Diced Tomatoes Recipe

HOW TO MAKE diced tomatoes recipe from fresh tomatoes.  Step by step instructions walk you through the beginning all the way up to freezing or canning them. This is a great way to preserve your garden tomatoes!

How to Make Diced Tomatoes

It’s raining tomatoes in the garden! So many tomatoes! It’s time to make my favorite Diced Tomatoes Recipe!

Right now we have a explosion of cherry tomatoes (hello cherry tomato sauce and pickled cherry tomatoes) roma tomatoes (hello roma tomato sauce and fresh tomato salsa!) and beef tomatoes (hello tomato pie) of all sizes currently occupying our counter.    I love seeing a kitchen full of fresh vegetables but it also gives me a slight overwhelming fear of anxiety because I know I have to go to work on them and start preparing our tomatoes to last the next few months.

We pretty much only buy tomato sauce or tomato products during the months of May and June.   July, August and September gives us fresh tomatoes by the basket full while October-April supplies us tomatoes that were canned or frozen months prior.  

It’s always a special feeling when its a cold Wintry day and you can still enjoy some fresh tomatoes you grew months prior when the garden wasn’t covered in snow.

Homemade Diced Tomatoes

I tend to use a ton of diced tomatoes in recipes.  Before having the garden I would buy a few cans of diced tomatoes a week to throw in casseroles, pasta dishes and soups.  Since having the garden there is no more diced tomato can buying as now it’s all homemade. 

Not only is it incredibly easy to make homemade diced tomatoes but it’s just as easy to make them last.  I tend to freeze my diced tomatoes (like I do our stewed tomatoes) instead of canning.  That means if you are still a bit fearful of that pressure cooker you can still preserve and save your tomatoes to last months!

I have been meaning to make a Diced Tomatoes walk through for ages but somehow I always forget.  This year I wasn’t going to let it happen.  With a big supply of tomatoes I put a afternoon aside to make a few batches of diced tomatoes and document it for you step by step (no matter how dirty my camera got!).

I hope this helps you both make diced tomatoes and preserve them!  I think after you see how easy and delicious this recipe is you won’t be buying the cans anymore!

Diced Tomatoes Ingredients

You will need 4 simple ingredients for diced tomatoes: tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil. 

Diced tomatoes recipe

Step 1.  You will need one pound of tomatoes for 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes.  The best tomatoes to use are roma, plum and beef tomatoes.  I always weigh my tomatoes to get a accurate amount.

 I was making multiple batches below so that’s why it says 3 pounds.  And yes, that’ a USPS scale.  It’s very fancy in my kitchen! 😉

 
I almost always prefer using roma tomatoes for diced tomatoes for my diced tomatoes recipe.  I think they are best for cutting and aren’t overly juicy.  Every now and then I will also throw a beef with them if there are some other tomatoes I need to get rid of.

 
Step 2.   Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Drop in your tomatoes very carefully to not splash.  Let boil for 2 minutes.

The water and tomatoes will be extremely hot.  Please be careful not to burn yourself.  Even though I say this I usually always splash myself at least once. 

You will notice the tomato skins are starting to peel open. That’s a good thing and exactly what we want.

Step 3:  Prepare a large container of cold water with ice cubes in.  This container can be a pot or a bowl, it doesn’t matter.  Very carefully drop your hot tomatoes into this ice cold water.  

You are giving them a ice bath to shock them and stop them from cooking.  Let them sit in this water for a few minutes until you can touch them.

How to Dice Tomatoes

Step 4:  Place tomato on cutting board.

Step 5: Carefully pinch the top of the tomato skin.  You will notice it feels lose on the tomato.

Step 6: Peel the skin down on all sides of the tomatoes. 

Continue to do this to all your tomatoes.

Step 7:   Twist or cut off the peels where it meets at the other top.  Now you will have a pile of tomatoes and a pile of skins.  You can set aside the skins to compost them.  

Step 8:  Dice the tomatoes up into small sizes.  I cut them to about the same size as they would be in cans.   Do you see all the juices that came out of the tomatoes?  Make sure you keep all these juices and put them in the saucepan below.   These juices are like gold!

Step 9:  Add your tomatoes and spices to a large saucepan.   Now you’re going to cook them over medium high heat to a boil.  Then you will simmer then for 10 more minutes.

Step 10: The diced tomatoes are done! Remove from heat.  

Now you have a few options.  You can eat them right away, throw them in a mason jar and refrigerate to serve tomorrow, or freeze them to use in a few months.

If you’re going to eat them right away, then serve them on up however you plan on using them! 

Canning and Freezing Diced Tomatoes

If you’re going to freeze them, then put them in a freezer bag, label and put in freezer. I like to equal each freezer bag to a 15 oz can so I can easily grab a bag every time a recipe calls for a can.    

To defrost the tomatoes run under warm water, then heat accordingly. 

Here’s 4 bags ready to be frozen!

Enjoy this diced tomatoes recipe!