flavor of roasted tomatoes.

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Tomato Purée

Best Uses:

Tomato Puree is great for quick and easy sauces for weeknight pasta, a robust tomato base for soups and chili recipes, vibrant addition to braised meats, meatloaves and baked meatballs and for simple pizza sauces. Create tangy marinara for dipping crispy breaded appetizers and breadsticks, simple tomato sauces for stuffed peppers and baked pasta or a base for bloody mary mix.

Tips and Tricks:

• Thicken or thin:
  • You can thicken tomato puree to make tomato paste, or thin it out with water to make a sauce.
• Balance acidity:
  • If your tomato sauce is too acidic, you can add a small amount of baking soda to balance the acid.
• Use as a base:
  • You can use tomato puree as a base for condiments like barbecue sauce, salsa, and hot sauce.
• Substitute for tomato juice:
  • You can use tomato puree in place of tomato juice in drinks like bloody marys.
• Thicken soups and stews:
  • You can use tomato puree to thicken soups like minestrone or stews like cioppino.

Substitutions:

If you don't have tomato puree, you can substitute it with fresh or crushed tomatoes that have been pureed, tomato sauce (with a slight reduction in liquid if needed), or sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in water to reconstitute) depending on what you have available; just remember to adjust the cooking time based on the consistency of your substitute.

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Tomato Sauce

Best Uses:

There are many ways to use up tomato sauce, including in pasta, pizza, soups, and more. You can also use it as a dipping sauce or to add flavor to other dishes.

Tips and Tricks:

• To elevate your tomato sauce, you can:
  • Add a splash of acidity like vinegar or lemon juice to brighten flavors.
  • Incorporate fresh herbs like basil or oregano.
  • Sauté aromatics like onions and garlic before adding the sauce.
  • Use tomato paste to thicken and deepen flavor.
  • Cook the sauce longer to reduce acidity.
  • Add a touch of red pepper flakes for spice.
  • Consider incorporating vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers for extra texture and depth of flavor.

Substitutions:

If you don't have tomato sauce, you can substitute it with crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, ketchup, tomato paste, fresh tomatoes.

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Tomato Paste

Best Uses:

It’s great for intensifying any other tomato flavors in anything you cook. Make a pasta sauce, use as a base for soup, add a dollop to jarred sauce, or throw it in a marinade or seasoning paste for chicken or shrimp. Make a quick creamy vodka sauce with onions, tomato paste, cream, vodka and cheese. Anything that could use a dose of savory richness will probably benefit from adding a little tomato paste.

Tips and Tricks:

The key tip for using tomato paste is to always cook it slightly in some oil before adding liquids to caramelize the sugars and deepen its flavor, transforming it from a raw tomato taste to a rich, umami-packed base for your dish; essentially, sauté it until it turns from bright red to a darker brick red color before adding other ingredients like broth or water.

Here are a few more tips for using tomato paste:

• Add it early in the cooking process:
  • Incorporate tomato paste at the beginning of cooking your sauce or dish, allowing it to caramelize properly with your aromatics like onions and garlic before adding other liquids.
• Use a small amount:
  • Tomato paste is concentrated, so a little goes a long way.
• Scrape the pan:
  • When cooking tomato paste, be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the flavorful browned bits.
• Consider the tube:
  • For small quantities, using a tube of tomato paste is often more convenient than opening a whole can.

Substitutions:

If you don't have tomato paste, you can substitute tomato sauce, tomato puree, ketchup, tomato juice, red pepper puree, soy sauce, or Worcestershire sauce.

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Tomato Juice

Best Uses:

Tomato juice is a versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in cooking, cocktails, or simply as a drink. In cooking, it can be added to soups and sauces such as gazpacho, meatloaf, or used when simmering meatballs or sausages. It also makes a great base for Spanish or Mexican rice, can be used to create a flavorful tomato herb salad dressing, or to thin out sauces, soups, or stews.

As a cocktail ingredient, tomato juice is best known as the base of a Bloody Mary—a savory drink typically made with vodka, horseradish, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, salt, pepper, and paprika.

Finally, tomato juice can be enjoyed on its own as a refreshing beverage, either plain or enhanced with your favorite spices.

Tips and Tricks:

There are tons of ways to jazz up your homemade tomato juice recipe.

• Add flavorings:
  • Cayenne/chili powder, hot sauce, paprika, onion or garlic powder, or celery salt as simple seasonings.
  • Alternatively, you could add a simple combination of salt and pepper.

Substitutions:

If you need a substitute for tomato juice, you can use a mixture of equal parts water and tomato paste, vegetable broth, diluted fruit juice like apple juice, or even a combination of water with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to replicate the acidity, depending on the recipe and desired flavor profile; just be mindful of adjusting seasonings accordingly based on your chosen substitute.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Best Uses:

Sun-Dried Tomatoes are the perfect party platter component, alongside meats, cheeses, olives and gourmet toasts and a sunny-sweet addition to salads, sandwiches, wraps, dips, pizzas, flatbreads and pasta. They pair well with cream sauces, gnocchi and chicken.

Tips and Tricks:

• Save the soaking liquid:
  • Don't discard the liquid from rehydrating, use it to add extra flavor to sauces or stocks.
• Chop finely:
  • For even distribution of flavor, chop sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces.
• Versatile use:
  • Incorporate them into pasta sauces, salads, pizzas, dips, pestos, grilled cheese, and even as a topping for roasted vegetables.

Substitutions:

If you need to substitute sun dried tomatoes, you can use: fresh tomatoes (roasted or sautéed to concentrate flavor), tomato paste, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, roasted red peppers, semi-dried tomatoes, or even a combination of fresh tomatoes with a splash of balsamic vinegar to add tanginess; the best choice depends on the specific dish and the flavor profile you're aiming for.

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