What Is So Special About San Marzano Tomatoes?

Have you heard of San Marzano tomatoes? They're considered the Ferrari or Prada of canned tomato varieties, and loyalists say they are well worth the higher price tag compared to other Italian or domestically produced options. To settle the debate, we set out to learn why San Marzano tomatoes are so beloved—and whether or not they are as good as fans believe. Let's start by getting one thing straight: All canned tomatoes are a wonderful pantry ingredient and something our food editors always have on hand; they're ideal for Marinara Sauce and so many other recipes.

How San Marzano Tomatoes Are Different From Other Canned Varieties

San Marzano is both a type of tomato and a region in Italy. The San Marzano tomato is a type of plum tomato, but it's longer and thinner than the typical plum tomato you might see sold fresh in grocery stores or buy canned; it also has a more obvious pointed tip and fewer seeds. Not all canned tomatoes from Italy are San Marzano, and, to make things more confusing, San Marzano tomatoes grow outside of Italy, too. In fact, they are now also grown in the United States, and their seeds are widely available, which means you could grow San Marzano tomatoes in your vegetable garden.

Protected Designation of Origin

The official Protected Designation of Origin quality seal put San Marzano tomatoes (grown in a relatively small region between in southern Italy between Naples and Salerno) on the culinary map. Protected Designation of Origin is similar to the protected status of foods like Parmigiano-Reggiano and balsamic vinegar; it's often abbreviated to PDO or DOP in the Italian. The volcanic soils in the PDO are famed for their balanced flavor that combines sweetness, tomatoey intensity, and just the right amount of acid.

How to Tell If Tomatoes Are San Marzano

Like honey and olive oil, San Marzano tomatoes have been the subject of fakery. There are a few different aspects to this. Over time, San Marzano tomatoes grown in Italy, but outside of the official region, have become available in the U.S. They may be the same type of tomato, grown in similar soil and canned in a similar manner, but they are not DOP San Marzano. Several American canned tomato companies now sell domestically raised San Marzano tomatoes. You might want to consider them as more affordable alternatives. You may also prefer their taste to the DOP ones (or you might not).

True frauds do exist, which is why shoppers are told to look for the designation DOP on the can, which indicates that the much-vaunted tomatoes are inside—but there are also stories of DOP labels being put onto imported Italian tomatoes once they have reached the U.S. To spot a fake, check the price: If the DOP San Marzano tomatoes in a store are a steal, they may well not be the genuine item.

Should You Buy San Marzano Tomatoes?

Whether San Marzano tomatoes are worth it is a matter of your personal taste and pocket book. If you're curious about the authentic DOP San Marzano tomatoes, we suggest you track down a can and use it in a favorite recipe; compare it to how that recipe usually tastes.

If you want to take the test a stage further, try making that same recipe using a can of Italian San Marzano tomatoes grown outside of the DOP region; then test the same recipe using a can of American San Marzano tomatoes. Finally, use the canned tomatoes you usually buy. Compare the final results from each type of tomato and determine which you actually prefer. The winner might surprise you.