The BEST Stewed Tomatoes Ever recipe! This easy to make recipe simmers tomatoes for 30 minutes to make homemade stewed tomatoes that can be served as a dinner side dish or can be canned. This how to make recipe shows you how easy they are to make! Find out why everyone considers them THE BEST! We always use this as a canning recipe for our Summer garden tomatoes!
Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe
Stewed tomatoes, sigh.
Our tomatoes are turning red quicker than I’m able to pick. So between oven roasted cherry tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato pesto, slow cooker tomatoes, tomato soup… there’s lots of tomato dishes going on in our kitchen! Oh and I did mention Fresh Tomato Salsa too – because you know August always means fresh salsa!
I will have many more upcoming tomato recipes…get ready tomato lovers! But for now… stewed tomatoes!
These stewed tomatoes are the best, I’m not fibbing either. If you are having a tomato harvest soon or would like to make your own instead of the canned version, please please please please please make these!
How to Make Stewed Tomatoes Video
These are really the best stewed tomatoes ever!
This is a recipe that might cause you to faint, I’m warning you now. I was expecting average stewed tomatoes, but I ended up sitting at the counter with a spoon eating them out of the pot when they were done. Matthew was in another room, so I knocked on the door.
”Matthew? Are you there?”
”What? What’s wrong”
”Can you come here?”
”Why are you crying?”
”I just made the best stewed tomatoes.”
”Are you crying?”
”Yes”
”Why?”
”Because they are so good.”
This was a actual conversation over stewed tomatoes. Seriously, they are that good!
How to Make Stewed Tomatoes From Scratch
So what kind of tomatoes work best for stewed tomatoes? I find that beef and roma/plum both work well. Don’t worry about mixing them if you have to either. I do it all the time.
Beautiful beef and roma tomatoes, I love you. I was making a few batches of stewed tomatoes today.
Don’t be scared of this quick boil tomatoes, it will be over quickly!
And look at that.. now you’re in a ice bath! Think of it as a pool and relax.
Because of the quick boil, the skins will peel right off.
Disregard the skins (compost!), or come up with something to do with them. I like to use the skins to make tomato powder which can be sprinkled in soups, casseroles, sandwiches, etc.
So now we have all our tomatoes, naked and bashful! Throw them in a large pot.
Add all our ingredients, stir and put on the stove. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until the consistency is how you prefer your stewed tomatoes. Be sure not to boil off all the juices, that’s one of the joys of stewed tomatoes.
When the stewed tomatoes are done, serve them up right away if you’d like…
They are quite pretty and delicious so they compliment so many dishes nicely!
Or throw them in a mason jar in the refrigerator for tomorrow…
Or throw them in a freezer bag and freeze them for dinner in December. How fun is it to grab homemade garden stewed tomatoes to add to a meal while it’s snowing out?
ENJOY!
Need more tomato recipe ideas?
Need help growing tomatoes? Here’s how to grow tomatoes from seed!
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The Best Stewed Tomatoes Ever
PrintIngredients
- 10 tomatoes beef or roma variety
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, plunge tomatoes in for 30 seconds. Remove, put immediately in a ice bath.
- Peel the tomatoes. Discard the skins.
- Dice the tomatoes up to desired size.
- In a large pot on medium heat, combine all ingredients.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Then serve fresh or you can freeze them.
Video:
Maurice Tucker says
I want to preserve stewed tomatoes
Cindy's Mom says
I was looking for a recipe for the excess garden tomatoes we had this season. We thought you had to have celery in our stewed tomatoes. We all liked these. Will make this way from now on!
Ellen G says
the green peppers mentioned are bell peppers, right?
Pamela says
Yup!
Kellye Gallant says
Just tried it and tweeked the recipe. Mushrooms, banana peppers with garlic and balsamic vinegar, saffron and oregano. Can’t wait until it is done.
Jenny says
I’m wondering, do you remove the seeds or leave them in?
Pamela says
Leave them in. Enjoy the recipe!
Diane Parent says
Can you put diced celery and onions in this recipe?
Lisa says
This recipe was what I was looking for, so delicious. When we were kids my Mother used to make tomato soup with stewed tomatoes. I tried it with this recipe and it was amazing. All you do is take the stewed tomatoes, add 1tsp of baking soda per quart of tomatoes, to take out the acid. When the foaming has subsided add a little butter and stir in warmed heavy cream to desired consistency. Thank you for a great recipe.
Pamela says
Hey Lisa, that sound absolutely delicious! I’m going to try it on a chilly Fall night! 🙂 Thanks for commenting and stopping by!
Elise G says
What’s the yield on this recipe?
Elise G says
Oops I just saw where it says serves 6.
Disregard my question lol thanks!
debra beutler says
I’m wondering the same thing as Judy… To can them, Do you cook them the same way and then still process for 40 minutes?
MaryAnna Bigelow says
Much easier than I thought. Well written recipe.
Maryann says
Easy no fuss way to use all extra tomatoes from the garden
Pamela says
Thanks for commenting Maryann, glad to hear you liked these stewed tomatoes! 🙂
Kate Eckert says
Best ever….i also added fresh basil the second time I made them..I Love them as a fresh sauce over pasta.
Pamela says
Thanks for commenting Kate! Aren’t they delicious over pasta? YUM!
Dana says
Help! I need details about canning these!!!!
Jessica K says
Dana, I just put them in sterilized jars and process for about 40 minutes.
Judy says
Do you cook them before canning them?
Deena says
Do you water bath or pressure can them for 40 minutes? Thanks! I have 50 tomatoes on my counter now.
Yvonne S. Royer says
What is processing definition for canning? Could you walk me through process? Thank-you, I am anxious to make your recipe but need to know exact method for canning them.
Trish says
This looks so good! Considering that you use 5-7 # of tomatoes, about how many quarts of tomatoes does your recipe make?
Jessica K says
This is my second year canning these. I couldn’t wait to do it again! They are terrific! Easy to add to hot dishes and soups.
Pamela says
So happy you’re back to make more stewed tomatoes! Thanks for commenting Jessica! 🙂
B. H. says
After freezing do they get so mushy they are more sauce than stewed?
Pamela says
No, they still have the stewed tomatoes texture to them. I use them just like I’d use them if they were fresh after freezing. Hope this helps!
Kristin says
This is such a good recipe! My garden went crazy this year and I have made several batches. I have about 50 tomatoes prepared and simmering as I type this. I have made pasta sauce with these and it is AMAZING. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Pamela says
Hey Kristin, I’m so happy to hear you liked these stewed tomatoes. Congrats on a great garden season! Thank you for commenting and stopping by! 🙂
Shannon Lepper says
This was a very easy and yummy way to make stewed tomatoes!! I did add some dried onion a tiny bit of extra sugar (like another teaspoon). So easy and so good!
Pamela says
So happy to hear you liked these stewed tomatoes! Thanks for commenting Shannon!
Julie Henry says
Growing up Mother put bread in her stewed tomatoes. Is that a Southern addition? With eight children perhaps it is just a way to stretch the dish?
Pamela says
Crusty bread is great too, the stewed tomatoes juices soften it right up! YUM!
Linda says
Awesome recipe for all the fresh tomatoes our garden produced this year!!! I even added sliced onions and various spices. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Pamela says
So happy that you liked these stewed tomatoes Linda! My husband loves sliced onions in them too, in fact, I’m about to make a couple batches today to freeze! Thanks for commenting!
Karen says
Hello, I’ve been making simple stewed tomatoes for my chili for years. I’m wondering since I can stewed tomatoes, would I still can these the same since they have cooked for 30 minutes. Do you know? I’m excited to try these, thanks for sharing.
Laurel Voss says
This is my third year using this recipe I add onion to mine we love it !
Pamela says
That sounds delicious Laurel! Happy to hear you like this recipe, thanks for commenting!
Peggi Shepherd says
Fabulous!
Pamela says
Thanks Peggi! 🙂
Lucille Pritchard says
Hate to ask this but, in a pinch, do you think I could use canned tomatoes instead of fresh. I just have two fresh tomatoes now and thought I might add them to the canned and follow the rest of the recipe. I’m sure it will not taste as good as all fresh but would it be a passible substitute?
Sharon Delong says
I have never canned before. Do you add canning salt before sealing the jars
Kim says
Does this have to be pressure cooked or hot water bathed? For canning
Deidre says
Since tomatoes vary in size I’m wondering about how many lbs of tomatoes would go into this. Thank!
Pamela says
Hey Deidre, I don’t have a exact number as I don’t usually weigh them but I’d say 5-7 pounds of tomatoes is a fair estimate. If you go over a little bit, that’s totally ok, I can promise you this recipe will still be just as good. Enjoy!
Tiffany says
I was wondering the same thing. The beefsteak tomatoes I have are huge. 10 beefsteak and 10 roma are very different quantities. I might have had 1 beefsteak as large as 10 road.
Yes, I saw the reply with approximate weight, but I still thought I would comment why it is such a good question.
jane says
Every year I look up your recipe and think mmm, the best ever- until my mom informed me I was serving them wrong. Apparently a well buttered piece of soft white bread goes in the bottom of the bowl! Now they ARE truly the best stewed tomatoes ever. Thanks for sharing (and thanks mom!)!
Pamela says
Yum! That sounds delicious Jane! Thanks for sharing!
Charlene says
That is how my mom served them! Now… I use garlic croutons and they are wonderful!
Tope says
Please! I don’t see an answer about canning, unless I missed it. If putting in a boiling water canner, how long should it process?
Big Lou says
I am also wondering about this response.
Leslie says
I just finished making my first batch of stewed tomatoes I modified it a bit with onions garlic,red,yellow,and orange peppers and a few spices and it’s delish. Now the second batch
Cheryl Berry says
I do not like stewed tomatoes but my husband loves them. This is the first time I made them and he loved it! So much I had to make more. Thank you so much! It was very easy too.
Pamela says
Hey Cheryl, this makes me so happy to hear! I’m glad they were a hit! Thanks for commenting! 🙂