I’ve never seen them on a menu anywhere, have you? Too bad, too, as they are truly delicious and so easy to make.
How To Make Stewed Tomatoes
All you do is cook peeled, chopped tomatoes on the stovetop with some butter, a little sugar, salt and pepper, and herbs (I like to use basil) until the tomatoes completely fall apart and the flavors have had a chance to meld. Top the hot stewed tomatoes with a few crunchy homemade croutons, and you have a beautiful tomato side dish.
Don’t Skip the Sugar
Here’s a tip: do not leave out the butter or sugar! While you can reduce the sugar a bit if you want, some sugar is needed to balance the acidity of the tomatoes—unless you are using unusually sweet tomatoes. Butter is absolutely necessary for the taste of this dish. This batch of stewed tomatoes was made with fresh heirloom tomatoes from the market. The better quality tomato you start with, the better the result will be. That said, during most of the year when farm fresh juicy tomatoes are not available we will make stewed tomatoes with good quality canned tomatoes.
What To Serve With Stewed Tomatoes
You can serve stewed tomatoes as a side to roast chicken, baked fish, or as a base for poached eggs as in shakshuka. You can serve it alongside or tossed with pasta, or with white beans. One reader mentioned they love serving it with mac and cheese. Our favorite dish to serve alongside stewed tomatoes? Tuna Macaroni Salad. There’s something about the buttery, warm stewed tomatoes that is the perfect balance for cool fresh tuna salad.
Can You Freeze Stewed Tomatoes?
Freezing stewed tomatoes is a great way to easily preserve summer’s bounty. Store in a freezer safe container or zip top bag for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator, and reheat over medium heat until heated through.
What to Serve With Homemade Stewed Tomatoes
Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Liver and Onions Fried Catfish Baked Cod With Ritz Cracker Topping Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
The sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Use less or more to taste.
2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped (about 3 cups), or 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 6 basil leaves, chopped
Croutons
2 or 3 slices crusty French or Italian bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Add chopped basil and add more butter, sugar, salt and pepper if needed for balance. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the croutons are crunchy dry, and slightly toasted. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Remove from heat.
