Southern stewed tomatoes is one of those old recipes you want to pull out when you're up to your ears in fresh, vine-ripe tomatoes!
Nothing brings back memories of summer like a bowl of stewed tomatoes fresh from the garden. The aroma of vine-ripened tomatoes simmering with onions and peppers fills the kitchen, sweeping me back to my mom's kitchen on sun-soaked, summer afternoons.
Table of Contents
- Absolutely delicious and so easy!
- 🗝️ Key takeaways
- 🧾 Ingredients
- 📖 Variations
- 🔪 How to Make Stewed Tomatoes
- 🎥 Video
- 🍴 Equipment
- 🥫 How to store leftover stewed tomatoes
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Things to know
- 👩🍳 FAQs
- 📚 Related recipes
- 🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
- 📞 The last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 🍅 How to peel tomatoes
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- It's a great way to use all those summer vine-ripened tomatoes. You can freeze or can them for future use.
- Stewed tomatoes are a delicious side dish all year long. We love it for breakfast with just buttered toast to sop up the juices.
- Popping the tomatoes in a hot water bath for a few seconds is the easiest way to peel them. Find out how in the instructions below.
Skip the grocery store, this delicious Southern stewed tomatoes recipe uses common pantry staples. You probably already have what you need on hand.
It's one of those simple dishes—an old recipe that has stuck around because it's just so good. They're also a delicious base for scalloped tomatoes!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
Use these homemade stewed tomatoes to make Southern tomato gravy! It's absolutely delicious over biscuits, meatloaf, and more!
📖 Variations
- People always ask if you can swap canned tomatoes for fresh ones. Fresh, ripe tomatoes give the best flavor, but, if you must, you can use diced tomatoes from the store.
- Some families traditionally use bacon grease instead of butter. It adds a slightly smoky, fatty flavor. And, bonus: you can sprinkle the chopped bacon overtop the stewed tomatoes for serving!
- If you need to in a pinch, you can use canola oil or margarine. However, the greatest Southern recipes use butter—it's simply the best!
- Swap the red, yellow, and green pepper blend for one variety and a specific flavor. Green bell peppers are earthier, while red are sweeter.
- You can add sliced fresh okra, green beans, a celery stalk, or minced garlic to the simmering mixture to use up extra veggies or add more flavor.
- Use white or brown sugar—it doesn't make a noticeable difference.
- Before serving, stir in some stale bread cubes, or serve alongside fresh white bread—the perfect accompaniment for hot stewed tomatoes!
- For an herbal touch, simmer in some thyme or oregano, or garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
- Mix in some cooked, leftover white rice to make this Southern side dish stretch!
- Spice it up with sliced jalapenos.
- Adding Italian seasonings is a great idea. Rubbing dried herbs between your palms as you add them to the tomatoes releases their oils, enhancing their flavor.
🔪 How to Make Stewed Tomatoes
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
- Drain the tomatoes from the hot water bath and dry them on a towel.
- Remove the peels by gently slipping them off with your fingers.
- Slice the tomatoes into rounds, or dice them, whichever you prefer.
- Simmer the pepper, onion, and tomato mixture in butter until tender.
🎥 Video
🤫 Cook's secrets -
Use a well-seasoned skillet or enameled Dutch oven when working with acidic tomatoes to avoid them picking up a metallic flavor. If you must use a large saucepan or stockpot, avoid reactive materials, like aluminum and non-stainless steel. The acids can also cause reactive materials to pit, ruining your cookware.
🍴 Equipment
- non-reactive saucepan
- stock pot
- chef's knife
- cutting board
🥫 How to store leftover stewed tomatoes
One of the best things about stewed tomatoes is that they are so easy to store!
Refrigerate
Stewed tomatoes last refrigerated in an airtight container for three to five days. Microwave or heat on the stove until warm to your liking!
Freeze
If you want to make your yummy tomatoes last longer, store them in the freezer!
Add meal-sized portions to heavy-duty zip-top bags and freeze for up to three months. You can also freeze them in food-safe plastic freezer containers.
Canning
Stewed tomatoes are also pretty easy to can. I've done it before. There are great instructions for canning various types of tomato products on the Ball canning website
It gives you that summery, fresh tomato flavor all year long!
Marye's Tip o' the day
All tomato varieties work in stewed tomatoes. So, feel free to use whatever tomatoes you have growing in your garden! Try using a mixture of different varieties.
💭 Things to know
- I like the big Beefsteak, Roma, and Plum tomatoes. They are the meatiest with lots of tomato flavor.
- Heirloom tomatoes are another great option.
- If your stewed tomatoes are a bit thin after cooking, try to let them reduce a bit longer so more liquid can evaporate.
- If they're still too runny after cooling down, whisk in a tiny bit of cornstarch, bring the mixture back up to a simmer, and let it thicken to your liking. I like it kinda runny though... more flavor to soak up with bread!
👩🍳 FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Many people like just a touch of sugar to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes. If you cannot eat processed sugar, or if you prefer stewed tomatoes without any sugar, you can omit it.
"Stewed" simply refers to the process of cooking vegetables and/or meat in a simmering liquid. If it has the word "stewed" in it, you know it's going to be a great recipe with a lot of flavor!
📚 Related recipes
🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
Have leftovers? Don't toss them - here are some great ideas for repurposing leftover stewed tomatoes into a whole, new meal!
- Stuffed peppers. Mix the stewed tomatoes with rice, ground meat, and spices, then stuff into bell peppers. Bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through.
- Pizza topping: Use the stewed tomatoes as a topping for homemade pizza. Spread the tomatoes over the pizza dough, top with mozzarella cheese, and add your favorite toppings.
- Tomato soup: Blend the stewed tomatoes with some vegetable or chicken broth to create a rich and flavorful tomato soup. Add a splash of cream or milk for a creamy version.
📞 The last word
Stewed tomatoes are comfort food. They bring the bright, fresh taste of summer to your table all year long. They are a great substitute for canned tomatoes, as well.
Have you ever made them? What memories do you have of this vintage side dish?
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Southern Stewed Tomatoes
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 ½ pounds tomatoes
- ½ cup bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add tomatoes.
- Boil for 1 minute, quickly drain, and drop into a bowl of very cold water.
- Slip the skins off.
- Slice the tomatoes into rounds or dice them.
- Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and add the bell peppers and onions.
- Saute for about 2 minutes, or until slightly softened.
- Add the tomatoes and sugar.
- Stir to mix.
- Cover tightly and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender, stirring often.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Use a well-seasoned skillet or dutch oven when working with acidic tomatoes to avoid them picking up a metallic flavor.
- If you must use a large saucepan, avoid reactive materials, like aluminum and non-stainless steel.
- All tomato varieties work in stewed tomatoes. I like the big Beefsteak, Roma, and Plum tomatoes.
- If your stewed tomatoes are a bit thin after cooking, try to let them reduce a bit longer so more liquid can evaporate.
- If they're still too runny after cooling down, whisk in a tiny bit of cornstarch, bring the mixture back up to a simmer, and let it thicken to your liking.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🍅 How to peel tomatoes
Tomatoes, peaches, plums, and other thin-skinned produce are easy to peel when you use a hot water bath. Here's a full article on how to peel tomatoes with 5 different techniques if you want to read more.
- Wash tomatoes and drop them carefully in boiling water.
- Set a timer for 1 minute.
- Use a big slotted spoon or strainer to dip the tomatoes out of the hot water when the timer goes off.
- Drop them in ice water.
- Drain on paper towels. The skins will slip right off when the tomatoes cool.
First published July 27, 2022. Last updated June 20, 2024 for more helpful information and editorial improvements.
Sharon says
Can this recipe be canned?
Marye says
Hi Sharon. I have pressure canned it before with good results. However, since tomatoes carry a real risk of serious illness if not canned properly I'd suggest you check with the Ball Blue Book, or your local Ag extension agent for instructions and cautions.
Natalie says
This recipe was wonderful, but can we talk about how this is hands-down the best laid out cooking website EVER? Thank you for having such a user-friendly site that even includes little things like changing the serving sizes. You are a life saver!
Marye says
Oh my gosh Natalie, thank you so much!
Julie Evink says
I have an abundance of fresh tomatoes so I made these stewed tomatoes and froze them. I'm so glad I found this recipe so they didn't go to waste.
Alyssa says
My mom has tomatoes in her garden and I always feel like so many go to waste each year because we can't eat them in time. I can't wait to share this stewed tomatoes recipe with her. I love any recipe that allows you to freeze things for later use.
Camden Rusincovitch says
I love putting stewed tomatoes over rice like how this recipe recommends. Also, the hot water bath for peeling the tomatoes is such a lifesaver-- as a newly graduated college student, this would have saved me a ton of time if I had known this tip sooner!
Marye says
I think the hot water bath to peel the tomatoes is one of those things people just assume everyone knows how to do!
Kristen Yard says
Yes!!! I have a bag of tomatoes that are about to go bad and I was JUST wondering what to do with them! I can't wait to try this stewed tomatoes recipe! Can I also use this to make chili with?
Marye says
It depends on where you're from. It might be a bit too sweet for Texas chili.
Brittany says
These stewed tomatoes are a great way to use up all of our garden tomatoes in a pinch..and then we have them in the freezer for later!
Cynthia Rusincovitch says
My grandmother always made stewed tomatoes in the summer. There was okra in it sometimes if it was coming in faster than we could eat it from the garden. So delicious!
Gail says
Absolutely delicious and so easy! Thank you for sharing your recipe. Reminds me of my grandmother.
Debra Thomas says
I haven't made the recipe yet so won't rate but oh my gosh, growing up my mom would make stewed tomatoes (stove top) in the winter from home-canned summer tomatoes. This brings back happy memories so will def make your recipe in the next few days. Then will rate it. Thank you!