Consumer group CHOICE has tested 18 diced or chopped tomatoes from leading brands to find out which one tastes best.
"Tinned tomatoes are a pantry staple that most home cooks will reach for at least once a week for a spaghetti bolognese, curries, or even homemade passata. With so many options at the supermarket, we want to help you find the best one to add to your dish," says CHOICE Editorial Director, Mark Serrels.
"Mutti Polpa Chopped Tomatoes Organic came out on top in our testing, receiving a score of 80%. However, it was also the most expensive product in our test. If you're looking for a cheaper option that still tastes good, the Coles Italian Diced Tomatoes were equal third-cheapest and tied for third place with a score of 75%," says Serrels.
Our experts blind-tasted each tinned tomato sample and rated them by taste, texture, aroma, and appearance. The CHOICE Expert Rating is based on the judges' taste test scores, with ratings of 75% or more earning them recommended status.
The top tinned tomatoes in our taste test:
1. Mutti Polpa Chopped Tomatoes Organic
CHOICE Expert Rating: 80%
Price per 400g tin: $2.95
"Our experts praised it for its rich red colour, chunky texture, pleasant flavour, and good consistency," says Serrels.
2. Coles Cucina Matese Diced Tomatoes
CHOICE Expert Rating: 76%
Price per 400g tin: $1.40
"Our experts were impressed by the pleasant tomato aroma, saying it had a good balance of sweet and acidic taste, and a smooth consistency," says Serrels.
3. Coles Italian Diced Tomatoes
CHOICE Expert Rating: 75%
Price per 400g tin: $1.10
"Our experts liked the juicy consistency, pleasant appearance, and thought it would be perfect for soups and chunky pasta sauces," says Serrels.
3. Community Co Italian Diced Tomatoes
CHOICE Expert Rating: 75%
Price per 400g tin: $1.30
"Our experts were pleased with its fresh tomatoey smell, its bright red colour, and yummy flavour. They noted it was more liquid than the others, so it may be best for soup dishes," says Serrels.
Editor's notes:
Our expert testers
Fiona Mair is part of our CHOICE kitchen lab team and has a degree in home economics and dietary supervision. She also conducts and judges food taste tests and is a judge for the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show.
Pru Engel is CHOICE's audience and engagement editor and has enjoyed a long career working on some of Australia's leading food magazines, where she honed her expertise in identifying quality ingredients and cooking with them.
Jane Bardell produces content for our CHOICE insurance team but also knows a thing or two about food, being an avid cook and baker. She holds a statement of attainment in sensory analyses for fine food judging.
Chantelle Dart is another member of our CHOICE kitchen lab team whose expertise extends beyond her knowledge of our real-world cooking tests, having studied food technology, hospitality, business administration and event management.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
