Respond to prefers-color-scheme dark in app web views

Follow section front redirects in Spectrum

Enable NLP source in PCS for load testing

Switch off the News Alerts Survey Widget when we have enough responses

Poll to determine if new LUF updates are available

Allows the winning A/B test variant to be turned on without Spectrum deployment

Show infinite scrolling sections in Assembler MultiView

Show option for NLP article summaries in Action Bar

Show NLP summaries collection recirc on article pages

A general feature flag for Recipe Features that aren't yet released

Feature flag for media team features that aren't yet released

Use new Orca video player for preroll plugin in Spectrum

Show the snow tracker (instead of the heat tracker) on Spectrum

See more coverage in your recommendations

Recipes

One recipe a day, Monday through Thursday

The Eat Voraciously newsletter

I always have canned tomatoes in the house, and usually there are several varieties on my shelves.

Canned tomatoes are a handy, versatile shortcut for easy, affordable, year-round access to an ingredient that is at its peak for only a small portion of the year. (And even then, the quality of store-bought tomatoes can be iffy.)

Thanksgiving Tablescape for Thanksgiving 2023 in Voraciously

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/recipes/thanksgiving/" target=_blank>Thanksgiving</a> is right around the corner, and with The Post’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/" target=_blank>new Recipes experience</a> there are more than 10,000 tested recipes at your fingertips.

If you are on <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/07/24/6-ways-to-cut-back-on-salt-and-keep-the-flavor-when-cooking-at-home/" target="_blank">a low-sodium diet</a>, look for no-salt-added offerings and adjust the seasoning of your dish as needed. One more hint: Don’t store leftovers in their cans in the refrigerator. Transfer to a clean container or bag and use within a few days of refrigerating, or transfer to the freezer for longer storage.

Which type of canned tomato should you use when? Here’s what you need to know.

Make the most of canned tomatoes with these 7 recipes

Rey Lopez for The Washington Post

If you’re going to have only one type of canned tomato on hand, make it whole. “Working with whole tomatoes can be messy, but it lets you maintain control,” cookbook author Martha Holmberg wrote for us. You can turn whole tomatoes into whatever you need, tearing or crushing them with your hand (or cutting them in the can with kitchen shears), pureeing with a blender or food processor or chopping with a knife. Don’t want seeds? Run the tomatoes through a food mill.

Canned tomatoes are pantry all-stars. Here’s how to choose and use them.

“<a href="https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/7227-how-to-choose-a-canned-tomato-product" target=_blank>Canned whole tomatoes</a> are the closest to fresh with a taste to match. The skins are removed before the tomatoes are packed in juice, and they’re barely cooked,” Caren White writes at America’s Test Kitchen.

Whether you want to splurge on pricier certified San Marzano tomatoes from Italy depends on your budget, personal taste and how you’ll be using them. No one picked them as their favorite in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/san-marzanos-the-bible-of-tomatoes/2013/08/12/85485c1a-fa32-11e2-9bde-7ddaa186b751_story.html" target=_blank>pizza sauce in a taste test</a> my colleague Tim Carman conducted. Imported San Marzanos <a href="https://www.americastestkitchen.com/taste_tests/2687-the-best-whole-canned-tomatoes" target=_blank>may not be packed with the firming agent calcium chloride</a> and contain less sodium, Lisa McManus at ATK says, so they may not be ideal in raw, unseasoned scenarios. Without calcium chloride, however, they melt into sauce. Some brands also sell San Marzano-style that use a different variety of plum tomato and include calcium chloride and more salt.

Embrace the versatility of whole, peeled tomatoes in sauces, braises and soups. Cookbook author and former “Splendid Table” host Lynne Rossetto Kasper recommends <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/food/1999/10/20/secrets-of-3-sauces/13ff8410-e21e-4fc4-81b6-90859835d668/" target=_blank>roasting them with olive oil, garlic and herbs</a> in a 300-degree oven for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours, until they’re dark scarlet and rich.

Recipes: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/marcella-hazans-tomato-sauce-onion-and-butter/" target=_blank>Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce III</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/wine-braised-pot-roast/" target=_blank>Wine-Braised Pot Roast</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/fast-blender-tomato-soup-cheese-crisps/" target=_blank>Fast Blender Tomato Soup With Cheese Crisps</a>

Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post

If you want chopped tomatoes, diced tomatoes are a good shortcut. Because of the smaller pieces, the calcium chloride packed into the cans penetrates more of the flesh, meaning <a href="https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cookscountry/how_tos/6687-canned-diced-tomatoes-vs-hand-cut-canned-whole-tomatoes" target=_blank>diced tomatoes in cooking can stubbornly hold their shape</a> even when compared to whole tomatoes, where the additive only acts close to the surface, according to Cook’s Country.

As with whole, pay attention to the labels. Some cans include basil, garlic or other ingredients not compatible with your dish. Kasper prefers diced tomatoes packed in tomato juice for fresher flavor, as opposed to those that include paste or puree. If you’re looking to add smokiness to a soup or chili, look for fire-roasted varieties.

If you don’t mind more texture, diced tomatoes can work in soups, stews, chilies and pasta sauce. Or try them when raw tomatoes are not available, such as salsa or bruschetta, especially when other ingredients can pick up the slack in terms of bold flavor.

Recipes: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/smoked-paprika-pasta-bake/" target=_blank>Smoked Paprika Pasta Bake</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/polenta-chickpeas-tomatoes/" target=_blank>Polenta With Chickpeas and Tomatoes</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/greek-style-shrimp-skillet-withtomatoes-spinach-and-feta/" target=_blank>Greek-Style Shrimp Skillet With Tomatoes, Spinach and Feta</a>

Scott Suchman for The Washington Post

Crushed tomatoes are my favorite canned tomato. Their sweet and tangy flavor add depth to dishes, providing long-cooked flavor with a lot less time, although further cooking makes them even richer. “Canned crushed tomatoes are somewhere between diced and pureed. The skins are removed during processing, then the tomatoes are crushed and enriched with puree,” ATK’s White writes. The <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/canned-tomato-types-and-use-what-kind-to-buy" target="_blank">consistency of crushed tomatoes can vary so much</a> between brands — one “may be a chunky mash, while another’s is a nearly smooth puree” — that J. Kenji López-Alt says on Serious Eats he prefers to crush them himself. If that’s more work than you want, check out different brands and see which you like best. Strained tomatoes, such as from Pomi, are a similar, excellent option.

I turn to crushed tomatoes when I want a somewhat fluid, but not watery, sauce, such as in pizza, lasagna and shakshuka. It can incorporate seamlessly into soups, including <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/family-favorite-minestrone/" target=_blank>minestrone</a>, or stews.

Recipes: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/20-minute-tomato-sauce/" target=_blank>Fast and Easy Tomato Sauce</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/sausage-spinach-and-goat-cheese-lasagna/" target=_blank>Sausage, Spinach and Goat Cheese Lasagna</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/spicy-red-shakshuka/" target=_blank>Spicy Red Shakshuka</a>

Laura Chase de Formigny for The Washington Post

Tomato paste is made from mashed, cooked and spun tomatoes, resulting in a thick, dark, richly savory product. It’s one of the best ingredients to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/02/17/embrace-umami-and-learn-to-add-its-savory-goodness-to-your-foods/" target=_blank>add instant umami</a> to many dishes. Tomato paste comes in cans, as well as tubes that are ideal for leaving in the fridge and pulling out as needed. Otherwise, scoop 1-tablespoon portions, freeze on a lined tray and then pack in a bag or container.

Tomato paste is an umami-rich pantry powerhouse. Here’s how to use it in all sorts of dishes.

The lack of extraneous liquid makes tomato paste a natural addition to any tomato sauce. Consider browning it in the skillet, after the onions and along with such quick-cooking aromatics as garlic and red pepper flakes. Even just a tablespoon added to vegetable broth contributes depth you might otherwise get from meat-based ingredients. I also use paste in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/black-bean-breakfast-burritos/" target=_blank>Instant Pot black beans</a>, as well as stews and braises.

Recipes: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/tomato-balsamic-chicken/" target=_blank>Tomato-Balsamic Chicken</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/red-wine-braised-chicken-thighs-root-vegetables/" target=_blank>Red Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs With Root Vegetables</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/vegan-picadillo-recipe/" target=_blank>Vegan Picadillo</a>

“Canned tomato puree offers the smoothest texture yet with the seeds and skins removed before the mixture is cooked,” White says, noting that its lack of fresh tomato flavor means it’s best left for long-cooked dishes. <a href="https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/3240-cooking-with-canned-tomatoes#Tomato%20Puree" target="_blank">Examples include sloppy joes, lasagna, chili and meatballs</a>, according to Corilyn Shropshire at Cook’s Illustrated.

<a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-to-7-varieties-of-canned-tomatoes-223295" target=_blank>Subbing tomato puree in for crushed tomatoes</a> is usually okay, Christine Gallary writes at the Kitchn.

Recipes: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/mushroom-and-lentil-bolognese/" target=_blank>Mushroom and Lentil ‘Bolognese’</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/simple-butter-paneer/" target=_blank>Simple Butter Paneer</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/pasta-and-lentils-sicilian-style/" target=_blank>Pasta and Lentils, Sicilian Style</a>

Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post

“Tomato sauce generally comes in smaller cans, usually eight ounces, and it has a very smooth, pourable texture from being slow-cooked and blended. Tomato sauce can also be made by combining water with tomato paste,” Gallary says. It is not to be confused with canned, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/01/25/best-marinara-sauce-brands-taste-test/" target=_blank>ready-to-use pasta sauces</a>.

Canned tomato sauce can be used in similar ways as tomato puree, although the inclusion of spices can make it slightly less versatile depending on what you’re making.

Recipes: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/simple-butter-chicken/" target=_blank>Simple Butter Chicken</a> | <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/tomato-pudding/" target=_blank>Tomato Pudding</a>

University of Virginia, BA in English

Becky Krystal is the recipes editor for Washington Post Food, following a six-year stint as a staff writer and recipe developer. She came to The Washington Post in 2007 to work for TV Week and Sunday Source. Her time at The Post also includes five years in the Travel section.

Becky Krystal

washpost

How to use canned tomatoes: whole, crushed, diced, paste and pureed

the-washington-post

 A canned tomatoes primer for a how-to feature in Voraciously

for the Washington Post

food styling by Nicola Justine Davis for The Washington Post

News

How To

Dining

Newsletter

Instagram

Food

prism://prism.query/site-not-subtype,/lifestyle/food,recipe-template&limit=20

Get the Eat Voraciously newsletter for delicious dinner inspiration, delivered straight to your inbox.

Your source for everything food and drink: recipes, restaurant reviews, dining guides, cooking for one, Tom Sietsma's column, and much more!

prism://prism.query/food-highlights/&limit=2

prism://prism.query/tag,foodherofeature&limit=1

prism://prism.query/site-articles-only,/lifestyle&limit=20

Lifestyle

Washington Post Lifestyle gives you the latest fashion and beauty trends, home d&eacute;cor pointers, food and recipe ideas and reviews, relationship advice, travel ideas, wellness tips and much more.