What do globe-trotting recipes like Crispy Ricotta Meatballs with Sheet-Pan Tomato Sauce, Moroccan Chicken and Cauliflower Stew, Cheesy Italian Baked Beans, and Kadai Paneer have in common—besides all being BHG staff favorites and downright delicious? Canned crushed tomatoes.
Crushed tomatoes stand out from other canned tomato varieties due to their texture. The consistency includes small chunks of tomato flesh, which lend lovely texture and a subtle rustic touch to everything from soups and stews to sauces, braises, casseroles, and beyond.
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Since a wide array of recipes call for this pantry staple, we go through cans far more frequently than we often predict. Occasionally, between re-stock runs, we find ourselves shy of cans right when we need them. We know we’re not the only ones, so we decided to pull together a complete guide for the best substitutes for crushed tomatoes.
6 of the Best Substitutes For Crushed Tomatoes
Crushed tomatoes combine diced tomatoes and tomato paste or purée, creating a unique texture. Fortunately, there are several substitutes that offer similar results.
Our Test Kitchen experts have tested these alternatives, so you can continue cooking with confidence until you restock your pantry with crushed tomatoes.
For a similar texture, blend whole, diced, or stewed canned tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Alternatively, coarsely mash them with clean hands, as recommended by Sarah Brekke, M.S., a Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen culinary specialist. If the mixture is too thin, thicken it by adding about 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.Canned tomato sauce, different from jarred pasta sauce, is essentially cooked tomato purée. Tomato purée should be the primary ingredient listed on the label. Tomato passata, available in bottles, jars, or boxes, is uncooked tomato purée that’s been strained to remove seeds and skins. Think of it as a fresh, uncooked version of tomato sauce. Thin tomato paste creates a similar consistency to tomato sauce with equal parts water or broth. For instance, mix ¼ cup of tomato paste with ¼ cup of chicken broth to replace ½ cup of crushed tomatoes. While it won’t contain chunks, the taste is quite comparable. Pasta, pizza, or marinara sauce. For texture lovers, choose pasta, pizza, or marinara sauce labeled as “rustic cut” or “chunky.” Blended styles work as well. “Just keep in mind that these sauces often have other ingredients such as onion, garlic, and spices that will influence the final flavor of the dish,” Brekke explains.Fresh tomatoes. If it’s fresh tomato season, make the most of it by using them as a substitute. Start by washing the tomatoes, then cut a small “X” on each. Blanch them in boiling water for about a minute until the skins loosen. Quickly transfer the tomatoes to ice water to cool and then peel the skins. Cut the peeled tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds. For a chunky purée, pulse them in a blender or food processor. “At this point, the tomatoes can be used in your recipe,” Brekke says. “You may want to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for color, flavor, and consistency. And you may also find that you need to cook your dish a bit longer due to the higher water content found in fresh tomatoes.”
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Most of these crushed tomato substitutes can be used in a one-to-one ratio for crushed tomatoes. In other words, if your recipe calls for 2 cups of canned crushed tomatoes, use 2 cups of jarred or homemade pasta sauce. For the thinner swaps, start with two-thirds of the quantity (so 1 ⅓ cup to stand in for 2 cups of canned crushed tomatoes). Add more, up to 2 cups, to reach your desired consistency.
If you’re using fresh produce, estimate about 1 pound fresh tomatoes (treated in the way we explain above) to replace one 15-ounce can or 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes to step in for a 28-ounce can.
1 Crushed Tomato Substitute to Skip
Many substitutes can help you create dishes your whole family will love. Most of the time, no one will notice you deviated from the recipe!
However, the taste will change if you opt for another tomato product.
“Avoid using ketchup as a crushed tomato substitute,” Brekke warns. “It ‘s far too sweet to be used as a swap.”
The Bottom Line
Substitutes for canned crushed tomatoes include fresh tomatoes, thinned-out tomato paste, or that jar of sauce reserved for pizza night. Rely on these Test Kitchen-approved alternatives when you find yourself without crushed tomatoes. Just remember, save the ketchup for traditional dishes like burgers, hot dogs, meatloaf, French fries, or Pull-Apart Piggy Bread.
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