Too many canned tomatoes

January 21, 2018 6:55 AM

In trying to cut down my food budget, I've realized I have been accumulating way too many cans of tomatoes. I need some tasty recipe ideas that are fun and interesting!

These are normal, store-brand canned tomatoes, not fancy gourmet stuff. Most are diced or petite diced and otherwise not seasoned. I'm not trying to use up all of it at once, but gradually whittle down my collection. No dietary restrictions.

posted by Aranquis to Food & Drink (44 answers total)

Shakshuka
posted by ersatzhuman at 7:02 AM on January 21, 2018 [15 favorites]

Salsa (just sub a drained can of tomatoes)? Pizza? You can roast them and make a great soup. Here are some ideas; I’d definitely make a curry with some. Here are more.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 7:17 AM on January 21, 2018

Baked tomato with shrimp and feta

I use a slightly different recipe that doesn’t include dill. Great on pasta.
posted by sciencegeek at 7:17 AM on January 21, 2018

I've been there! Good for you for being so frugal.

Mix them with chickpeas and season to taste (cumin).

In the winter, when fresh tomatoes are bad, I sometimes use canned tomatoes in a salad (let's say a corn salad or Israeli salad--diced tomatoes and cucumbers). Drain them well (drink the juice). If you've got whole canned tomatoes, literally chop them as though they were a Roma tomato. Give it a try--you'll be surprised.

Stuffed cabbage--the tomatoes go on the outside of the rolls to make the sauce.

Matbucha, a dip to eat with pita bread.
posted by 8603 at 7:18 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

You must make Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce immediately.
posted by nerdfish at 7:25 AM on January 21, 2018 [10 favorites]

Fry up whatever cheap or leftover meat and veg come to hand, then chuck some rice in there and one tin of tomatoes per two portions, and the same amount of water, and then cook the rice IN those tomatoes.
Add jerk seasoning or other spices to taste if you fancy. This is WAY tastier than it has any right to be considering how how cheap and easy it is.
posted by quacks like a duck at 7:26 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

This Mediterranean Braised Green Beans recipe from CI is one of my go-tos. The beans cook for a long time but don't get mushy. The original article also had a variation substituting 2 Tbs mint for the parsley and adding feta cheese, which is also delicious. Start conservative on the cayenne.
posted by Preserver at 7:29 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Budget Bytes uses canned tomatoes in a lot of her recipes:

Spicy Shrimp Tomato Pasta is a good one.

Creamy Tomato Spinach Pasta

Searching "diced tomatoes" on her website brings up a ton of recipes, too!
posted by castlebravo at 7:36 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

You can roast canned tomatoes in the oven. Drain them (reserve the juice, it freezes great) and roast low and slow in a heavy bottomed cast iron or ceramic pot. It'll get all caramelized and gain a different flavor that really changes things up from other canned tomato applications.

You can do a big batch of a few cans and then scoop out and freeze most of it, leaving one meal's worth of tomatoes in the pot. Put it on the stove and deglaze with the drained juice to get up all the yummy bits. If you just add some sugar salt and vinegar and then reduce it it makes an awesome glaze for a meatloaf or a base for a barbecue sauce. But you can also use it as a soup base. Try a minestrone with the roasted tomatoes as a base, use kale and a variety of root vegetables to play off the richer flavor. Or do a sweet and sour cabbage and roasted tomato soup, pop in some smoked sausage for maximum flavor.
posted by Mizu at 7:37 AM on January 21, 2018 [5 favorites]

I have the same problem, and am going to try making harira tonight. I can't personally vouch for it yet, but it looks like a tasty recipe.

This mixed bean masala is super easy and delicious.
posted by Fig at 7:38 AM on January 21, 2018

Chicken breasts are nice sauteed with olive oil, garlic and then add tomatoes and rosemary at the end. Really easy.
posted by puddledork at 7:46 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

If you are lazy like me, cook up some cut up meat (I use chicken) onions,red sweet peppers, and mushrooms in some olive oil. You can also add garlic or other vegetables or seasonings. If you are not a purist, cook up a box of Goya yellow rice as per directions. Or use your own favorite rice recipe. Add canned tomatoes to the meat and veggies. When almost done, add some shredded cheddar cheese. When that is cooked add it to the cooked rice. My family likes it.
posted by mermayd at 7:46 AM on January 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

Stuffed Bell Peppers

- 4 bell peppers, whichever is your favorite color. Pick out some boxy/square ones with flat sides.
- 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (drained a little but not rinsed)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (depending on how much you like cheese)

Start a large pot of water filled halfway, get it to a rolling boil. I think about 6 cups of water in there. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim the tops of the bell peppers and clean out the seeds. Place the cleaned out bell peppers in the boiling water for about 5 mins or so to get them to soften up. Turn the temperature down slightly to medium-high. You can start putting together the filling while this is happening (see below). After 5-10 mins or so, when the peppers are just getting floppy and have softened a little, remove the bell peppers with tongs and drain on a paper towel, then place them standing up in a baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, put the following together and mix: 1 drained and rinsed can of black beans, 1 can slightly drained diced tomatoes, 1 cup cooked rice, and 1 cup grated cheese. Mix together and then spoon the mixture evenly into the bell peppers and press down very gently just to make sure there aren’t air pockets. Depending on the size of the peppers, you might have extra mixture. If you don’t have enough, just add some more rice. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of ketchup (yes, ketchup! Just use a spoon to spread gently over top of rice mixture). Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. [adapted to be cheaper and easier from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook]
posted by belau at 7:48 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

You must make Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce immediately.



I second this. I have made this sauce myself and it is AMAZING.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 7:50 AM on January 21, 2018

Oh, and here is a link to it from Smitten Kitchen if the above link is inaccessible.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 7:55 AM on January 21, 2018 [3 favorites]

i don't know which MeFite here pointed me toward this dhal / lentil soup recipe, but it is easy and amazing.
posted by Mchelly at 7:58 AM on January 21, 2018

Penne with Eggplant, Olives, and Feta!

Bittman's Wintertime Tomato Soup uses the oven-roasting trick Mizu outlines above, and it's very satisfying and easy to make.
posted by halation at 7:58 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

I love gazpacho and eat it all the time. It's perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late- night snacks, and there are so many possible variations that I never get bored.
posted by Umami Dearest at 7:58 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Parched Rice:

Take leftover cooked rice (white or brown), heat it and stir it in a saute pan with a little oil until a few individual grains of rice start to pop. Then add canned tomatoes and shredded cheese (a salty cheese like parmesan or cheddar is really good) and keep stirring until heated through.

This is my favorite comfort food ever.
posted by Former Congressional Representative Lenny Lemming at 8:00 AM on January 21, 2018 [3 favorites]

You can make ketchup. The Ball Book recipe is fine and I use it for canning but if you plan to make a small amount and refrigerate it you can use less vinegar or even lemon juice. You can also experiment with the spices. It really is much better than store bought.
posted by Botanizer at 8:05 AM on January 21, 2018

Chili! Add a can of beans and some ground meat and spices.

This kidney bean curry is very tasty and cheap.

I use petite diced tomatoes to make Mexican rice. Cook the rice in the canned tomatoes (separate out the liquid and use that + broth to make up the usual amount of rice-cooking liquid), with some cumin and garlic.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 8:27 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Puttanesca. It is so easy and fast and delicious, and the only reason I found out about it is because we bought anchovies for the first time a few weeks ago, so I was looking for ways to use them. I'm very proud of my ability to make a spaghetti sauce from scratch without a recipe, but it takes a long time. This sauce is ready in 20 minutes. I'm honestly pretty mad I only found out about it so recently.
posted by solotoro at 8:29 AM on January 21, 2018 [4 favorites]

Spiced lentil, tomato, and kale soup. Substitutions like vegetable oil, dollar store spices and frozen spinach make it super budget-friendly.
posted by blerghamot at 8:53 AM on January 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Ethiopian lentil stew. It’s especially pretty if you throw in some spinach. I’m lazy, so I buy berbere spice instead of making it. My favorite brand here.
posted by FencingGal at 8:58 AM on January 21, 2018

Instead of linking you to the cookbook I always recommend, I have found a recipe from it: this Indian tomato rice soup. I've made it several times; it's unusual, yet simple, light and fresh and makes a nice counterpart to any other Indian fare or is good on its own. It's not hotly-spiced if that is a concern. And I do indeed use one can of plain diced tomatoes when I make it too.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:17 AM on January 21, 2018

Soup. Add a can to tortellini soup (saute carrot, celery, onion, garlic; add white beans and can of tomatoes plus chicken broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper; separately, cook tortellini; add spinach to soup when nearly done; serve soup over tortellini and pass parmesan at the table). Add a can to pasta e fagioli (recipes abound online).
posted by teragram at 10:02 AM on January 21, 2018

Two from a fantastic Indian cooking keto blog (you may have to modify cooking technique if you don't have a pressure cooker, but it just means you put it in a pot and cook it a good long while for the pressure cooked part):

Butter chicken (I don't eat keto so I make this with a fraction of the butter and no cream, and it's still amazing)

Coconut tomato soup (upon review I see she uses fresh tomatoes; I just used a can of diced tomatoes and it was terrific.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:09 AM on January 21, 2018

Minestrone?
I make it whenever we have bits and pieces of vegetables in the crisper: half a bell pepper, a wilting carrot, a tired half celery, too much squash, you get the gist. It's the best budget food I know. I usually use canned or frozen beans (one can use string beans or edamame or even peas just as well as the different dried types of beans), and I found little half cans of beans at our local discount store, much better for a single or two-person household.
You can also make garlic breads: rub a slice of good , lightly roasted bread with garlic, put on some olive oil and a spoonful or two of crushed tomatoes, put under the broiler for a minute or two.
posted by mumimor at 10:28 AM on January 21, 2018

My very favorite breakfast. Great for lunch or dinner, too. You can adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Moroccan Eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 scallions, trimmed and roughly sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced or grated
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper or chili flakes
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
14 oz. jar tomatoes
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon honey
4 eggs
3 tablespoons cilantro (rough chopped)

Pour the olive oil into a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute the scallions until softened, then add the garlic, cayenne, caraway seeds, cinnamon, and cumin. Stir and cook he spices for about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Add the honey if the tomatoes aren't sweet enough to your taste. Simmer for 15 minutes until the mixture thickens a bit, stirring occasionally.

Once mixture is heated up, crack the eggs into the skillet. Spread the whites with a fork so that they cover the surface more evenly. Simmer until the eggs are cooked to your liking, about 5 minutes will cook the eggs so that they’re still soft inside but not runny. Serve garnished with cilantro and warm whole grain bread for dipping.
posted by Dolley at 10:30 AM on January 21, 2018

You can make your own tomato paste! This recipe calls for 10 pounds of tomatoes, which is about 11 of the small cans or half as many large cans, but it also scales down easily.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:36 AM on January 21, 2018

This is very general but if you are making a sofrito for something (usually in my case a paella) , if you saute a can of tomatoes until they get very dark and rusty, they get very concentrated - this is a good way to turn 15 ounces of tomatoes into about 2 ounces of delicious dark rusty goodness.

As mentioned above Puttanesca is delicious and I just wanted to add that my puttanesca game improved when I read this article. CliffsNotes: more everything.
posted by ftm at 11:53 AM on January 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

Sweet tomato chutney. It’s so good! I also make batches for my friends and they alway ask when the next round is coming. You can totally sub in diced tomatoes or whole.
posted by ananci at 12:01 PM on January 21, 2018

Hazan, yes.

I've been a little distracted by recipes that open some of the umami flavors of tomatoes. Several good Rick Bayless recipes come to mind, simple Mexican stews with tomatoes and worcestershire. His Veracruzana is the best example of this.

I also like Bittman's braised cabbage and tomatoes + caraway seed. It's not at all as weird as it sounds, and the perfect level of heartiness without being heavy. Recommend a dollop of yogurt/sour cream at the end. Couldn't find his version, but this looks relatively close without too much modification (I'd opt for a little butter too, to soften the onions before adding the rest).
posted by SoundInhabitant at 12:26 PM on January 21, 2018

Stewed okra & tomatoes is very easy and tasty. My parents make this with olive oil instead of the bacon fat so its even easier pantry dish.
posted by gatorae at 1:19 PM on January 21, 2018 [3 favorites]

Because Chef Bocuse died, I was just now looking through my ancient Bocuse in Your Kitchen, and came across a recipe for pommes boulangère. I tried to find it online and failed, but the idea is, you take a kilo of "old" potatoes, 500 grammes of tomatoes (a can!) and 125 grammes of sweet bacon. Slice the potatoes into thin slices. Dice the bacon and brown it. Butter a pan or casserole and then layer the potatoes, tomatoes and bacon with salt and pepper, thyme and bay leaf. To me, this looks really, really good and I will try it ASAP. I'd eat as a main with a salad on the side, but it could also be a great side dish to almost any meat.
posted by mumimor at 2:10 PM on January 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

I’d recommend a large batch of red sauce for pasta. When cooled, measure out single or double (whatever your household size may be) portions and freeze them in bowls/Tupperware/whathave you. When frozen, remove from containers and place in ziplock bags (or food save them) and throw them back in the freezer.

Easy spaghetti or whatever whenever you like!
posted by drfu at 5:08 PM on January 21, 2018

This pasta recipe by Nigel Slater, in which a half-can of chickpeas is blended with the tomatoes into a sauce, and the other half tossed in whole. Best with orecchiette, which will nestle the chickpeas in their little divots. I love Nigel Slater more than is reasonable, because of recipes like this.
posted by MrBobinski at 5:33 PM on January 21, 2018

Greek Green Bean and Potato Ragout is easy and delicious.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:33 PM on January 21, 2018

This is at the fast and cheap end of the spectrum. Tasty though.

Fry 200-500g sausages in large frypan until cooked (depends on how hungry you are and how many sausages you have). Remove from pan and in the leftover fat saute two chopped onions until transparent. Add two chopped capsicums and saute until hot. Add in 2 cans chopped tomatoes and 1 can drained kidney beans. Chop sausages into ~1cm thick coins and add back to pan. Simmer for a few minutes. Add fresh oregano if you have it.

Serves 4 with rice or toast.

2nding shakshuka.
posted by kjs4 at 8:48 PM on January 21, 2018

uovo in purgatorio! (eggs fried in tomato sauce) http://www.napoliunplugged.com/uova-in-purgatorio.html

(I like to add a lot of hot pepper, right into the oil, but YMMV)
posted by n. moon at 7:32 AM on January 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

28 oz can of tomatoes, run through a blender or food processor, run through a sieve. Add 1-3 t masala powder. Heat, adjust salt if needed, float a pat of butter on top.
posted by plinth at 7:59 AM on January 22, 2018

Back again--I think this is a Bon Appétit recipe. Toss some ziti with chopped canned tomatoes, black olives, and artichoke hearts to make a delicious pasta dish from the pantry.
posted by 8603 at 8:59 AM on January 22, 2018

Also, backing up gatorae, you can make okra and tomatoes with frozen okra--still delicious!
posted by 8603 at 9:02 AM on January 22, 2018

Loubie! Sounds boring but is super delicious and uses up lots of tomatoes. I recently make in a crock pot to good effect as well.
posted by le_salvo at 10:06 AM on January 22, 2018 [1 favorite]