There are numerous health benefits to consuming tomatoes, which is why the human body craves them. While some people take lycopene pills, did you know that tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants? A study found that lycopene reduces the risk of heart disease. Tomato sauce can be a great part of a healthy meal plan because it can help with constipation and lower cholesterol.
Tomato sauce is a popular ingredient in many of our favorite cuisines, such as chili and pasta sauce. But what if you run out of tomato sauce, your store is out of stock, or you need a tomato-free substitute for tomato sauce? Sure, this will be a challenge. No worries, we’ve put together this handy guide so you can make the most of tomato sauce in a variety of ways and in the proper quantity.
1. Italian Sausage and Tomato Soup
If you’re a fan of sausage and tomatoes, you’ll adore this recipe’s combo. Cook and stir turkey sausage in olive oil for about 5 minutes until browned. Add onion and garlic, and continue to simmer and stir for another 5 minutes until the onion is soft add salt and pepper to taste with Italian spice. Then, add the carrots; simmer and stir for 5 to 7 minutes.
Pour in the beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and tomato sauce at this point. Add bay leaves to the mix. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so, or until carrots are fork-tender. Stir in the rigatoni pasta and cook for a further 13 minutes, or until it is al dente yet firm to the bite, according to the package directions.
2. Ratatouille
It’s not merely the title of a great movie. For dinner, the ratatouille uses fruit, demonstrating versatility in its application in a variety of dishes: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Summer squash, bell peppers, and zucchini are among the ingredients in this oven-roasted ratatouille. You won’t have to spend hours cooking over a hot stove with this recipe. You can make it in less than an hour, it’s nutritious, and it looks fantastic on the table.
3. Spicy Slow-Cooked Chili
Slow cooker chili is flavorful and spicy. Prepare it before leaving for work so you can eat it when you get home. You only need to follow these instructions to prepare this dish. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat by stirring. Cook and stir for seven minutes or until the meat are crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink.
After draining and discarding any excess fat, add ground beef, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 4 hours. Then, you can garnish each serving with cheddar cheese to make it more visually appealing.
4. Roasted Cauliflower with Minty Chimichurri
When it comes to cauliflower, all it takes to make it taste better is the right kind of cooking technique. The smell can be hidden in two ways: by boiling and by making rice. With this Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Minty Chimichurri dish, you can give this lovely fall produce the attention it deserves.
Spoon tomato sauce over with extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top and bake in a casserole dish until the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top of the finished dish in the last few minutes of baking. Garlic-infused olive oil goes well with this. Dollop some yogurt with grated fresh ginger or lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and enjoy. Simple, but oh, so good.
5. Puttanesca Sauce
Traditional ingredients such as anchovies, olives, garlic, and chili flakes add a distinct flavor to this sauce. Puttanesca sauce’s origins are up for debate. But food historians agree that it originated in Naples around the middle of the 20th century. It’s easy to put together and can be ready in the time it takes to boil water and make pasta. Make a large pot of oil hot. Heat a pan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic cloves, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste and boil while occasionally stirring for further one-and-a-half minutes. Incorporate the tomato juice and paste from the cans. Stir in the sugar, basil, olives, and capers. Boil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stirring occasionally, cook the sauce until it thickens and is reduced to 3 cups over low heat, about 30 minutes. If necessary, S&P it again. Toss out the basil and garlic cloves.
6. Fideo
This dish pairs well with any type of meat dish, such as carne asada. This meal serves as a side dish for me, rather than rice. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering and fragrant. When you’re ready, add the fideo and cook or stir until it’s brown.
In a small bowl, combine fideo with 1 cup of water and half of the tomato sauce until well combined. Add chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Let the liquid cook until it absorbs almost completely. Incorporate the remaining half cup of water and tomato sauce. While the fideo is softening and the sauce thickens, remove it from the heat.
Conclusion
It’s well-known that tomatoes have a savory flavor, a high water content, and a soft flesh that quickly breaks down, making them ideal for making a sauce without the use of thickeners like roux or masa. Adding them to your diet is a smart move in terms of your well-being. There are several tomato-based recipes you can whip up with the ingredients in this handy guide.
