This is one of those old recipes you want to pull out when you're up to your ears in fresh tomatoes!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- A great way to use up fresh garden tomatoes
- Southern comfort food classic that tastes like summer
- Best served with big chunks of bread to sop up the flavorful, thick mixture
Skip the grocery store, this delicious Southern stewed tomatoes recipe uses common pantry staples that you likely already have. It's one of those cravable, simple dishes—an old recipe that has stuck around because it's just so good.
🧾 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.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Drain the boiled tomatoes and dry them on a towel.
- Remove the peels.
- Slice the tomatoes into rounds, or dice them.
- Simmer the pepper, onion, and tomato mixture in butter until tender.
How to peel tomatoes
Tomatoes, peaches, plums, and other thin skinned produce are easy to peel when you use a hot water bath.
- 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.
🥫 Storage
Stewed tomatoes last refrigerated in an airtight container for three to five days. Microwave or heat on the stove until warm to your liking!
If you want to make your yummy tomatoes last longer, store them in heavy-duty zip-top bags and freeze them for up to three months. It gives you that summery, fresh tomato flavor all year long!
📖 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!
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: 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. So, feel free to use whatever tomatoes you have growing in your garden!
- I like the big Beefsteak, Roma, and Plum tomatoes.
- 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
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
- Nothing says "Southern summer" like these Fried Green Tomatoes. They're crisp, juicy, and beg-for-second-helpings good.
- Cream of Tomato soup is a classic comfort meal for any tomato fan, but homemade with love? That pretty much wins in all regards.
- Hearty Slow-Cooker Beef Stew simmers all day in a flavorful onion soup mixture to create falling-apart tender beef and hot, tender veggies.
🍽️ Serve with...
📞 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.
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. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Southern Stewed Tomatoes
Print Pin Recipe SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds tomatoes
- ½ cup bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- salt and pepper , to taste
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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 tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and sugar.
- Stir to mix.
- Cover tightly and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender, stirring often.
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.
Debra Thomas
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!