Stewed Tomatoes

These old-fashioned Stewed Tomatoes are made with fresh Roma tomatoes, onion, celery, butter, and just a touch of sugar, creating tender tomato chunks in a light, flavorful broth. A classic comfort-food side dish that's perfect with meatloaf, pork chops, chicken, and more.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 35

Servings Servings

Calories 114kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes about 12–14 medium
3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
1 medium yellow onion finely diced
1-2 ribs celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Cut a shallow "X" in the blossom end of each tomato. Blanch the tomatoes for 30 to 60 seconds, then transfer them to an ice bath.
Once cool enough to handle, peel away the skins.
Core the tomatoes (3 1/2 pounds) and cut each tomato into 6 to 8 large chunks (about 4 pieces per tomato), reserving any juices. Set aside about one-third of the tomato chunks to add near the end of cooking.
Cook the vegetables: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery.
Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion (1) is translucent and the celery (1-2 ribs) is very tender but not browned.
Add the tomatoes: Stir in the remaining two-thirds of the tomato chunks along with any reserved juices. Add the sugar (1 tablespoon), salt (1 teaspoon), and pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and stir gently to combine.
Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. If your tomatoes haven't released much liquid after 5 minutes, cover the pot for 5 to 8 minutes to help them release their juices.
Once a light broth has formed, uncover and continue simmering gently until the tomatoes are tender, stirring gently every 10 to 15 minutes so they keep their shape.
Stir in the reserved tomato chunks and continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes, or until all of the tomatoes are tender and the juices have reduced slightly.
The tomatoes should still hold their shape and the cooking liquid should be a light, flavorful broth rather than a sauce.
Finish: Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter until melted. Fold in the parsley (1 tablespoon), if using.
Taste before serving and season with additional salt as needed. Fresh tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity, so the exact amount of salt can vary from batch to batch.
Serve warm.

Notes

Don't core the tomatoes before blanching. It may seem like it would save a step, but leaving the tomatoes whole keeps them from taking on extra water and makes them easier to peel. Remove the cores after the skins come off for the best texture.
Leave the seeds in. Roma tomatoes are naturally meaty with fewer seeds and less watery pulp than slicing tomatoes. Leaving the seeds in adds flavor and helps create the light, fresh broth that makes homemade stewed tomatoes so delicious.
Cut the tomatoes into large chunks. Quartered or large tomato pieces hold their shape much better than small diced tomatoes, giving the finished dish its rustic, old-fashioned look.
Don't worry if the pot looks dry at first. Fresh Roma tomatoes release their juices gradually. If they haven't produced much liquid after a few minutes, cover the pot briefly to encourage them to release their natural juices, then uncover and finish simmering.
Keep the simmer gentle. A slow, gentle simmer softens the tomatoes while helping many of the pieces stay intact. Avoid a hard boil, which can quickly break the tomatoes down into sauce.

Nutrition