The best canned tomatoes

For your next grocery run [Our guide to the best canned tomatoes]( [Four cans of tomatoes from different brands stacked side by side.]( Marki Williams Hey, it’s [Michael Sullivan]( staff writer on the kitchen team at Wirecutter. Here in New York City, it’s right about now that I find myself missing fresh tomatoes the most. Before soup season is behind us, allow me to walk you through all things [canned tomatoes](. Having worked in the food and restaurant industry for a decade, I can tell you that no two brands are exactly alike. Prior to this taste test, I can’t count how many times I had stood in the grocery store, overwhelmed, for far too long before sheepishly sliding a can or two of tomatoes into my cart. Hopefully this ranking will make your decision easier, as it has for me. Although we liked some brands more than others, most will serve you well in a comforting pot of [chili]( or [batch of sauce](. Some tomatoes are velvety, brilliantly red, and full of flavor. Others are tough, underripe, and insipid. To date, we’ve assessed over 25 different cans of whole peeled tomatoes—some with our colleagues at [NYT Cooking]( find the best. We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. [Learn more ›]( [How we picked and tested]( [Our testing panel shown sitting at a table with canned tomato samples, crackers and bread laid out for the taste test.]( Michael Murtaugh With countless canned-tomato options to consider, we first polled Wirecutter employees living in 10 states across the country to get a sense of which brands were available in their areas. We wanted to try tomatoes that would be relatively easy for most people in the US to find at major grocery-store chains or online. Our panelists tasted each can of tomatoes twice: first straight out of the can and heated through, and the second time in [Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce](. Between tastings we cleansed our palates with water, saltine crackers, and bread. After the initial tasting, our panelists were allowed to add salt, if desired, to see whether it improved the flavor of the tomatoes. [The winners]( [A can of Bianco DiNapoli organic whole peeled tomatoes.]( Marki Williams [Bianco DiNapoli Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes]( 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. For three years running, the Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes have been some of the best canned tomatoes we’ve tasted. 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. I found that their attractive deep red color, slightly thick puree, and semi-firm texture resulted in a rich, velvety sauce. [A can of San Merican (SMT) whole peeled tomatoes.]( Marki Williams [San Merican Tomato Whole Peeled Tomatoes]( 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. [A can of Pastene San Marzano DOP Tomatoes with basil.]( Marki Williams [Pastene San Marzano DOP Tomatoes]( 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 when making pizza. These tomatoes also made the sauce with the best texture—silky and emulsified, not watery like many others we tried. [A can of Mutti whole peeled tomatoes.]( Marki Williams [Mutti Peeled Whole Tomatoes]( 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. The cooked tomatoes are nice and balanced, releasing sweetness and plenty of umami. Wirecutter kitchen editor [Gabriella Gershenson]( wrote, “I bet the sauce would coat pasta noodles nicely. I just want to keep eating it.” [Let’s cook]( [A photo of two bowls of Instant Pot Tomato-Braised Chickpeas With Tahini]( Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Once you’re all stocked up and ready to do your own taste-testing, try [one of these cozy canned tomato recipes]( from [NYT Cooking](. [Vegan Lasagna→]( You’ll need an [immersion blender]( and a [13-by-9 casserole dish](. [Shakshuka With Feta→]( Reach for a great [skillet](. [Simple Tomato Sauce→]( Pull out the [Dutch oven]( and a [food processor](. [Instant Pot Tomato-Braised Chickpeas with Tahini→]( Grab your [Instant Pot](. [Plus: a deal on our favorite nonstick pan]( Michael Murtaugh In our tests to find the [best nonstick pans]( the [Tramontina Professional 10-Inch Restaurant Fry Pan]( distributed heat more evenly than others, thanks to its thick, cast-aluminum construction. The flared edge let us easily scrape the corners with a spatula, flip fried eggs, and slide omelets onto a plate. [We found it on sale here for $22→]( Enjoy your simmers, soups, and sauces. [View email in browser]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for Wirecutter’s Newsletter. 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