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 faster than I can pick them! So, naturally, my kitchen has turned into a full-blown tomato factory. Between roasted cherry tomato sauce and homemade diced tomatoes I’ve been cooking up every tomato dish imaginable. Oh, and let’s not forget fresh tomato salsa—because August always means fresh salsa!
These stewed tomatoes are the best, and I’m not fibbing either. If you’ve got a tomato harvest coming up—or if you just want to ditch the canned stuff—please, please, please make these! You won’t regret it.
If you love tomatoes as much as I do, get excited—I have so many favorite garden tomato recipes to share with you. But for now… let’s talk about these stewed tomatoes.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy them? Macaroni noodles and stewed tomatoes—it’s simple, cozy, and one of those dishes that instantly takes you back home. Or, if you’re craving something ultra-comforting, stir them into crockpot mac and cheese for an extra boost of flavor.
And because no tomato-filled meal is complete without a side of something warm and buttery, I highly recommend serving it with a slice of sweet cornbread. That perfect balance of sweet and savory? YUM!
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.
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.
Discard 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!
Pin for later:
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.
CD says
Your comment resonated with me. All those little things our mothers did, now lost to time. In this case, I know. It would be cornstarch. Dissolve 1 tbs of cornstarch in a 1/4c of cold water. After the stewed tomatoes are heated through, slowly drizzle the cornstarch mixture into the tomatoes, stirring constantly. Bring tomatoes just up to a boil.. stirring, and they will thicken. (Don’t fully boil or the thickness will thin out again.) Enjoy! (Perfect with mashed potatoes!)
Pamela Reed says
Now you have me very hungry for mashed potatoes and stewed tomatoes! 🙂
Jarita says
Loved this. Had little soft 🍅. I added almost a can of tom paste cuz my Tom were watery. I added more spices. Thyme, garlic celery basil oregano. Omg delicious. I ain’t buying cans no more.
Pamela Reed says
So happy you enjoyed these stewed tomatoes!! They’re my fav too. 😍😍
Bonnie says
I remember eating stewed tomatoes my mother used to make. It was always served with macaroni and cheese. Her stewed tomatoes were thickened a bit, Any ideas…Corn starch? I would ask her but she passed away years ago.
Frank Ross says
Under your recipe instructions for the stewed tomatoes where it shows “Video:” I don’t see any video or a link to a video? Although it looks pretty simple, I wanted to see your video. I didn’t rate it below but plan on cooking it today.
Pamela Reed says
Hey Frank, the video is showing up for me. Do you have a ad blocker on? I suggest trying another browser or switching to desktop/mobile if the problem continues for you!
Allie says
The stewed tomatoes recipe is great, thank you!
Janet McD says
This IS an Awesome recipe, and super easy!
Janet McD says
Wondering if you can give a more exact measurement of how much tomato goes into this recipe (weight or cups)?
Pamela Reed says
Hey Janet, I don’t have an 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!
Janet McD says
Pamela, I’ve made this recipe before but I couldn’t remember the tomato to green pepper ratio. I just made it again with the last of my tomatoes of the season and OMG, it is the BEST!!! I’m really just eye-balling it from the pictures you shared. And I agree, it’s almost good enough to cry over (w/joy). Thanks for this awesome recipe!!!
Ken Hines says
Scrimp-dilliiscious. Switch basil for the parsley because that’s what’s in the garden now. Would be good either way.
Ron Bacon says
What is the canning recipe or did I miss it on here?