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Bowl of homemade stewed tomatoes on a white counter, with visible herbs and a chunky, rustic texture.

Stewed Tomatoes Recipe

A classic Southern-style stewed tomatoes recipe that's easy, comforting, and full of old-fashioned flavor. Made with fresh or canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs—perfect as a side dish or base for other meals.
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Course: Sauce Base, Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired, Southern
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 115kcal
Cost: $6–$8 (fresh tomatoes); $4–$5 (canned)

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven
  • 1 Sharp Chef’s Knife for clean, even chopping
  • 1 Large cutting board to prep tomatoes and veggies
  • 1 Wooden Spoon heat-safe and ideal for stirring
  • 1 Can Opener only if using canned tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 8 large tomatoes fresh; or use 2 cans whole tomatoes, drained
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sugar optional, for balancing acidity
  • 1 bay leaf optional
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil optional, chopped, stirred in at the end
  • 2 tablespoon butter optional, adds richness

Instructions

  • Blanch tomatoes.
  • Peel and chop tomatoes.
  • Sauté onions and green pepper in olive oil until softened.
  • Add garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
  • Add chopped tomatoes, dried herbs, salt, pepper, sugar, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
  • Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove bay leaf. Stir in butter and fresh basil just before serving.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 360mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1100IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1.4mg