Stewed Tomatoes made from fresh Roma tomatoes are peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces and simmered with a softened onion, green bell pepper, garlic, marjoram, basil, a spoonful of brown sugar and two bay leaves until they break down a little. It’s a stovetop side dish that takes about 40 minutes and serves 6. Spoon it over rice or pasta, or serve it next to dinner.
How to make them: Blanch the scored tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, cool them in ice water and slip off the skins. Soften the onion and bell pepper in olive oil, add the garlic and herbs for a minute, then stir in the tomatoes, seasoning, brown sugar and bay leaves and simmer about 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Fresh tomato flavor: a way to let ripe, homegrown tomatoes shine.
- Simple ingredients: tomatoes, onion, pepper, garlic, herbs and a little brown sugar.
- Versatile: a side dish, a topping for rice or pasta, or a base for soup.
- Freezer-friendly: make a batch when tomatoes are plentiful.
Ingredient Notes
Roma tomatoes: 2 1/2 to 3 pounds. Plum or beefsteak tomatoes also work.
Olive oil, onion and bell pepper: 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion (chopped) and 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper.
Garlic and herbs: 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram (or dried oregano) and 1 teaspoon dried basil.
Seasoning: 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 2 bay leaves.
Fresh basil: torn or chopped, to finish.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 to 3 pounds Roma tomatoes, scored, blanched and peeled, then cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram (or dried oregano)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh basil, torn or chopped, to finish
How to Make Stewed Tomatoes
1. Peel the tomatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score the tomatoes on the non-stem end and carefully add them to the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, working in small batches. Plunge the tomatoes into an ice bath until cool. Peel them with your hands and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
2. Soften the onion and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onion and bell pepper are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, marjoram and basil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
3. Simmer the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, brown sugar and bay leaves. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down a bit.
4. Finish and serve. Fish out the bay leaves. Add torn or chopped fresh basil and serve.
Do You Have to Peel Tomatoes for Stewed Tomatoes?
This recipe peels them, and it’s quick once you know the trick:
- Score the bottom. Cut a shallow X in the non-stem end of each tomato.
- Blanch in small batches. 30 to 60 seconds in boiling water is enough.
- Straight into ice water. Move them to a bowl of ice water to cool, then slip the skins off with your fingers.
- Chop to your liking. Bite-sized pieces are standard, but the size is up to you.
Some quick stewed-tomato recipes skip peeling altogether: whole grape tomatoes stewed soft with garlic, shallot, olive oil and thyme, then pressed with a fork. That’s a different, rustic side. For the chunky, saucy texture in this recipe, peel them.
What Exactly Are Stewed Tomatoes?
They’re peeled tomatoes simmered with onion, bell pepper, garlic and herbs until they soften and start to break down: somewhere between chunky tomatoes and a sauce. They’re served as a side, spooned over rice or pasta, or used as a sauce or soup base.
Tips
- Cook the onion and pepper first. Get them soft before the tomatoes go in.
- Keep the garlic brief. One minute over low heat, stirring.
- Judge by texture. They’re done when the tomatoes break down a bit, around 30 minutes.
- Want it thicker? Simmer over medium, stirring often, until it thickens.
- Remember the bay leaves. Fish them out before serving.
Variations
- Oregano and rosemary: season with 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary instead of marjoram and basil.
- Simpler: skip the onion and garlic and stew the tomatoes with just green pepper, salt, a little sugar and dried parsley.
- Different tomatoes: plum or beefsteak tomatoes in place of Romas.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. They keep 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, and use within 3 to 4 days of thawing.
Reheating: Reheat covered on the stove or in the microwave until they reach 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
About canning: this is a stovetop recipe for eating fresh or freezing, not a canning recipe.
What to Serve With Them
Spoon them onto rice, toss them with pasta, or set them beside smothered green beans or skillet zucchini and mushrooms. More garden-tomato ideas: fried green tomatoes and roasted garlic Parmesan zucchini, squash and tomatoes.
For another stovetop side, make Southern stewed potatoes or the creamy stewed potatoes recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make stewed tomatoes?
Peel fresh tomatoes, soften onion and bell pepper in olive oil with garlic and herbs, then simmer everything about 30 minutes.
Do you have to peel stewed tomatoes?
This recipe does, by blanching them 30 to 60 seconds and cooling them in ice water. Some rustic versions leave small tomatoes unpeeled.
What kind of tomatoes are best?
Roma tomatoes are used here; plum or beefsteak tomatoes also work.
Can I freeze stewed tomatoes?
Yes, for 3 to 4 months.
How do you serve stewed tomatoes?
As a side dish, on top of rice, with pasta, or as a base for sauce or soup.
Final Notes
Peel, soften, simmer and finish with fresh basil. If you try the oregano and rosemary version, tell me in the comments how you liked it.
Stewed Tomatoes
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 to 3 pounds Roma tomatoes scored, blanched and peeled, then cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh basil torn or chopped, to finish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score the tomatoes on the non-stem end and carefully add them to the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, working in small batches. Plunge the tomatoes into an ice bath until cool. Peel them with your hands and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onion and bell pepper are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, marjoram and basil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, brown sugar and bay leaves. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down a bit.
- Fish out the bay leaves. Add torn or chopped fresh basil and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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