How to Cook With Canned Tomatoes

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Tomatoes are one of the few foods that can actually benefit from being canned. The canning process seals in their flavor at the peak of ripeness and amps up their lycopene content, a powerful antioxidant. Canned tomatoes are perfect for making sauces and soups when fresh tomatoes aren’t available.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Canned tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic
Shallot
Salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
White wine
Pasta
White beans
Chicken broth
Fresh vegetables

Step1

Choose the type of canned tomato that’s appropriate for your purpose. Whole or chopped tomatoes are ideal for soups, while petite diced make great quick sauces. Tomato puree and paste add flavor to sauces and soups while keeping the texture smooth.

Step2

Consider the quality and flavor of your canned tomatoes. Read the labels and choose the tomatoes with the most natural ingredients—tomatoes, water and salt. Many canned tomatoes come already seasoned with garlic or herbs. This makes cooking easy, but for the most control, use plain tomatoes and season them yourself.

Step3

Make a quick pasta sauce. In a frying pan, saute 2 cloves of garlic and 1 large shallot in extra virgin olive oil. Add salt, pepper, 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning and ¼ cup of white wine. Stir in a 14-oz. can of petite diced tomatoes. Cook on medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes until slightly thickened. Serve over al dente pasta.

Step4

Make an easy soup. In a small soup pot, cook until softened 2 cloves of garlic and 1 large shallot in extra virgin olive oil. Add a 14-oz. can of chopped tomatoes, a 14-oz. can of white beans (rinsed and drained) and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning. Stir in a 14-oz. can of chicken broth or 1 ½ cups of water, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step5

Make a quick side dish. In a sauce pan, combine a 14-oz. can of chopped tomatoes with 1 ½ cups of a chopped fresh vegetable like zucchini or okra. Cook over medium heat until the fresh vegetable is tender. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Tips & Warnings

Avoid storing tomato-based products in plastic containers. Tomatoes are acidic and can quickly and permanently stain plastic, as well as leave a lasting odor.