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Canned Tomatoes – Your Pantry Hero

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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.

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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.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Canned Tomatoes
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.
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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.
Prep Time10 minutes
Keyword: Canned Tomatoes
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.