Why tinned tomatoes are still the pantry hero for cost-effective meals

Angela Casley's classic shakshuka is a delightful way to use tinned tomatoes to start your day. Photo / Babiche Martens

There are few ingredients as humble – or as hard-working – as the tinned tomato. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a student cooking your first pasta sauce, or a confident home cook looking to stretch a stew. Chances are, there’s a can of tomatoes somewhere in your pantry, waiting to save dinner once again.

Even as food trends come and go, tinned tomatoes remain a kitchen staple. They’re cheap, shelf-stable, nutritious and versatile – and in winter, when fresh produce can be expensive or underwhelming, they’re arguably more useful than ever.

From pantry pasta to slow-cooked curries, viral tray bakes to shakshuka, their range is deceptively wide. And thanks to social media, the humble tomato tin has had something of a glow-up – not visually, but in terms of cultural appreciation. Whether it’s vodka pasta on TikTok, or baked feta and chickpeas on Instagram, tinned tomatoes keep showing up at the heart of viral recipes. They’re not glamorous, but they get the job done – and they do it well.

Why they work so well

Tomatoes are naturally rich in umami – that deep savoury flavour that adds complexity to sauces and soups. Tinned versions often deliver even more intensity than fresh ones, thanks to the heat processing they undergo during canning. That makes them ideal for building flavour quickly, especially in one-pot meals or slow-cooked dishes.

They’re also a nutritional powerhouse. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants like lycopene – and interestingly, lycopene becomes more bioavailable when tomatoes are cooked. So your tinned pasta sauce might actually be doing you more good than raw tomato salad.

From a practical point of view, tinned tomatoes are consistent. Unlike fresh tomatoes, which vary wildly in taste and texture depending on the season, the canned kind give you a reliable baseline all year round. They also last for years unopened, making them one of the most cost-effective items you can keep in your kitchen.

Not all tins are equal

If you’ve ever stood in the supermarket aisle trying to decide between a $1.20 tin and a $4.50 Italian import, you’re not alone. The difference in price often comes down to the variety of tomato used, where it’s grown, how it’s processed, and whether anything has been added (like sugar, salt or citric acid).

When the tomatoes need to shine in a dish, it's worth forking out for a more expensive brand - Mutti is always a good choice. Photo / supplied

Cheaper tins can sometimes taste more acidic or metallic, and may be watery compared to more premium options. That said, it’s not always about price – some supermarket own-brands perform surprisingly well in blind taste tests. If you’re using tinned tomatoes in a slow-cooked curry or heavily spiced sauce, a budget tin may be perfectly fine. But if you’re making a simple tomato soup or pasta all’Amatriciana, it might be worth spending a little more.

As a rule of thumb, whole peeled tomatoes tend to be more versatile and higher quality than chopped ones. They break down easily with a spoon or in the pan, and you can blend or strain them as needed. Crushed tomatoes and passata are great for smoother sauces, while fire-roasted or flavoured versions add extra complexity with minimal effort.

Pantry MVPs

Part of what makes tinned tomatoes so useful is their adaptability. They form the base of countless international dishes – from Italian ragù to Indian butter chicken, Mexican enchiladas to Greek stifado. They can be simmered into sauces, baked into gratins, stirred into soups or turned into dips.

The ultimate comfort food: butter chicken with good ol' tinned tomatoes. Picture / Babiche Martens

Some of the internet’s most popular recipes in recent years have relied on a tin of tomatoes as their foundation. Baked feta pasta – the viral dish that took over TikTok during the pandemic – uses cherry tomatoes, but plenty of variations swap in the tinned variety. Tomato and chickpea tray bakes, one-pot lentil soups and tomato-based butter beans all get regular airtime on social media, especially among those looking for low-cost, low-fuss meals.

In colder months, tinned tomatoes also pair beautifully with classic winter produce like pumpkin, kūmara and carrots. A tin stirred through roast veg and baked with cheese becomes an easy gratin or pasta bake. Mixed with coconut milk and curry powder, it becomes a warming soup.

The cost-of-living factor

With grocery prices continuing to rise, there’s renewed appreciation for pantry ingredients that deliver on both value and taste. At a time when even basic veg can cost a small fortune, tinned tomatoes still feel like a small miracle – especially when you consider how many meals you can stretch them into.

And while other pantry trends come and go – from spiralised veg to niche grains – the tinned tomato remains quietly indispensable. It’s not trying to be trendy. It just happens to still be relevant, useful and delicious.

Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years. From managing your kitchen to cutting costs, she’s shared some helpful advice recently, including how to prep your barbecue for summer grilling, gourmet hacks for elevating budget ingredients and what toppings to choose for different crackers.