Our Favorite Healthy Recipes to Make With a Can of Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with a can of diced tomatoes? ›

In addition, canned tomatoes provide lycopene, a phytochemical or natural plant compound that provides health benefits (and gives tomatoes their gorgeous hue). The antioxidant lycopene has been shown in over 700 studies to have a positive impact on breast cancer, heart cancer, inflammation and prostate cancer.

In which case, but owing to possible flavoring additives in canned tomatoes, it's best to use them sparingly. Cooked tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

The very essence of canning is to preserve the tomato by cooking it in the can, thus avoiding all preservatives. Although canned tomatoes are most often used as an ingredient (pasta sauce, chili, soups, etc.) where you will actually cook them, they are also great right out the can... ready-to-eat!

Foods processed at their peak to lock in nutritional quality and freshness include canned tomatoes or tuna, and frozen fruit or vegetables. Foods with ingredients added for flavor and texture, such as sweeteners, spices, oils, colors and preservatives, include jarred pasta sauce, salad dressing, yogurt and cake mixes.

Sometimes canned tomatoes are prepared with herbs and spices. Commonly used canned tomato-based products, like sauces, have large amounts of added sugars. Sugars are used to balance the acidity of tomatoes, making them sweeter. If you see sugar on the ingredient list, put the can down and look for a sugar-free option.

Freezing tomatoes is the easiest way to keep ripe tomatoes until you're ready to use them. You don't have to peel them first—in fact, the act of freezing them itself makes the tomatoes insanely easy to peel!

Yes, there are other ways to make your tomatoes taste even better and increase the acidity. There is lemon, vinegar, or my personal favorite, balsamic. Just imagine a tomato bruschetta with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top.

What to avoid in canned tomatoes? ›

Choose cans with the fewest ingredients: We prefer tomatoes packed with salt, but avoid sugar, garlic, or any preservatives other than calcium chloride and citric acid.

Tomatoes, which are considered acidic, do not mix well with starchy carbs such as pasta. This already-cumbersome combo turns into a recipe for digestive problems when you add dairy to it.

After opening canned goods, store the food in the refrigerator. High-acid canned goods such as tomato products, juice, fruit, pickles, sauerkraut and foods in vinegar-based sauces can be stored five to seven days.

There are many. Salsas, relishes, salads, hot sauces, oven dried, dehydrated (made a jerky kinda thing which came out surprisingly good!) But probably my favorite is a simply roasted tomato cut in half . Cutting it so that the maximum amount of seeds and surface area are exposed, yet contained.

The best way to store leftover canned tomato

If you don't use the whole tin of tomatoes or bottle of passata, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. Avoid keeping leftovers in the metal tin as the acidic tomatoes can react with the metal.

If tomatoes are to be left raw, then canned should not be substituted for fresh. Raw sauces and salsas are not the place for canned tomatoes. Canned tomatoes have been 'cooked' during processing.