Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterTop pick
What we like: Good balance of sweet and tart, with a strong tomato flavor right out of the can.
Good for: Simple preparations, sauces, all types of cuisines.
The Bianco DiNapoli Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes have been some of the best canned tomatoes we’ve tasted for three years running. They have a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, with a strong tomato flavor.
In our 2020 tasting, NYT Cooking’s Julia Moskin said she wouldn’t hesitate to put these tomatoes on a sandwich right out of the can. In fact, she liked them so much she ordered an entire case. I found that their attractive deep red color, slightly thick puree, and semi-firm texture resulted in a rich, velvety sauce. When we first tested these in 2020, they were canned with a sprig of fresh basil, which lent an herbaceous sweetness that our tasters liked. Since then, Bianco DiNapoli removed basil from its canned whole tomatoes, so they have a slightly more plain flavor that works for all types of recipes. The Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes are sold at some Whole Foods stores or online, as well as various local stores across the country.
Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterTop pick
What we like: Firm, meaty texture. Produced a buttery, rich sauce.
Good for: Tomato-centered sauces and other simple preparations.
The San Merican tomatoes were a close second to the Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes we tested. Though not as brilliantly red, they were well peeled, consistently shaped, and quite meaty. NYT Cooking editor Sara Bonisteel noted their “good mouth texture,” which we all found to be pleasantly firm without seeming unripe or crunchy. NYT Cooking’s Ligaya Mishan wrote in her testing notes, “I felt like I could eat this on its own without even cooking.” Wirecutter editorial director Marguerite Preston enjoyed the buttery richness of these tomatoes in the sauce. Like the Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, the San Merican tomatoes don’t contain basil, so they work for a wide range of recipes.
Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterTop pick
What we like: Plump, meaty tomatoes with pulpier juice and a notable basil flavor. Made the best, most emulsified sauce we’ve tasted yet.
Good for: Pizza, sauce, when you want plush textures.
Out of the can, the Pastene San Marzano DOP Tomatoes were nice and meaty, with a thick, pulpy juice and a notable basil flavor. We all agreed these would be a great option for pizza.
The basil flavor took center stage when tasting these tomatoes from the can, but once they were cooked into Marcella Hazan’s sauce, the basil mellowed yet still provided some herbal sweetness. These tomatoes also made the sauce with the best texture—silky and emulsified, not watery like many others we tried. Wirecutter senior editor Marilyn Ong wrote, “This sauce is really delicious—complex, layered, and cohesive,” while editor Gabriella Gershenson said, “The tomato has a nice creamy texture—it’s easy to cut with a spoon.” Marguerite jotted down that, overall, this sauce is “thick and sweet with some tartness that really punches through.”
Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterTop pick
What we like: Fresh, simple tomato flavor. Tomatoes cook down nicely into a velvety consistency.
Good for: Sauces, recipes calling for softer textures and pure tomato flavor.
The Mutti tomatoes weren’t our favorite when eaten straight from the can, but they were transformed when made into sauce. When tasting these tomatoes raw, Marguerite detected a papaya note, and multiple testers found the tomatoes to be a bit stringy. Once cooked, however, the tomatoes became nice and balanced, releasing sweetness and plenty of umami. Gabriella wrote, “I bet the sauce would coat pasta noodles nicely. I just want to keep eating it.” We appreciated how the tomatoes broke down into a velvety sauce and didn’t remain crunchy like some others we tasted. The Mutti tomatoes don’t contain basil, so they lend themselves to all types of cuisine.
Dining and Cooking