Whether whole, diced or crushed, CANNED TOMATOES make the many months when peak tomatoes aren’t in season a whole lot more tolerable.
If you have a can or two of tomatoes in your pantry right now, here are some unique ways to use them. If you don’t, next time you make a grocery run, be sure to toss a few cans of this workhorse staple ingredient in your cart.
Amazing 4 Ingredient Tomato Sauce
This tomato sauce is also entirely hands-off; you don’t even mince the onion. It’s a great way to knock a meal together with a few cupboard staples. Serve it over pasta with a flurry of cheese, and enjoy tomato sauce with the flair of restaurant richness.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 can whole tomatoes (no salt or herbs added) 28 oz
- 5 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 white onion peeled and cut in half
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, butter, onion halves, and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring and crushing the tomatoes lightly with the back of a spoon occasionally, until droplets of fat appear on the surface of the tomatoes, about 45 minutes.
- Remove and discard the onion. Serve over hot pasta with Parmesan and black pepper, if desired.
Restaurant Style Salsa in a Blender
Ripe summer tomatoes make a fresh pico de gallo that is out of this world, but for the rest of the year, you want canned tomatoes. They are the surprising hero of a good restaurant-style salsa.
Servings: 4 cups
Ingredients
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices 28 oz can
- 1 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed
- ½ small red onion coarsely chopped
- 2 medium jalapenoes, seeds and membranes removed coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice plus more as needed
- 2 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Pulse until the salsa is as chunky or smooth as you like it.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let the flavors combine and mellow, or refrigerate it for up to 1 week.
