Out of Tomato sauce, one case

Can you substitute diced tomatoes for tomato sauce?

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Diced tomatoes, blended

1 cup for every cup of tomato sauce

Yes. Blend canned diced tomatoes with their juice until smooth and use 1 cup for each cup of tomato sauce, then simmer uncovered about 10 minutes, because blended tomatoes are thinner than sauce. Blending matters: canned diced tomatoes are packed with calcium chloride to keep the pieces firm, so they do not cook down into a sauce by themselves. In chili, soup and stew you can skip the blender and accept a chunkier dish.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Blend the tomatoes with all their juice until smooth, measure, then simmer uncovered about 10 minutes until it coats a spoon. Taste for salt.
Best for —: pasta sauce and casseroles
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full tomato sauce card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Tomato sauce substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 cup tomato sauce	Verdict
1	Diced tomatoes, blendedpasta sauce and casseroles	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
2	Diced tomatoes, unblendedchili	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
3	Crushed tomatoespasta sauce	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
4	Tomato paste and waterwhen the dish must be smooth and thick	½ cup paste + ½ cup waterTweak it	Tweak it
5	Tomato pureeany recipe that calls for tomato sauce	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Diced tomatoes, blended

fresher and brighter, a little less cooked

Canned diced tomatoes and their juice, pureed. This is the same tomato as tomato sauce before it has been cooked down and seasoned.

Best for: pasta sauce and casseroles, enchilada and other cooked sauces, meatloaf glaze, sloppy joes and braises
Prep: Blend the tomatoes with all their juice until smooth, measure, then simmer uncovered about 10 minutes until it coats a spoon. Taste for salt.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Used without simmering, it waters down a pizza or a baked pasta. Cans labeled Italian-style or with green chiles bring their own seasoning.

If it is still thin and you are short on time, stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste per cup. One 14.5 oz can blends to about 1 ¾ cups.

Diced tomatoes, unblended

the same tomato flavor in a chunkier, looser dish

Straight from the can, juice and all. The liquid does the job of the sauce and the pieces stay as pieces.

Best for: chili, soups and stews, slow cooker dishes and rice dishes
Prep: Add the tomatoes with their juice. Do not drain them: the juice is part of the measure.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Anything that should be smooth. The pieces hold their shape even after an hour of simmering, so they will not break down into a sauce.

Crushed tomatoes

close; slightly fresher and more textured

Already broken down and a little thicker than blended diced tomatoes, so it needs less work.

Best for: pasta sauce, chili and soup, pizza sauce
Prep: Blend for 10 seconds if the dish should be smooth, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes longer if it looks thin.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Small bits of tomato and seed remain unless you blend it.

Tomato paste and water

deeper and more cooked

Paste is tomato cooked down to a concentrate, so thinning it gives a smooth sauce with no blender and no simmering.

Best for: when the dish must be smooth and thick, pizza sauce, quick weeknight sauces
Prep: Whisk equal parts paste and water until smooth, then add ¼ teaspoon salt per cup and taste.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: It can taste flat without the salt and a pinch of seasoning, since most paste is unseasoned.

Tomato puree

plain cooked tomato; less seasoned

Smooth, cooked and strained, and a little thicker than tomato sauce. The closest canned product in texture.

Best for: any recipe that calls for tomato sauce
Prep: Thin each cup with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water if it looks thicker than sauce, and add ¼ teaspoon salt per cup to start.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Unseasoned out of the can, so a dish with few other flavors needs salt.

Tips for substituting tomato sauce

5 tips

Use an immersion blender right in the can or the pot, or a regular blender for 20 to 30 seconds. A potato masher is not enough to break down canned diced tomatoes.
Canned tomato sauce is lightly seasoned. After the swap, taste and add salt, and a pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder if the dish tastes plain.
Simmer with the lid off. About 10 minutes takes blended diced tomatoes to the thickness of sauce; stop when it coats the back of a spoon.
For an 8 oz can of tomato sauce (1 cup), blend a little more than half of a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes. For a 15 oz can of sauce, blend one full can and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes work the same way and add a smoky note, which suits chili and enchilada sauce.

Questions

4 questions

Do I drain diced tomatoes before using them in place of tomato sauce?

No. Use the tomatoes and their juice together and measure after blending. Draining leaves you short on liquid and takes much of the flavor with it.

Why will my diced tomatoes not cook down?

Most canned diced tomatoes contain calcium chloride, which is added so the pieces keep their shape. It works, even through long simmering. Blend them, or use crushed tomatoes, which break down readily.

Can I use diced tomatoes in place of tomato sauce in chili?

Yes, cup for cup, with the juice. Unblended, the chili is chunkier and a little thinner; simmer it uncovered for the last 15 minutes or stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to thicken it. Blend the tomatoes first if you want the usual smooth base.

Can I use fresh diced tomatoes?

Yes, but they need more cooking. Blend ripe fresh tomatoes, then simmer uncovered 20 to 30 minutes until thick, and season with salt. Fresh tomatoes hold more water than canned and reduce a lot, so start with more than the recipe's measure and stop when it is as thick as sauce.