43 Ways to Cook With Canned Tomatoes, Your Pantry Hero

There’s so much you can do with this workhorse staple ingredient.

March 4, 2020

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Sure we love fresh produce at it’s peak, but we’re not about to ignore canned tomatoes and the incredible bright, juicy flavor they can add to a dish. From stews to chicken, fish to pasta, there’s nothing a hit of tomatoes can’t gussy up, and these recipes prove it. Even better, canned tomatoes last much longer in your pantry than their summer ripe sisters, so you can keep a stash (whole peeled! fire-roasted!) at the ready for anytime the craving hits. So, grab the can opener, and get cooking.

Got a bushel of fresh beauties? Head over to our favorite recipes for fresh tomatoes →

Photo by Heidi's Bridge, styling by Molly Baz
1/43
Vegan Coconut Lentil Soup
The most flavorful, hearty, and warming meal you've ever made with (almost) exclusively pantry staples.
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Photo by Chelsie Craig
2/43
Chicken Paprikash With Buttered Egg Noodles
What’s more comforting than saucy chicken over buttered egg noodles?? Nothing.
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Photo by Chelsie Craig
3/43
Mussels in Spicy Tomato Broth
Plus mayo bread, because we can.
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Bobbi Lin
4/43
Beef Chili
Make a big pot of this rich, meaty chili, a side of cornbread, and then never leave the couch.
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Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
5/43
Fall-Apart Braised Cabbage
One of our favorite ways to cook cabbage—in a spiced tomato broth, until tender to the core.
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Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
6/43
Rock Shrimp Pasta With Spicy Tomato Sauce
A flavorful tomato sauce that’s a cinch to make and rock shrimp that come already peeled mean a weeknight dinner recipe has never been so easy—or delicious.
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Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones
7/43
Okra Gumbo
This rich, warming stew, punctuated by succulent shrimp, juicy hunks of beef, and crisp-tender okra, is one of our favorites from Toni Tipton-Martin’s new cookbook Jubilee.
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Alex Lau
8/43
Chicken Chorizo Chili
Not a big fan of chorizo? This chili recipe can also be made with chicken, turkey, or Italian sweet or spicy sausage.
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Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Carla Lalli Music
9/43
Pasta e Fagioli
The key to a soup with fully developed savory flavor starts with the soffritto—a mix of slowly cooked aromatic vegetables.
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Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
10/43
Tomato-Braised Rotisserie Chicken
Give a store-bought bird a new identity by simmering it in a quick tomato-bacon braise.
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Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
11/43
Obe Ata Stew With Chicken and Spinach
Obe Ata is a Nigerian sauce that incorporates floral habanero chiles and bell peppers. This recipe uses obe ata as the base for a spicy, warming chicken and sweet potato stew.
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Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
12/43
Vegetarian Chili With Lots of Fritos
Quick, spicy, filling, and made mostly of pantry ingredients, this chili/tortilla soup/frito pie mash-up is calling your name. (Shhh. Listen closely.)
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Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
13/43
Chorizo and Potato Stew
This is the hearty, rustic, and deeply warming comfort food you'll be craving on all snowy days.
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Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown, Props from Meilen Ceramics
14/43
Quick Tomato Chicken Curry
The honey lends a sweet, caramelize-y twist to this quick curry, but if you want to up the heat, add a big pinch of cayenne pepper. Have some thick, crusty bread handy to scoop up all the extra sauce, or serve alongside a pile of rice for a low-maintenance comfort food dinner.
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