The Best Canned Tomatoes To Use For Making Homemade Soup

If you're making homemade (the historical side to a grilled cheese, of course), you may be looking for the best ingredients to create a spectacular bowl. While tomatoes, in some form, are definitely on your shopping list, you may be wondering if you can use canned tomatoes when you're in a pinch. Luckily, you can. While it's true that the brand of canned tomatoes matters, the type of tomato you're picking up is just as important. In order to get the best information, Food Republic spoke to Michelle Wallace, owner and founder of B'tween Sandwich Co., for her input on which canned tomatoes to use.

Wallace said that there's one variety of canned tomatoes that's going to get you the closest flavor to the real deal. "If it is not [tomato] season, a canned whole tomato is your next best option," Wallace said. "Typically, canned tomatoes are canned at the peak of ripeness." Due to this, a canned one will have infused all that freshness to the best of its ability, which enables it to still deliver a robust flavor. "I like using a whole canned tomato simply because it's less processed than a diced or crushed tomato," Wallace added. "Using the product closest to its original form is what you want." This also allows you the most control over the final texture of your soup.

While whole, peeled tomatoes are going to get the job done and help you create a delicious bowl of soup, Michelle Wallace did want to note that fresh tomatoes will always be her first choice. "The ideal tomato to use for the most perfect tomato soup would be fresh tomatoes in season and from a trusted grower," Wallace said. "Tomatoes straight from the vine and in season just simply taste better." This is because fresh tomatoes are exactly that — fresh. They have a nuanced flavor that you just can't get from the can. "They are perfectly sweet and acidic and just have a full, robust tomato flavor," Wallace added.

If you have either at home, or you have a recipe that calls for one over the other, you can easily swap them without having to worry. "Swapping canned tomatoes for fresh (or vice versa) is totally fine," Wallace said. "The key is to always taste and adjust your seasonings accordingly." This is because both canned and fresh tomatoes taste slightly different from each other, depending on various factors like growing conditions. "Not all canned tomatoes are created equal, and same for fresh farm tomatoes," Wallace added. "Some may be more sweet than acidic or more acidic than sweet. It's up to you to adjust to your liking and serve up a delicious bowl."