Substitutions
Ripe tomatoes peeled and sealed in their own juice, sold whole, diced, crushed or puréed. A 14.5 oz can holds roughly 1 3/4 cups.
What it does in a recipe: A reliable year-round source of tomato acidity, umami and liquid that reduces into the backbone of a sauce. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Tinned tomatoes, Canned diced tomatoes
Quick answer
Passata or tomato purée
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = 1 3/4 cups passataAll substitutes, best first
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = 1 3/4 cups passataIt is the same fruit sieved smooth, so the acidity and sugar match almost exactly and the volume is a straight swap.
Trade-offNo pieces at all, so a chunky sauce becomes a smooth one. It also thickens faster, so watch it over the heat.
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = one 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoesIdentical product with a finer grind, and diced tomatoes are usually treated with calcium chloride to keep their shape, so crushed actually break down more willingly.
Trade-offThicker from the start and without distinct pieces, which matters in a stew and not at all in a smooth sauce.
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = 1 1/2 lb fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, about 2 cupsYou need more fresh weight than the can holds because the skins and seeds come out and because fresh tomatoes carry more water that has to cook off.
MethodScore an X in the base, drop them in boiling water for thirty seconds and into cold water, and the skins slip off. Then let the sauce simmer ten to fifteen minutes longer than the recipe says to drive off the extra moisture.
Trade-offBrighter and less concentrated. Out of season, supermarket tomatoes will give a noticeably thinner, blander sauce than the can would have.
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = 1/2 cup tomato paste + 1 1/4 cups waterTomato paste is tomato cooked down roughly fourfold, so diluting it back at about that rate rebuilds a workable purée.
MethodCook the paste in a little oil until it darkens before whisking in the water, and season with a pinch of sugar and a splash of vinegar to rebalance.
Trade-offDeeper and sweeter but flat, because the volatile fresh notes were cooked out at the factory. Texture is uniform with no fruit left.
Diced tomatoes are firmed with calcium chloride and will stay in stubborn cubes no matter how long you simmer them. If you want a sauce that breaks down, buy whole peeled and crush them yourself.
At a glance
| Category | Produce |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | A reliable year-round source of tomato acidity, umami and liquid that reduces into the backbone of a sauce |
| Suits | Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Alcohol-free |
| Swaps available for | Alcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 4 |
Questions
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = 1 3/4 cups passata. It is the same fruit sieved smooth, so the acidity and sugar match almost exactly and the volume is a straight swap. No pieces at all, so a chunky sauce becomes a smooth one. It also thickens faster, so watch it over the heat.
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = one 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes. Identical product with a finer grind, and diced tomatoes are usually treated with calcium chloride to keep their shape, so crushed actually break down more willingly. Thicker from the start and without distinct pieces, which matters in a stew and not at all in a smooth sauce.
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = 1 1/2 lb fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, about 2 cups. You need more fresh weight than the can holds because the skins and seeds come out and because fresh tomatoes carry more water that has to cook off. Brighter and less concentrated. Out of season, supermarket tomatoes will give a noticeably thinner, blander sauce than the can would have.
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes = 1/2 cup tomato paste + 1 1/4 cups water. Tomato paste is tomato cooked down roughly fourfold, so diluting it back at about that rate rebuilds a workable purée. Deeper and sweeter but flat, because the volatile fresh notes were cooked out at the factory. Texture is uniform with no fruit left.
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.