Make the most of must-have pantry foods and create this simple 10-minute tomato sauce!
This weekend I was homebound with 2 sick toddlers while Ted was out of town at a conference. So when it came time to do my weekly meal prep, I had to settle with working with what we had in our pantry. That’s really the reason behind this 10-minute tomato sauce. Like any good Italian girl, I have a tomato sauce [or Sunday gravy] that takes about 6 hours to make. But who has time for that when one child wants to be held and the other wants a consistent back scratch. Yes, this is my life right now….
When I opened my pantry door, a can of Kroger’s Simple Truth Organic Tomato Sauce stared right at me. My boys love dipping in tomato sauce [and BBQ sauce, Ranch Dressing, etc.], so I always know a batch of Mom’s tomato sauce will get gobbled up no matter how or when I decide to use it. Plus, from a nutrition standpoint, this registered dietitian Mom is all for their tomato -dip-addiction! Tomato products, such as canned tomato sauce, are some of the healthiest foods in your pantry. They are also one of the easiest ways to get a serving of vegetables in your diet. And the nutrition nerd in me knows numerous studies show that tomato products can help protect your body against a number of health conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, and chronic inflammation.
While I’ve been known to use store-bought shortcuts such as jarred tomato, marinara or pasta sauces, this 10-minute tomato sauce is worth the time— just remember to pick up a can or two of canned tomato products next time you are at the grocery store. Unlike jarred sauces, canned tomato sauce is just that: tomato puree with a few other pronounceable ingredients that make canning possible. It makes a convenient base for this 10-minute tomato sauce! And if your family doesn’t mind the chunks of tomato in their red sauce, swap in a can of diced tomatoes. Just know that trick won’t work here. My kids would be on to me in a heartbeat…
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ medium sized yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2- 15-ounce cans Simple Truth Organic Tomato Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- Pinch red pepper flakes [optional]
- In a medium sized saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Sautee until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and heat through, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately, or reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to use.
Care to know what ingredients I almost always have in our pantry? Check out my must-have list here! Tell me: What pantry staples do you always have on hand for quick cooking?!
Disclaimer: I am proud to partner with the Kroger Co. of Michigan to bring you healthy recipes and science-based nutrition advice. Because of these great partnerships I am able to share delicious and nutritious family-friendly recipes. As always all opinion and ideas are 100% my own.
