Contadina Tomato Puree

Contadina Tomato Puree, sold in a 29 oz can, sits squarely in the canned tomato aisle alongside crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and jarred pasta sauces — often near pasta, olive oil and other Italian pantry staples. It’s the kind of product grabbed on a weeknight run for a quick sauce, added to a batch of meal-prep marinara on Sunday, or stashed for storm-prep when fresh produce might be scarce. The brand leans on a long Italian-American heritage, invoking the Aiello brothers and a century-old tradition; its marketing targets home cooks who want an approachable, familiar “taste of Italy” — value-conscious families and cooks seeking reliable, consistent tomato flavor without fuss. The label style typically features heritage cues and language like “hand-selected” and “authentic,” suggesting naturalness and artisanal quality, but the product is not labeled organic or specially certified. Ingredient transparency is simple: Roma tomato puree and citric acid, so there are few health-halo bells or child-focused gimmicks. In plain processing terms, it’s a shelf-stable canned tomato product — industrially heat-treated and preserved for long storage, but made from a single primary ingredient plus an acidifier. Sensory-wise the puree is bright, concentrated tomato — deep red, fairly smooth and spoonable rather than chunky, with a cooked tomato aroma and balanced acidity; it thickens sauces and integrates quickly into soups, stews, and pizzas. Rituals around its use include sautéing aromatics, stirring in a ladle or two, and simmering to build depth; the steel can opens with a can opener and is spooned into pots, making it a workhorse of American home cooking and pantry-centered meal routines.