It's normal to dip your spoon into a bowl of soup and come up with bite-sized pieces of corn, potatoes, or carrots. But one veggie that you probably don't want to turn up? A canned tomato. This ingredient is deployed in a variety of warm, liquidy recipes like rib-sticking hamburger soup, slow cooker Mexican chicken tinga, and crispy and saucy chicken parmesan.

Its main purpose is to add brightness and juiciness (and of course, a tomato flavor) to a plethora of saucy dishes. But in order to do that, the diced tomatoes need to break down.