You're Seriously Missing Out If You Drain Canned Tomatoes

Draining excess water from food products is usually a good idea — who needs that runny, watered-down texture in food? But while you probably drain most canned vegetables before you cook them, it may not always be a great idea.

When you drain canned vegetables, you can also remove some of the extra sodium, especially in certain veggies, like beans. But there's a prominent exception to the "draining" rule. One common canned food actually yields more flavorful meals if you don't drain it, and if you do, you may lose some of its best culinary attributes. Canned tomatoes are often used in pasta dishes and for a variety of sauces, so the choice "to drain or not to drain" may present itself more often than you'd expect. When you choose not to dump any of your canned tomatoes into the sink, you're creating a dish with a stronger, more robust sense of flavor.

Drain whatever else you'd like, but leave your canned tomatoes undrained. While this may seem a little bit strange, you're actually avoiding washing away those savory juices.

Canned tomatoes themselves may make up the bulk of your can, but aren't the only part of the vegetable that's worth hanging onto. Tomato juice can give pasta sauces a rich, savory flavor, and while canned tomatoes also have this effect, your dish might stand out less without the juice. The juice also contains vitamins A, B, and C, so it's a healthy addition to your meals, especially if you find hearty Italian sauces heavy or "unhealthy." Although you might find yourself going on autopilot in the kitchen and draining every canned food you open, try to stop yourself the next time you open a can of tomatoes. All you'll lose by draining tomatoes is the juice, but that juice is far more valuable than it appears.

Canned tomatoes may be at the top of the "no-drain list," but do other vegetables' liquids amplify dishes too? There are a variety of other vegetables whose liquids you shouldn't drain because they can add flavor and texture to other dishes.

All of that "juice" that you may not care about can really elevate your favorite dishes. You may not care much about the brine that your pickles come in, but brine typically has vinegar, salt, and a bit of sugar — perfect ingredients to add to "picnic dishes" like slaw or potato salad. Similarly, olive juice complements vegetables, salads, and even some types of sauces perfectly. Starchy water from boiling corn or potatoes shouldn't go to waste either. Corn water is an excellent base for vegetable stock, while potato water adds a surprisingly important touch to baked goods, particularly in giving dough its flavor and texture. Canned tomato juice should never go to waste, but there are plenty more liquids from your favorite vegetables that can make your go-to sauces, side dishes, and baked goods even more flavorful.