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!
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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.
Miss Messy says
Looks fabulous 🙂 I wish I had a big tomato harvest!
Pamela says
If you were closer, I would share with you Miss Messy! 🙂
Stacy says
I love these, Pamela! I am sure they are so much better than store-bought, made from such gorgeous tomatoes. I’m thinking I could add hot peppers like jalapeños for a spicier version. Oh, yes, you’ve got me thinking! Thank you!
Pamela says
Stacy, that is a wonderful idea! I hope you give it a try! 🙂
[email protected] says
Beautiful tomatoes! I love stewed tomatoes, especially in slow-cooked tea broth, very traditional in my country. These tomatoes look tasty to be in a fresh salsa or raw tomato sauce (pomodoro). What a lovely vegan recipe! Thank you!
Pamela says
Slow cooked tea broth, very interesting. Can you share more about this process Rika?
Joanne says
Your gorgeous pictures might make ME cry!! Seriously, they look SO good.
Pamela says
Thanks Joanne! 🙂 Go ahead.. shed a tear or two.
Sarah | The Sugar Hit says
THEY SOUND INCREDIBLE. Stewed tomatoes always make me think about my Dad, who loves them! Might make him some of these for breakfast this weekend, see if I can bring a tear to his eye.
Pamela says
Awww, I hope he cries (in a good way!).
Jamie G says
I love big stewed tomatoes in my chili when it is cold and snowy! Have you tried canning them?
I am so envious of your abundant tomatoes. Crossing my fingers my garden is more successful next year.
Ash-foodfashionparty says
I am in love with your produce. Just shoes how much you love your plants and it is loving you back girl. I cannot imagine how it tastes but I can feel it in your words, I’m sure they almost tasted like candy and even better. The pictures are beautiful.
Koko says
I have never made my own stewed tomatoes!! I will bookmark this recipe so that one day when I do make them, I won’t waste my time with other recipes that are not tear-worthy!! 😉
Maggie @ Sunnyside Up Smile says
Mhmm I love stewed tomatoes! I haven’t had them in a while and this looks like the perfect recipe to make them again 🙂 I used to have my own vegetable garden when I lived back in Jersey. I grew peppers, string beans, cucumbers…you name it but my favorite thing by far was the red, ripe and juicy tomatoes. Tomatoes are nature’s candy 😉
The Café Sucré Farine says
I don’t like being jealous but I am so stinkin’ jealous of you and all these wonderful tomatoes. I’d even cry with you if you shared a jar or two of these yums with me 🙂
Monet says
These are beautiful! We have one measly tomato plant growing so I’m not sure we’ll have enough from our own garden…but I’ll have to make this with some store-bought tomatoes. Thank you for sharing!!
Pamela says
Good luck with your tomato plant, sending you good luck tomato vibes! Either way, I hope you enjoy these stewed tomatoes!
Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen says
Pure unadulterated tomato goodness is what this fresh stewed tomato recipe is! I need to make more homemade “cooking” things. I concentrate so much on baking and the challenges of gluten and grain free baking. Must make time to make this soon. Thanks for sharing…and, pretty photography too, girl! xo
Pamela says
Thanks Stacy! This is one of my favorite ways to use tomatoes, I could just snack on these stewed tomatoes.. mmm!
abby says
This looks so simple to do and it does look absolutely delicious. I love tomatoes ! I actually only started eating tomatoes three years ago. Not sure why I never liked them before, but I eat them all the time now. It’s the best thing to add to almost anything. I am definitely going to try this stew out and possibly preserve it so we have it for winter!
Thanks for sharing !
Pamela says
Enjoy Abby, the tomatoes work well in so many recipes!
Sophie says
Lovely easy & simple stewed tomatoes!!! YUMMMMM.
Pamela says
Me too! They are the best.
Sophie says
Lovely easy & simple stewed tomatoes!!! YUMMMMM.
Sophie says
Lovely easy & simple stewed tomatoes!!! YUMMMMM.
Katie says
I love that you labeled them as “Best Stewed Tomatoes Ever” and everything. And I love that you froze them and didn’t can them. I’m getting better and more adventurous with canning, but I am still scared of tomatoes (that whole acidity/botulism thing)
Do you ever freeze whole tomatoes? Its the easiest ever – you just toss them, skin and all, into a ziplock. When you thaw them out to use like you would canned tomatoes, the skin slips right off.
Just a couple days ago I read this recipe for making tomato paste with the leftover tomato skins – http://www.nwedible.com/2012/08/stop-throwing-away-free-tomato-sauce-making-sauce-from-tomato-skin.html
Pamela says
I totally freeze whole tomatoes too! Last year I had a giant bag of roma tomatoes sitting in my freezer all winter. It was so easy to just open it up and pick one out! Tomatoes! Aren’t they the best?
Awesome about the tomato skins recipe, definitely going to try this! I love using all parts if possible.. thanks for sharing!
Joe says
I think you have this backwards, acidic foods below ph 4.5 or so are much less likely to contain botulism toxin.
Juliana says
Wow, this stewed tomatoes sure look great, and yes, I love to have it handy in the freezer…
Hope you are having a fun week Pamela 😀
Pamela says
Thanks Juliana! I hope you are too!
hani/hanielas says
I want to live in your house. I can imagine the smell must have been lurking around in the street of the big city.
I’m actually canning some home made marinara today. My neighbors love it so I’m going to give them some in jars so they can enjoy it. Picked more tomatoes the other day. and I picked about 20 or so red peppers, starting the pepper paste today. Yay. Loving your post. They are fresh and taste delicious. Thanks again. PS. I crave nutella. 😉
Pamela says
You must be the number one neighbor on the block then! 🙂 What a nice gesture.. I bet it’s delicious!
Lillie McGuire says
How long would you can (pressure canner) these tomatoes? Thanks
Pamela says
We use quart jars for 20 minutes. Enjoy.
cynseri Peterson says
Can you do a water bath way of canning them?
Pamela says
Yes you can.
Jamie says
These are high acid so they don’t need pressure canning. Water bath canning is sufficient. 15 minutes for pints, 20 for quarts.
Ashley says
I’ve never made my own stewed tomatoes … I really need to try! I am alllll about tomatoes these days : )
Pamela says
I hope you give them a try Ashley, these stewed tomatoes are worth it! 🙂
Jennifer @ Not Your Momma's Cookie says
There’s so much tomatoey gorgeousness in this post! I don’t think I’ve even made stewed tomatoes before – obviously this needs to change!
Pamela says
Enjoy Jennifer! I will be sure to post my favorite way to use them soon.
Amy @ Elephant Eats says
I’ve never made stewed tomatoes, nor have I eaten them (I don’t think?!) But I love tomato sauce and so I think I would really enjoy these. So jealous of your tomato harvest! My mother-in-law finally had a successful tomato crop this year and the fresh tomatoes are just so sweet and delicious too.
Pamela says
I hope you give it a try Amy, stewed tomatoes are absolutely great with pasta – yum!
Tricia says
Last night while we were canning salsa we were talking about what we were going to do with our next batch of tomatoes.. And I think you just solved that for me……
Pamela says
Go for it Tricia! This is one of my favorite tomato recipes, enjoy!
Mary Frances @ The Sweet {Tooth} Life says
We are just about to get a ton of tomatoes, so I feel your pain . . . or joy (whatever causes tears:) I adore tomatoes (in everything) and so this is a must try!
Pamela says
I love the calm before the tomato storm… enjoy!
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says
Tomatoes and I have a tumultuous past. I’ve never really loved them until recently and so I’ve missed out on a whole world of delicious tomato dishes. I’m adding this to my “must try super soon” list. Cry-worthy tomatoes are for me! 🙂
Pamela says
They will make you cry so bad! In a good way of course. 🙂
Debra says
I am so jealous of your tomatoes.
Pamela says
Haha, thanks Debra. 😉
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
I’m so jealous! Those tomatoes are beautiful. Making your own stewed tomatoes –brilliant! Would be fabulous in stews and soups. YUM!!! 🙂
Pamela says
Thanks Anne! I love making our tomatoes last through winter this way. 🙂
Thelma Magreevy says
Easy recipe……the smell is driving me crazy…..so good. Can’t wait to can them……almost harvest time here in Aurora, CO
Pamela says
Hey Thelma, I know! The smell is amazing, right?! Enjoy the stewed tomatoes!
Pamela M. Perkins-Zirbel says
Hi!! I am making thus recipe right now!! I am adding fresh garlic and green peppers and cooking them.in the oven first, and adding onions!!!
Pamela says
YUM! I bet your kitchen smells amazing! Enjoy the tomatoes! 🙂
gotasté says
my all time favorite. and it gets better after keeping in the fridge for a few days! Yummy.
Pamela says
Yes! I am craving some stewed tomatoes right now! MMMM.
Lisa says
You’ve made this look soooo easy! I love your procedure photos. I also like to freeze stuff for when I don’t have time to cook. This is going on my must-try list for sure.
Pamela says
I think you will love them! I really can’t explain how good they are compared to the regular store bought canned version. I got very sad when a few days ago I went through my last homemade frozen bag. I can’t wait until tomato season!
Pam says
I have never made stewed tomatoes. This recipe looks simple and delicious!
Pamela says
They really are the best! This summer when we are swimming in tomatoes I will be sure to freeze many bags.
Robin Atkins says
Make sure to salt to own taste I use less
Betsy says
I agree; too much salt. Otherwise they very good.