Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (2024)

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By

Diana Rattray

Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (1)

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 02/29/24

Tested by

Noah Velush-Rogers

Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (2)

Tested byNoah Velush-Rogers

Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers.He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group.He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes.Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine.

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Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 2 servings

Yield: 2 cups

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This basic stewed tomatoes recipe is simply made with fresh tomatoes, salt, pepper, butter, and sugar.

Use up those ripe tomatoes from your garden or grab a nice selection of tomatoes from the grocery store or farmers market for this recipe. It takes only 30 minutes to make from start to finish, so you will enjoy the ease of making it and its delicious flavor.

17 Canned Tomato Recipes

Stewed tomatoes can be eaten as is or throw some croutons on top for that extra crunchy texture. They are also great to use in stews, soups, and chilis.

Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (4)

What You'll Need to Make This Stewed Tomatoes Recipe

A Good Paring Knife
A Pepper Mill
A Nice Saucepan

“A very simple recipe with its only major commitment being a dedication of time to peel the tomatoes. If you’re looking for a simple, delicious meal, this, combined with a grilled cheese sandwich, is an easy delight.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (8)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 large or 6 medium tomatoes

  • 1 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • Croutons, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (9)

  2. Peel the tomatoes.

    Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (10)

  3. Cut them into chunks.

    Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (11)

  4. Heat the tomatoesin a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until they begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes.

    Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (12)

  5. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until desired consistency is reached, 10 to 15 minutes.

    Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (13)

  6. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and butter; taste and adjust seasonings. If desired, serve with croutons on top. Enjoy.

    Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (14)

Tips

  • Use a very sharp, small knife to peel the tomatoes.
  • Alternatively, you can blanch them for easy peeling. Use a knife to make a small X in the peel on the bottom of each tomato. Add the tomatoes to boiling water for one minute and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Once cool, the peel should slip off easily.

Recipe Variations

  • Sauté some finely chopped celery, onion, and bell peppers for a zestier, more flavorful dish.
  • Add a few dashes of Tabasco or some red pepper flakes for a little heat.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Stewed tomatoes will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
  • Freeze stewed tomatoes for longer storage. Add them to a freezer-safe container with an inch of headspace or pour into a zip-top freezer bag and expel the air. Freeze for up to three months and defrost in the fridge before using.
  • Stewed tomatoes can be canned for later use. Add bottled lemon juice to the mixture and can in sterilized jars using these instructions.

What Is the Difference Between Canned Tomatoes and Stewed Tomatoes?

Canned tomatoes can include a variety of styles of tomatoes, including whole peeled tomatoes in juice, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stewed tomatoes, which can be canned, are cooked but not puréed, often with seasoning, while whole and diced canned tomatoes are not.

Can I Substitute for Crushed Tomatoes for Stewed Tomatoes?

The best substitution for stewed tomatoes are canned crushed tomatoes, and vice versa. The texture is very similar, with stewed tomatoes being cooked. If you're substituting crushed tomatoes for stewed tomatoes, you may want to cook them briefly before proceeding with the recipe.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
120Calories
7g Fat
15g Carbs
3g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories120
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g8%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 176mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
Dietary Fiber 4g16%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 51mg253%
Calcium 39mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Potassium 878mg19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Tomato
  • stewed tomatoes
  • side dish
  • southern

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Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in stewed tomatoes? ›

This basic stewed tomatoes recipe is simply made with fresh tomatoes, salt, pepper, butter, and sugar. Use up those ripe tomatoes from your garden or grab a nice selection of tomatoes from the grocery store or farmers market for this recipe.

Do you have to seed tomatoes for stewed tomatoes? ›

In a salad or sandwich, you don't need peeled tomatoes. But, if you're making a fresh tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes, the tomatoes should be peeled, cored, and seeded. The result will be a smoother sauce without any seeds, core, or peel in it.

What is the difference between canned tomatoes and stewed tomatoes? ›

Diced tomatoes are generally tomato chunks packed in tomato juice. They can be an excellent timesaver. Crushed tomatoes are a mixture of diced tomatoes and tomato puree or paste. Stewed tomatoes are cooked and then canned, usually with other seasonings and sugar added.

What can I use if I don't have stewed tomatoes? ›

🍅 Quick Summary
SubstituteRatio to One Cup Stewed
Tomato Purée⅔ cup
Tomato Paste⅓ cup
Tomato Sauce¾ – 1 cup
Fresh Tomatoes1 cup
6 more rows
Jun 9, 2022

Why add lemon juice to stewed tomatoes? ›

Citric acid, bottled lemon juice, or vinegar added in the correct amounts will ensure that whether tomatoes are boiling water bath canned or pressure canned, the C. botulinum spores will not germinate when a current recipe is used and the jars are processed properly.

Are stewed tomatoes anti inflammatory? ›

Tomatoes can be part of your overall produce intake because of their healthful nutrients and compounds, such as lycopene, beta carotene and vitamin C, all of which act as antioxidants and exert anti-inflammatory effects in the body.

Can you leave skin on tomatoes when making sauce? ›

Yes, you can leave skin on tomatoes when making sauce! Just use a food processor to transform whole tomatoes into sauce. This saves lots of time from having to boil the tomatoes first to loosen the skin enough to peel. We also figure keeping the skins on retains all the vitamins and minerals that the skin contains.

Are stewed tomatoes good for you? ›

Good for Your Physical Health

Naturally, stewed tomatoes have all the nutrition of their main component. Tomatoes are loaded with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system and can help prevent cold and flu. The antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene are also abundant in tomatoes.

Do Italians remove seeds from tomatoes? ›

Also, they all preferred sauce with no seeds – a preference I have acquired, or more likely, “inherited”. They used a conical strainer (what the French call a chinois) to remove the unwanted tomato seeds.

What are Mexican style stewed tomatoes? ›

Mexican Stewed Tomatoes are packed in tomato juice seasoned with spices and vegetables. Onion, celery, green bell pepper, and jalapenos accompany firm tomato slices. The stewed, savory flavor is balanced by a moderate sweetness, and contains slight heat.

How to make canned stewed tomatoes taste better? ›

First, pour some olive oil into the pot and heat it over medium heat. Then, add the canned tomatoes to the pot and let them cook for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add some garlic, basil, salt, and pepper to the pot and let everything cook for another 20 minutes. And that's it!

What are the best tomatoes for canned stewed tomatoes? ›

Best Canning Tomatoes for Sauce and Paste

Cooks have been choosing Roma-type tomatoes for sauces and paste for centuries for good reasons. These oval, palm-size fruit have small seed cavities that results in ample meaty flesh that will become sauce.

What can I use instead of crushed tomatoes in stew? ›

Use Tomato Paste

If you have them available, add some fresh tomatoes or even diced tomatoes to the paste and blend it all together. If that is not an option, add a little bit of water to the paste to slightly thin the consistency.

Can you can stewed tomatoes in a water bath? ›

love this recipe, first thing I ever canned by myself and have been using it for a long time now. I add fresh basil, just at the very end, couple minutes before it goes in jars. I usually do pints, so I add 1 teaspoon of bottled lemon juice to each jar to add a little acid. I water bath and have never had a problem.

Can you use fresh tomatoes instead of canned in stew? ›

Fresh tomatoes are a natural substitute for canned crushed tomatoes, but it takes a few steps to transform them for your recipes. You can use any type of tomato, but for ultimate flavor and a less watery texture, use paste tomatoes like Roma or Amish Paste.

What is tomato stew made of? ›

In this recipe, I simply used canned tomatoes, a mix of carrots, celery, onion, potatoes and a handful of frozen peas. I've also added cumin, Italian seasoning and dried basil to add that little something to the rich tomato broth. The medley of vegetables and herbs creates a thick, filling, budget-friendly family meal.

Are stewed tomatoes healthy for you? ›

Good for Your Physical Health

Naturally, stewed tomatoes have all the nutrition of their main component. Tomatoes are loaded with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system and can help prevent cold and flu. The antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene are also abundant in tomatoes.

What are the ingredients of tomatoes? ›

Tomatoes and tomato products are rich sources of folate, vitamin C, and potassium. Relative to phytonutrients, the most abundant in tomatoes are the carotenoids. Lycopene is the most prominent carotenoid followed by beta-carotene, gamma-carotene and phytoene as well as several minor carotenoids.

Do stewed tomatoes have lycopene in? ›

While all tomatoes and tomato-based products contain lycopene, other studies have shown that lycopene is absorbed at different rates depending on the product consumed. Lycopene bioavailability is higher when tomatoes have been heated or cooked, and especially if cooked with oil.

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