What would pizza look like without the humble tomato? An unbelievable 38.3 million metric tons of tomato products are consumed worldwide every year, with Americans eating on average 23 pounds (the majority of which is sauce and sauce) per person, per year.

Not only are tomatoes highly regarded for their culinary versatility, they're packed with healthy benefits to boot like vitamins A, K, C, potassium, folate, and specifically lycopene — an antioxidant found in many red fruits that reduces cancer risk and helps your heart. But did you know there are more than ten thousand varieties of tomatoes? Here’s what's trending on the vine to help you find the best fit for your kitchen.

Location, Location, Location!

Tomato consumption is consistently growing, and though tomatoes are produced in countries across the globe to keep up with demand, Performance sources tomatoes only from the best growing regions.

• Tomatoes grown in California typically have the highest solid count (in terms of sugar, acid, and salt) to allow for the greatest diversity of applications — from zesty pizza sauce to fresh juice. A higher solid content also allows for a longer cook time, so look to California sourcing when baking pizzas at high heat (like wood-fired, for example) or simmering meat sauces. Try Assoluti!® Whole Peeled Tomatoes in Juice or Piancone® Whole Peeled Tomatoes with Basil in Juice.

• Even though they have a shorter growing season and fewer solids than their Californian cousins, Midwestern-grown tomatoes are still rich in color, flavor, and texture — namely because they're still grown at the same latitude as Californian and Italian. This makes the Midwest excellent for sauces. Check out West Creek® Ground Tomatoes or Tomato Puree from Contigo®.

• While Italy may produce fewer varieties of tomatoes, their distinct sweet and only slightly tangy flavor makes them world renowned for a reason. The soil in the Naples region is naturally supplemented by nearby Mount Vesuvius and the sea. Tap into the trending health-conscious demand for organic and preservative-free tomato sauces with the upper-echelon Piancone® Epicureo brand. The Whole Peeled Organic Tomatoes with Organic Basil will immediately put Italy on the plate of any dish you dream up.

• How can bountiful tomatoes flourish as far north as Canada, you may ask? Greenhouses, my friend. With sophisticated technology and efficient automated systems, Canada’s greenhouses helped farmers grow 324,080 tons of fresh tomatoes in 2022, topping all other produce. Look to Assoluti! and Contigo for these flavorful rubies of the north!

Pick Your Player

• Plum - A term that refers to size and shape. Sometimes called roma or paste tomatoes. Ideal for sauces.

• Whole peeled tomatoes - Where Italian tomatoes shine. Within hours of being picked from the vine, tomatoes are in the can. Most common, most versatile.

• Crushed - A good shortcut for sauces, particularly pizza and other recipes. Texture is in between sauce and diced.

• Chopped, cut, strips - Great for chunky salsas, sauces, and other Italian dishes. Strips can even act as a meat substitute in some applications like tacos.

• Ground - Not to be confused with pureed which are cooked longer. Made from fresh pear tomatoes with no citric acid added. Piancone and Luigi® brands are 100% steam peeled with no calcium chloride added. Our premier product in this category is Piancone, imported from Italy.

• Puree - Not as heavy as paste, not as coarse as crushed. Thick viscosity is created by cooking and straining. Great for dips, pizza, and pasta sauces. Puree numbers refer to the tomato concentration. The higher the number, the more tomato solids. Heavy, extra heavy, super heavy. (Pro tip: The heavier the concentrate, the higher yield an establishment can get out of the product by adding water to the mix.)

• Paste - Remember, "more paste, more taste!" Thick and concentrated flavor. Dark rich color due to longtime cooking down. Paste is used as a complement, helping to enhance other flavors with added richness and umami (tomatoes have a high glutamate content).

Three Essential Sauces

Authentic Italian standbys will always be trending, and these three put the tomato front and center while allowing for a variety of applications. With these in your repertoire, you can get creative while still honoring the classics.

1. Tomato with Butter and Onion

Its complex flavor masks the total ease of preparation. Combine tomatoes, butter, and a halved onion in a saucepan and simmer for an hour. No need for fresh here, try Luigi canned Whole Peeled Italian Plum Tomatoes with Basil for maximum flavor. Just remember to remove and discard the onion before mashing any larger tomato pieces to the desired consistency before serving.

2. Puttanesca

No spaghetti is safe from hungry diners when puttanesca comes into play. This briny trifecta of anchovies, olives, and capers is the perfect sidekick to a bubbling chunky tomato base. The addition of rich West Creek Pear and Plum Tomato Paste gives a strong depth of flavor.

3. Summer Sauce

An uncooked sauce needs the freshest ingredients — there’s no heat to help develop and bring out the flavors. With room temperature (not cold!) canned Piancone Italian Ground Peeled Tomatoes in Puree, you can achieve all the fresh flavor for this sauce that utilizes fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil.

Tomatoes on Trend in 2025

• Global tomato: Based sauces such as those in jollof rice (West Africa), sarsiado (Philippines), or curtido, a tomato onion salsa from Ecuador.

• Savory martinis: Start with garlic-infused vodka, add olive brine, and 2 ounces of crushed tomatoes. Shake vigorously and strain. Garnish with rosemary olive oil. Pro tip: garnish with basil leaf dotted with balsamic. You can thank me later!

• Desserts, jams, and chutneys: Go directly to canned whole peeled and roast in a cast iron with green chilis, onion, chaat masala, coriander, and lime juice. Mash and serve.