What Are Tomatoes, canned, crushed and How Can I Use Them?

Here's everything worth knowing about tomatoes, canned, crushed and how to pick them, what they is, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 63 recipes to cook tonight.

What is tomatoes, canned, crushed?

Crushed tomatoes are ground tomatoes suspended in a little tomato puree or paste, giving you a rough, pourable texture that sits between smooth puree and chunky diced. They are the shortcut to a sauce that already looks and feels like a sauce straight from the can.

Open a can and you get soft pulp with some body to it, not cubes and not a slick liquid. That texture is the whole point.

The Go-To for Quick Sauce

This is the can you reach for when you want pasta sauce in twenty minutes. The tomatoes are already broken down, so there is nothing to crush by hand and no long simmer needed to lose the chunks.

Warm some garlic in olive oil, pour in the crushed tomatoes, season, and let it bubble for fifteen minutes. That is a real sauce.

It is exactly the base behind a Quick & Easy Spaghetti Bolognese and the layers of The #1 Lasagna Recipe.

They also build the body of a soup or a braise. Bacon & Tomato Soup uses them so the soup has substance without blending, and they melt into the sauce of Favorite Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas.

Crushed Versus Diced and Whole

The three forms are not interchangeable, and picking the wrong one shows up in the texture of the finished dish.

Diced tomatoes are cut into cubes and dosed with calcium chloride so those cubes stay firm through a long cook. Reach for them when you want distinct pieces, like in chili or a chunky salsa.

Whole peeled are the rawest form, the best fruit packed in juice, waiting for you to crush them however coarse or fine you like. They give you the most control.

Crushed splits the difference. The work is already done, the texture is built in, and you trade a little control for a lot of speed.

For a weeknight red sauce, that trade is worth making.

What to Use Instead

Out of crushed? Whole peeled tomatoes are the best substitute. Crush them in your hand or pulse them a few times in a blender, then add a spoonful of tomato paste if you want them thicker.

Diced tomatoes also work if you simmer them longer and mash them down with the back of a spoon as they soften. Passata, the smooth Italian puree, gives a finer texture; loosen it with a little water if it feels too thick.

Buying and Storing

Check the ingredient list. The best crushed tomatoes are just tomatoes, maybe with basil or salt, and not much else. Some brands stretch the can with extra tomato paste and water, which dulls the fresh flavor.

Thickness varies a lot between brands, from nearly smooth to quite chunky, so once you find one you like, stick with it. The label sometimes says "ground" or "kitchen-ready" for the same thing.

Unopened cans keep for years on the shelf. Once you open one, move any leftovers out of the can into a sealed container and refrigerate; use them within five days, or freeze for up to three months.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find tomatoes, canned, crushed: Tomatoes, canned, crushed is usually found in the canned goods section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Tomatoes, canned, crushed is a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

西红柿罐头，粉碎

British (UK) term

Tomatoes, canned, crushed

en français

les tomates en conserve, écrasés

en español

tomate, en lata, aplastados

How much does tomatoes, canned, crushed weigh?

Related

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Recipes using tomatoes, canned, crushed

There are 63 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Aubergine roasted in Tomato Sauce

This is loosely based on a Turkish dish I recently learned how to make. It's tomatoy aubergines with rice.

Mama Delilah's Pasta Primavera

Hearty and zesty, this is my favorite pasta to make. It's a little bit of work, but comes out as stunning visually as it tastes. Definitely worth the effort. Enjoy!!!

Lasagne Italia

Pork ragu lasagna layered with a slow-cooked tomato and herb sauce, plenty of grated cheese, and a milk-brushed top that bakes golden. A hearty homemade lasagna built on ground pork instead of beef.

Baked Pasta with Mushrooms

A delicious and filling vegetarian main dish. Meaty mushrooms, rigatoni tomatoes veggies and two kinds of cheese make this a pleasing hearty main dish.

Favourite Lasagna

Great comfort food. Its simplicity makes it a dish loved by many. The ingredient that makes this recipe special is the cottage cheese, which is not traditionally used in lasagna.

Black Bean-Chipotle Chili with Seitan

Vegan black bean chili with smoky chipotle and chewy seitan stand-in for meat. A 45-minute one-pot chili that delivers serious depth and heat without animal protein.

Mushroom Ragu

Baby portobello mushrooms, dried porcini mushrooms and tomatoes make this ragu taste super delicious. Mix it into spaghetti or use it to make lasagna, and it will deliver the maximum yumminess.

Thousand Layer Lasagna

Home made basil and spinach lasagna with home made red and white sauce, with the thousand layers juice sauce and tasty lasagna, it is a great recipe when you have company coming or a holiday dish for your family.

Four Cheese & Spinach Lasagna with Mushroom Ragu

Four cheeses mixed with spinach is the cheese layers, baby portobello mushrooms, dried porcini mushrooms and tomatoes make this delicious ragu. The lasagna comes out cheesy, juicy and full of flavors.

Bandit's Chili

Ground beef chili with kidney beans, a hit of cider vinegar, and a quiet pinch of allspice for warmth. A solid one-pot weeknight chili that fully comes together in an hour.

Bacon & Tomato Soup

Stomach warming goodness, this is my version of my Mom's classic recipe.

Vegetarian Cottage Pie

Tasty vegetable and lentil base topped with mashed potato. Lovely healthy comfort food for a winter night :D Note: though the list of ingredients can at first be daunting, dont be put off. Most are just seasoning that can be added at your own pace.

The #1 Lasagna Recipe

I have tried many different Lasagna recipes over the years. This is the culmination of all that trial and error, a wonderful recipe that needs to be shared with the world. The ingredients and actual recipe are at the end of this article. I know you won’t be disappointed with my Best Lasagna Recipe!

Favorite Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Cheesy chicken enchiladas filled with chili-spiced chicken, rolled in browned tortillas, smothered in a tomato and kidney bean sauce, and baked under a three-cheese blanket. A hearty Mexican main.

Quick & Easy Spaghetti Bolognese

Quick spaghetti bolognese browns beef with crushed tomatoes and mashed carrots, which add natural sweetness and body to a meaty sauce in about 30 minutes. An easy weeknight family dinner over spaghetti.

Delicious Spaghetti with Shrimp in Sicilian Sauce

This dish is a hearty meal itself. The puttanesca and fra diavolo in the sauce produce a memorable accompaniment to shrimp as well as mussels, clams or even canned or frozen lobster meat.

Crockpot Black Bean Veggie Chili

Crockpot black bean veggie chili: black beans, sweet corn, peppers, and tomatoes simmered low and slow with cumin and cayenne. A hearty, high-fiber meatless chili that practically cooks itself.

Favourite Vegetarian Chili

Favourite vegetarian chili, a quick one-pot bowl of pinto beans, tomatoes, and green chilies simmered with rice built right in. Hearty, meatless, and spiced with cumin, oregano, and a cayenne kick.

Loaded Vegetable Chicken Soup

Loaded vegetable chicken soup with three tomato styles, carrots, celery, zucchini, onion, and shredded chicken. Hearty Dutch-oven soup that feeds a crowd and freezes beautifully.

Curry in a Hurry

A 15-minute chicken or shrimp curry with crushed tomatoes, garlic, and fresh coriander. Quick enough for the busiest weeknights.

Cheesy Vegetarian Brown Rice & Bean Chili

Cheesy Vegetarian Brown Rice and Bean Chili recipe

Manhattan Chowder

Vegan Manhattan chowder with crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and wakame seaweed for a briny seafood flavor without the clams. Hearty, plant-based, and full of umami.

Searing Salsa

Fiery homemade salsa with four jalapenos, hot sauce, cayenne, and red pepper flakes blended with fresh tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and lime. Keeps in the fridge for a week.

Rice-o-Mato

Rice-o-Mato is a fast one-skillet dinner of browned ground beef simmered with crushed tomatoes and Rotel, then folded with rice. A budget-friendly, four-ingredient weeknight meal ready in about 30 minutes.

Bob's Go-To Turkey Chili

Lean turkey chili simmered with kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, bell peppers, and a cilantro-laced chili blend. A leaner, lighter spin on the classic stovetop chili that holds up to weeknight cravings.

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

Vegetarian stuffed cabbage leaves filled with creamy mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and onions, simmered in crushed tomatoes. A hearty, meat-free comfort food that satisfies.

Martin's Turkey Chili

Turkey chili with dried black beans, a whole browned turkey breast simmered and shredded, and hand-toasted cumin seeds. A from-scratch, slow-simmered chili with deep flavor.

Broccoli & Macaroni San Pierota

Broccoli and ziti San Pierota with garlic-sauteed broccoli florets over pasta tossed in a simple crushed tomato sauce, finished with red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan.

Unsloppy Joes

Unsloppy Joes are vegetarian sloppy joes with kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and diced vegetables served in hollowed-out kaiser rolls. Low-fat, hearty, and mess-free.

Johanne& Peter's Diet Pizza

Diet pizza loaded with zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and fresh tomatoes topped with non-fat mozzarella on crushed tomato sauce. A veggie-heavy, lower-fat homemade pizza.

Meatless Balls in Juicy Tomato Sauce

Meatballs without the meat in a tasty rich tomato sauce.

Smoked Sausage Italian Bean Soup

One-pot Italian bean soup loaded with sliced smoked sausage, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and small pasta shells in a savory broth. Warming, filling, and ready in 45 minutes.

Classic Italian Pasta e Ceci

Pasta e ceci, the classic Roman comfort dish. Ditalini and chickpeas in garlicky tomato-basil broth. Pure cucina povera, ready with seven pantry ingredients.

Chili with Panang Curry

A Thai-American fusion chili that blends ground beef and kidney beans with panang curry paste and garlic chili sauce. Smoky, aromatic, and seriously spicy. Ready in one hour.

Ravioli Soup

Ravioli soup simmers cheese ravioli in a beefy tomato-marinara broth with garlic, basil, and oregano, then finishes with parmesan and melty mozzarella. It tastes like lasagna in a bowl and comes together in about 30 minutes.

Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Chunky minestrone loaded with red potatoes, white beans, barley, corn, and peas in a crushed tomato broth with leeks and basil. Makes a full gallon for big batch meal prep.

Chicken Curry(Taste Show)

Slow-simmered Indian chicken curry built on 30 minutes of caramelized onions, whole cinnamon, cardamom, and a rich tomato gravy. Rested for maximum depth, this is weekend cooking that rewards your patience.

Pasta Fazool

Pasta e fagioli (pasta fazool) with red kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, and vegetables simmered into a thick, hearty Italian soup. Vegetarian comfort food made from dried beans.

River Style Chili

Big-batch river-style chili with stewing beef, bacon, kidney beans, dried mushrooms, and serious heat from red pepper flakes and hot sauce. Simmered low and slow until thick and deeply flavored.

Spanish Lasagne

A meatless lasagne layered with saffron-scented crushed tomatoes, roasted red peppers, sweet peas, orange zest, and bubbly mozzarella. Spanish flair meets Italian comfort.

Easy Ground Beef Chili

Easy prep and a slow simmer bring this thrifty chili recipe together.

Clams Posilipo

Littleneck clams steamed open in a quick garlic, crushed tomato, and fish stock sauce with oregano and fresh parsley. A Neapolitan classic that takes just 25 minutes from stovetop to table.

Spicy Vegetable Soup with Black Beans

A hearty vegetable soup with black beans, okra, zucchini, and crushed tomatoes braised in red wine with cumin, ginger, and cayenne. Served over brown rice for a filling vegan meal.

Three Alarm Chili

Three-alarm chili for heat seekers: ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and a full cup of red pepper flakes simmered two hours. Serve with cheddar, sour cream, and sweet onions.

Chili Mac Casserole

Chili mac casserole with elbow macaroni, chili beans, crushed tomatoes, and melted cheddar. A freezer-friendly, four-ingredient comfort meal.

Chicken & Sausage Stew

Hearty stew loaded with boiled whole chicken, browned Italian sausage, crispy bacon, and elbow macaroni in a rich tomato broth. A 5-star rated crowd-feeding powerhouse.

Lobster or Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Lobster or shrimp fra diavolo in a spicy tomato sauce with red wine, hot peppers, garlic, and fresh herbs, tossed with pasta. Italian-American seafood at its boldest.

Jerk Beef

Jerk beef marinated 24 hours in allspice, thyme, hot sauce, and crushed tomatoes, then sauteed until browned. Serve over white rice for a Caribbean weeknight dinner.

Spanish Noodles

One-skillet Spanish noodles with ground chicken, bell peppers, onions, crushed tomatoes, and a kick of chili sauce. Egg noodles cook right in the sauce for easy cleanup.

Chili Marconi & Cheese

Stovetop chili mac with browned sirloin, jalapeños, Vidalia onions, and a cumin-chili spice blend simmered in beef broth and tomatoes. Toss with elbow macaroni and melted cheddar for a one-pot dinner that serves eight.

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