The Best, The Old Fashioned, Stewed Tomatoes Recipe – Detailed Instructions

Stewed tomatoes are a classic summertime staple and a delicious condiment. Find out how to make the best stewed tomatoes here.

Old Fashioned Stewed Tomatoes are a treat for your taste buds.  Garden tomatoes are cooked slowly with onions, green bell peppers and butter to form a rich sauce which is soaked up with chunks of bread.  Sweet stewed tomatoes is the perfect accompaniment for any summer meal.

Old Fashioned Stewed Tomatoes Recipe

I’ve been making this recipe every summer for several years. It comes from the cookbook Recipes on the Side, one of my favorites. It’s a great way to use fresh tomatoes from the garden (along with our Grandma’s Homemade Ketchup).

There is something special about Old Fashioned Stewed Tomatoes.  The natural sweetness of the tomatoes combined with the added sugar complements the buttery onions and peppers.  I am guessing this recipe was created to use up leftover bread.  If you’ve got some stale bread sitting around, toss it in a bag and put it in the freezer to save for this recipe.

Sweet Stewed Tomatoes

You can also make up this recipe, and store in small freezer contains.  In the middle of winter, pull one out and savor the fresh flavor of summer tomatoes. It will be sure to hit the spot.

There’s nothing like eating a vine-ripened garden tomato, and now you can have that all year long.

If it’s too hot to use the stove, try our microwaved Southern Scalloped Tomatoes recipe!

Southern Stewed Tomatoes Ingredients

Butter

Onion, diced

Green Pepper, diced

Garlic, minced

Fresh Tomatoes, seeded and diced

Water

Sugar

Bread Cubes (leftover or stale is perfect)

Salt and Black Pepper

How to Make Stewed Tomatoes and Bread

Step by Step Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large skillet, add green pepper and onions, and cook until translucent; add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
2. Add tomatoes, sugar and water, and cook for 20 minutes or until tomatoes begin to fall apart.
3. To the tomato mixture, stir in torn bread and cook until bread is soft but still retains its shape.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with cheese if desired.

Storage Instructions

Let leftovers cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To freeze, place cooled stewed tomatoes in a freezer-proof container, and store for up to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator.

For the full recipe and ingredient amounts for Old Fashioned Stewed Tomatoes scroll to the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

• The original recipe for these stewed tomatoes says to peel the tomatoes.  If you prefer to do this, then go for it.  The easiest way is to boil the tomato in a large pot of water for 30 seconds and then put into ice bath.  The peels should come right off.  However, if you are lazy like me, then leave the peels on.
• Any type of summer tomato works; however, Roma tomatoes work the best.
• Be sure to squeeze out the seeds and excess juice from the tomatoes before chopping.
• Chop the green peppers and onions as fine or big as you prefer with a sharp knife. Diced celery could be added too.
• If you prefer a less sweet stewed tomatoes and onions, then reduce the amount of sugar.
• Stale bread works better if you have it.  If you have fresher, softer bread, you won’t need to cook the mixture as long in the last step after adding the bread.
• Try adding herbs or garnish with fresh basil.
• I love to freeze these sweet stewed tomatoes to eat later on.  It’s like eating a summer tomato in the fall or winter.
• Looking for other recipes for garden vegetables? Try Kentucky Southern Squash Casserole, Grandma’s Rhubarb Pie, Mom’s Cucumbers and Onions, and Easy Asparagus Corn Salad.

 

How to thicken stewed tomatoes?

The easiest way to thicken a batch of stewed tomatoes is with plain, old bread. That’s right. Tear up small pieces of bread (or stale bread) and add to the stewed tomatoes.  It will instantly thicken the stewed tomatoes without changing the flavor.

Can stewed tomatoes be frozen?

Yes, I often freeze homemade, stewed tomatoes. Place the cooled tomato mixture in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 months. To serve, thaw first in the refrigerator. Then, heat in a small saucepan, skillet, or heat in the microwave.

Other Garden Fresh Recipes

Check out this post for a collection of Garden Fresh Summer Recipes! Or here are a few more of our favorites.

• Low Carb Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
• Quick Refrigerator Pickles and Onions
• Fresh Broccoli Casserole
• Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole
• Zucchini Tomato Casserole with Bacon
• Cheesy Cabbage Casserole

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