Mutti Tomatoes

Q: Where are Mutti tomatoes grown?

Tomatoes for Mutti’s sauces, Polpa and passata are grown in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, known as ‘the food basket of Italy’, and surrounding regions. Varieties that are canned whole (including cherry, baby Roma and San Marzano) are grown in southern Italy.

I buy Australian whenever I can. But when it comes to canned tomatoes, it has to be Italian! I always have at least half a dozen tins of Italian tomatoes in my pantry, for soups, sauces, braises and quick snacks – and the best I’ve found are from Mutti. Based in Parma in Emilia-Romagna (dubbed the ‘food basket’ of Italy), this family-owned company works closely with farmers all over Italy to source different varieties of tomatoes and encourage best agricultural practices and top flavour and quality by picking at maximum ripeness and processing within hours (the video below explains more). I love Mutti’s smart printed tins too, they’re great upcycled as cutlery holders for casual table settings!

Discover Mutti

Follow @muttipomodoroau on Instagram

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Visit www.mutti-parma.com to find out more

Cook with Mutti

I use Mutti’s tomato products in all sorts of dishes, across a wide range of cuisines.

Scroll down to see some of my videos and recipes using Mutti tomatoes.

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Shakshuka

See how easy it is to create one of the world’s favourite Middle Eastern breakfast dishes: eggs baked in a rich spicy sauce of crushed tomatoes made from Mutti polpa.

Caldeirada (Seafood Casserole)

Portugal’s many seafood soups include hearty caldeirada, more a meal than a soup. Mutti canned whole tomatoes add a light tomato flavour to the medley of vegetables in this dish.

North Carolina BBQ Sauce

This mustard-based sauce is perfect for cutting through rich BBQ meats. Mutti tomato paste provides a fruity sweetness to balance tangy cider vinegar.

Why Are Mutti Tomatoes So Good?

Q&A

Why are canned tomatoes better than fresh tomatoes?

When tomatoes are picked to be canned, they’re picked as ripe as possible. When they’re picked to be sold fresh, they’re almost always picked underripe so they won’t be damaged on the way to market. Unless you’re growing your own in the height of summer, canned will almost always be better for cooking. And the best are from Italy.

Can I substitute canned tomatoes for fresh tomatoes?

Except perhaps at the height of summer when tomatoes are ripest, canned tomatoes are usually better than fresh in cooked dishes. If using Mutti polpa (crushed fresh tomatoes in tomato juice), bear in mind that it takes 2kg fresh tomatoes to make 1 x 400g tin of polpa, so you’ll only need about a quarter of the fresh amount.

Can I use crushed tomatoes (polpa) instead of whole tomatoes (pelati)?

Crushed canned tomatoes can be substituted for whole canned tomatoes in almost any dish, as the whole tomatoes break down during cooking anyway. If substituting Mutti polpa in a recipe that calls for canned whole tomatoes, you may need to add a little extra liquid to replace the juice the whole ones are packed in.

Why are San Marzano tomatoes special?

San Marzano are a variety of tomato grown in the volcanic soil around Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy. They have been granted PDO (protected designation of origin) status by the EU, meaning only tomatoes grown in a specified area to strict guidelines may be labelled San Marzano.

What is tomato passata?

Tomato passata is a tomato puree, a smooth sauce made by passing cooked tomatoes through a fine sieve then evaporating some of the liquid to give a thicker texture and a richer, naturally sweet tomato flavour. Passato means ‘passed’ in Italian.

Where are Mutti tomatoes grown?

Tomatoes for Mutti’s sauces, polpa and passata are grown in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, known as ‘the food basket of Italy’, and surrounding regions. Varieties that are canned whole (including cherry, baby Roma and San Marzano) are grown in southern Italy.