The Store Bought Canned Tomatoes Anne Burrell Swears By

Canned foods kind of have a bad rap that's not totally unwarranted. As Eat This, Not That! noted, canned foods tend to have large amounts of sodium and preservatives, so eating too many of them can cause adverse health effects like heart-related conditions, as well as less serious but still inconvenient things like swelling and bloating. But if used in moderation, some chefs agree that canned goods can actually really elevate a dish and even provide some health benefits.

One such chef, Anne Burrell, loves certain canned foods, both for what they lend to recipes and the health benefits they can offer. For example, one Forbes article highlighted the canned products chefs say are key to their cooking, and Burrell praised canned beans; she cited their filling and protein-rich nature, adding that they're especially great when mixed together to form a hearty vegetarian chili. But there's another canned food Burrell not only applauds, but says she can't live without. What canned item can get a chef so excited?

In an interview with Refinery29, the Worst Cooks in America host dished about another canned food she loves. "San Marzano tomatoes are my go-tos for all of my canned tomato needs," she revealed, claiming they're versatile enough to work as a base for any tomato sauce and have an acidity and sweetness level that's just right.

Burrell isn't alone in her love of these tasty tomatoes. Martha Stewart magazine also buzzed about how special the food item is, praising the balance which "combines sweetness, tomatoey intensity and just the right amount of acid." They also like the lower seed count compared to other plum tomato varieties.

Burrell's love for canned San Marzano tomatoes can be seen in some of her recipes, including pasta bolognese featured on The Kitchn, and Bucatini All'Amatriciana featured on Food Network's site. Maybe, instead of grabbing a pre-made pasta sauce on your next shopping trip, you should take a page from Burrell's book and grab a can of San Marzano tomatoes instead. Give one of her recipes a try!