Tomatoes are a staple vegetable for most types of cuisines, which means you probably always have a few lying around. But when you have something lying around all the time, sometimes you don’t use all of it up before it starts getting old. Luckily, tomatoes that are too mushy to use in salads or sandwiches are PERFECT for cooked food. Here are a few stews and dishes you can make with overripe tomatoes.
Shakshuka
This middle-eastern breakfast uses stewed tomatoes, peppers, and other herbs to form an almost sauce-like base. Nestled within the stew are eggs cracked directly into the dish and cooked to the softness or hardness you choose. This dish is best enjoyed dolloped on crusty bread, with a nice cold drink on the side.
Curry
Lots of Indian-style curries like butter chicken or chana aloo with chickpeas use canned tomatoes or tomato paste as a base. But even better than from a can is fresh crushed tomato, made from the overripe ones you have lying around. You can really get creative and spice up your crushed-tomato base with whatever you have on hand for a delicious Indian-inspired curry or stew.
Vegetable Soups and Stews
Soups and stews, like curry, often start with a base of crushed tomatoes. Whether you’d like a thinner minestrone vegetable soup or a thicker stew with lots of legumes and potatoes, crushing up and boiling your leftover tomatoes is the best way to get started. Add more water for a thinner soup or a bit of flour for a nice thick stew.
