Best canned crushed tomatoes are a great way to add flavor and texture to your favorite recipes. They’re also an easy way to make sure you always have a rich tomato base on hand for your favorite dishes.
Crushed tomatoes can be used in everything from pasta sauces and soups, to slow-cooked meat dishes and even desserts.
It’s hard to find good canned crushed tomatoes that are fresh, flavorful, and affordable—but we’ve done the work for you. Here are the best canned crushed tomatoes available:
Best Canned Crushed Tomatoes Brands
#1: Contadina Canned Roma Style Tomato Sauce
This is a burst of fresh and robust flavor that can be used for anything you want to make tasty. From simple, delicious recipes like spaghetti and meatballs to more sophisticated varieties like homemade pizza sauce, this is the perfect topper for all of your meal ideas.
The tomato sauce pictured is typically used for pasta and pizza sauces but can be used in any recipe you wish to create. If you’re in need of a great base, give Contadina’s tomato sauce a try. They’ve been perfecting it since 1918, so they must have done some things right.
Highlighted features:
- High-quality, naturally pressed tomato sauce.
- Very versatile, can be used in any recipe.
- Made with a high quality of ingredients to ensure great taste.
#2: Cento San Marzano Organic Peeled Tomatoes
These tomatoes are certified as USDA Organic and are grown in Italy, specifically in San Marzano area, the optimum growing region for the plum tomato, to obtain a top quality.They are harvested at peak ripeness and remain uncut during the entire process, in order to retain maximum flavor and nutritional value.
You can use these tomatoes for many dishes, like salads, pasta, soups and more. The crushed version of this item is ideal for making soups or sauces from scratch.
It is recommended to use these tomatoes as a base for all your tomato-based recipes.
Highlighted features:
- Certified as USDA Organic
- 100% San Marzano Tomatoes from Italy
- No added ingredients, flavor enhancers or preservatives
#3: RO-TEL Mild Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
Add some kick to the kitchen, but not heat, with Ro-Tel mild diced tomatoes and green chilies. This is the one-of-a-kind blend of vine-ripened tomatoes, zesty green chilies, and spices people love, but with a little less heat. Add Ro-Tel mild diced tomatoes and green chilies to queso, tortilla soups, or any of your favorite recipes to spice things up. This product fits a low-carb lifestyle with 3 grams net carbs per serving (5 grams total carbs minus 2 grams dietary fiber). It only contains 25 calories per serving. This pack includes 12 cans.
Highlighted features:
- 25 calories per serving
- low in fat
- low in sugar
- low in sodium
- low in cholesterol
#4: Sclafani Crushed Tomatoes
A great complement to your homemade tomato sauce, this can of crushed tomatoes is a delicious and tangy delight. Made from fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes with a pinch of salt, these are juicy and sweet red tomatoes that will always bring in the aroma and freshness of the season. It is the perfect texture that won’t turn mushy or squishy even after being cooked. Sclafani makes this great ingredient with a “light crush,” using a special process to preserve the tomatoes’ flavor and nutritional value. A 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes is sold 12 cans per case.
Highlighted features:
- Faster cooking.
- Preserves flavor and nutritional value.
- No salt added.
#5: Cento Imported Italian Peeled Tomatoes
The tomatoes are already peeled and waiting for you in this 14-ounce can. The tomatoes will be so good, your sauce will taste amazing! The peeled tomatoes have a real basil leaf at the bottom of the can to add a burst of flavor to your sauces. They have a shelf-life of 4 months and they are perfect for the pantry or on the counter. These are Italian tomatoes and you will taste the difference.
They have no GMOs and have no artificial colours or flavours. These amazing Italian tomatoes come from the San Marzano region of Italy and they were picked fresh to preserve their natural taste. The tomatoes in this can are peeled; they will add a very smooth texture to your sauce as well as an authentic Italian taste.
The high acidity level is perfect for canning, making these canned crushed tomatoes a great pantry staple.
Highlighted features:
- No GMOs
- No artificial colours or flavours
- From the San Marzano region of Italy
- Packed in a BPA free can.
#6: Cento All-Purpose Crushed Tomatoes
Mighty, juicy tomato sauce. Delicious on any kind of pizza. And that’s not all! This product is 100% California vine-ripened tomatoes which makes it perfect for making anything from a tasty pizza sauce to an enchilada sauce. The tomato sauce is great for creating a superb spaghetti and meatball dish, but even if you don’t own a pasta maker, it will still taste great on your noodles. You can use this product to create amazing sauces or ragus and then top them with your favorite pasta or any other entree that you might want to add some flavor to.
This product has an amazing taste that tastes exactly like fresh crushed tomatoes. It’s not hard to use either and has a consistency that most will find easy to work with. It has a lot of calories, so if you’re trying to eat less, you may want to opt for tomato sauce instead of the canned version.
This product is available in many different sizes that vary by flavor and some even come with extra seasonings too. This particular one is 28 ounces which makes it perfect for making sauces for those who have more than one serving preparing a meal.
Highlighted features:
- Made with 100% California vine-ripened tomatoes
- Excellent taste
- Provides a lot of calories
- Available in many different sizes and flavors
#7: Hunt’s Four Cheese Spaghetti Sauce
This is old, but the classic sauce. This tomato-based pasta sauce has been around for many years and it still tastes as good as ever. Just add it to your favorite pasta, simmer for about 5 minutes or so and you’re ready to enjoy a delicious dinner.
The ingredients are pretty standard for this kind of canned food: tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, salt, onion powder, spices and citric acid. The subtle creamy taste has a wonderful aroma that fills the rooms once added to the pasta water.
Highlighted features:
- Highly rated in the past.
- Made from real tomatoes.
- Suitable for vegetarians, vegans and those with allergies.
- Slightly lower in fat than other salsas on this list.
#8: Hunt’s Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes
These are a great way to add freshness and vibrancy to your soup, stew, spaghetti sauce and more. They’re packed in their own juice and contain no artificial preservatives. A great way to ensure the freshest taste, these are made with all-natural ingredients.
This is a delicious and versatile tomato for sauce, salsa and other recipes. Depending on the recipe you’re making, you can use medium or mild Hunt’s Vine Ripened Tomatoes. They’re just as delicious from the can as they are from your garden.
Highlighted features:
- Full size 4 oz can
- Ideal for steaming, canning and freezing.
- Contains no artificial preservatives.
- Delivers great taste in your cooking.
- A great way to ensure the freshest taste
#9: Mutti Crushed Tomatoes
This is a vegan tomato that’s gluten-free, with no additives or preservatives. Like, what more could you ask for? They are packed in BPA-free cans, which is awesome. This crushed tomato is vegan and gluten-free, so feel confident when serving this stuff to your guests at the dinner table. It’s a great substitute for those who are picky about vegetarian options. Without it’s complimentary spices, this product is bland by itself.
Highlighted features:
- Gluten-free and vegan
- Full of flavor
- BPA-free cans
Things to consider when purchasing canned crushed tomatoes
When you’re looking to purchase canned crushed tomatoes, there are a few things to consider.
Quantity
The first thing to look at is the number of tomatoes in the can. If you are making a recipe that calls for one can of crushed tomatoes, then you will want to pay close attention to how many tomatoes are in each can. The more tomatoes that are in a can, the more expensive it will be. If you are buying a large number of cans, however, then this may not matter much for you.
Ingredients
Next up is what type of ingredients are used in making your canned crushed tomatoes. You should always buy those that use all-natural ingredients and have no added sugar or preservatives. You should also avoid any brands that add extra salt or oil to their product. These additions will change the flavor of your dish!
Cost
Canned crushed tomatoes are a lot less expensive than fresh tomatoes. If you’re looking for a way to save money, canned crushed tomatoes are a good option. In fact, canned crushed tomatoes can be up to 98 percent cheaper than fresh tomatoes!
Canned crushed tomatoes have the same nutritional value as fresh tomatoes — they’re just not as pretty. If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to get your daily dose of lycopene or vitamin C, canned crushed tomatoes are a great choice.
Organic
Organic canned crushed tomatoes cost more than regular canned crushed tomatoes because they contain no pesticides or other chemicals used in conventional farming. They also require better methods of processing that involve more hand labor than conventional farming does
FAQs
What can I make with a can of crushed tomatoes?
Here are some ideas for what to make with a can of crushed tomatoes:
- Spaghetti: Add the tomatoes to your favorite spaghetti sauce recipe.
- Pizza: Spread the sauce on top of your pizza dough and then add the other toppings.
- Pasta Sauce: Use a little less water than you normally would in your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce recipe, and use crushed tomatoes instead of diced or whole.
What is the difference between crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce?
There are a few differences between crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, but they’re not as different as you might think.
Crushed tomatoes are whole tomatoes that have been crushed into smaller pieces. They can be used in many recipes, but they won’t break down as easily as tomato sauce does, so they won’t work in every recipe. Crushed tomatoes also tend to be slightly more expensive than tomato sauce because they require more labor to prepare.
Tomato sauce is also made from whole tomatoes, but the tomatoes are cooked down until they’re a thick, smooth paste. Tomato sauce has a consistency similar to ketchup, so it’s perfect for thickening soups and stews or adding texture and flavor to pasta dishes.
Conclusion
Canned crushed tomatoes are a convenient way to make a variety of dishes. They’re easy to use and prepare, and they’re good for you.
We hope that this article helps you understand the difference between canned crushed tomatoes and canned diced tomatoes. Canned crushed tomatoes are great for making sauces, soups, and stews. You can also add them to pasta or rice dishes, or eat them as is!
If you found this article helpful, please share it with a friend who may also enjoy learning about canned crushed tomatoes!
