master-cooks | Why You Should Always Buy Canned Tomatoes Whole Over Any Other Option

When choosing canned tomatoes, opting for whole tomatoes is often the best choice due to several compelling reasons. Whole canned tomatoes are typically processed with minimal handling, ensuring that they retain more of their natural flavors and nutrients compared to their diced, crushed, or pureed counterparts. This minimal processing preserves the tomato's integrity, resulting in a fresher taste and a richer texture in your dishes. Furthermore, whole tomatoes provide greater versatility in cooking. They can easily be crushed, diced, or pureed at home to suit the specific needs of your recipes, giving you more control over the texture and consistency of your dishes. Whole canned tomatoes also often contain fewer additives. Varieties like diced or crushed tomatoes sometimes include added calcium chloride to maintain their shape, which can alter their natural texture. By starting with whole tomatoes, you can ensure a more natural product. Additionally, whole tomatoes are usually canned at the peak of ripeness, capturing their full flavor and nutrient profile. This makes them an excellent pantry staple, providing a reliable, high-quality ingredient for a wide range of culinary creations, from sauces and soups to stews and chilis.

How to crush or dice whole canned tomatoes

Crushed or diced canned tomatoes often contain additives and additional flavorings. While some of these flavors may be enjoyable, they can vary significantly by brand, with some being superior to others. In contrast, whole canned tomatoes typically have very few ingredients, usually just pure salt. By choosing whole canned tomatoes, you have control over what goes into your dish, ensuring it tastes exactly as you desire.

To transform whole tomatoes into crushed ones, simply place the vibrant tomatoes in a large bowl and crush them with your freshly washed hands. If you’re not keen on squishing tomatoes with your hands, you can pour the contents of the can into a pan and crush them using a wooden spoon. For dicing whole tomatoes, kitchen shears can easily solve that problem. From Ree Drummond's restaurant-style salsa to the ideal pasta sauce, canned tomatoes are incredibly versatile. Don’t take chances with crushed or diced varieties when you can enjoy the authenticity of whole canned tomatoes.

Why You Should Always Buy Canned Tomatoes Whole Over Any Other Option

How to crush or dice whole canned tomatoes

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