The Only Kitchen Tool Needed For Crushed Tomatoes In A Flash

It can be fun to geek out over the best kitchen gadgets on the market, especially if they let you do something completely new with your cooking or baking. We don't all have unlimited kitchen storage though, so the most important tools just might be the most versatile. One of the best examples of this is the box grater.

Box graters are meant for so much more than just grating cheese. Just choose a side and you've got a totally different task. The box grater is ideal for slicing, zesting, and shredding fruits and vegetables in one convenient package.

Beyond saving time in your average prep it can also give you perfect crushed tomatoes without having to go through the task of removing their skins. It might sound too good to be true, but by grating your fresh tomatoes instead of going for the canned stuff you can easily have that bright, fresh zing of a tomato straight from the garden in your favorite sauces and soups.

Anyone who's ever tried to slice a tomato to only end up with a mushy mess knows that there's a pretty significant difference between a tomato's exterior and interior. That contrast is exactly why this hack works so well.

All you have to do is slice a tomato in half and start grating the sliced side against the box grater. The thicker skin of the tomato will curl back as the interior is crushed, and you'll be left with fresh crushed tomato and a tomato skin that also serves to protect your hand as you grate. Just be sure to have your grater sitting in a bowl to ensure that you're catching all of that tomatoey goodness.

From here you're free to toss the skins or save them for another use. The good stuff is all of the crushed tomatoes that you now have at your disposal to use however you would like.

There is no shortage of good ways to use up fresh crushed tomatoes. Give that tomato purée a brief cooking session on the stove and add some basil and you've got a fresh marinara. If you make the mistake of overcooking marinara sauce, then you can just keep going until it becomes another style of tomato sauce — or even a tomato paste.

Crushed tomatoes can also serve as the base for a rich shakshuka recipe – great for brunch or a vegetarian dinner – or any style of tomato soup. While purists might disagree, crushed tomatoes are also a great addition to a pot of chili. Fresh tomatoes are especially helpful because they will have bright, zesty notes to balance out the rich flavors of the beef and additional cheese.

Crushed or puréed tomatoes are also key to a classic chicken tikka masala. Just pair it with some chicken, yogurt, and heaps of spices to bring this dish together in no time at all.