34 Easy and Delicious Tomato-Based Recipes
After a trip to the grocery store where you stocked up on some pantry staples, you probably found yourself with a particular pantry dilemma: Lots of canned tomatoes, and absolutely no idea what to cook for dinner. While those canned tomatoes are a great item to have on hand, it's not easy to just whip up dinner unless you know what to do with them.
Luckily for us, we have a plethora of recipes that will use up your canned tomatoes! From hearty chilis, pasta bolognese, curry dishes, and even a few ways to use up those canned tomatoes for breakfast, we have a scrumptious list of recipes you can dig into. So grab those canned tomatoes in your pantry and let's use them up for dinner—once and for all! And if you're looking for more healthy recipes, try our 22 Meals to Melt Belly Fat in 2022.
Pinto Bean and Pumpkin Mole Chili
What's needed: 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes
This recipe combines a full can of pumpkin along with classic chili ingredients like onion, ground beef, tomatoes, and canned beans. There are all the flavors and seasonings of traditional chili, along with the sweet flavor of pumpkin. And thanks to a couple of teaspoons of cocoa powder and a can of diced green chiles, this chili also packs in the flavors of Mexican mole sauce.
Get the recipe for Pinto Bean and Pumpkin Mole Chili.
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Slow Cooker Beef Goulash
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 can of tomato paste
Now, you might be thinking that a goulash—which is a meat and veggies stew—would require a lot of time, but our recipe is made for your slow cooker. All you have to do is combine all of the ingredients into it, and let the time-saving appliance work its magic while you do whatever it is you need to do. It's that easy!
Get our recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Goulash.
Hearty Italian Sausage Soup
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes
While it sounds complicated in title, we assure you it is a deceptively simple recipe that will create a wonderfully soothing bowl of meat, vegetables, and pasta. You can load this one full of vegetables, doubling the amount used below, and end up with a chunky, sausage-strewn minestrone. And if you want to cut out the pasta all together, replace farfalle with your favorite brown rice or quinoa. Either way, this Italian sausage soup is hearty enough to work as dinner on its own.
Get our recipe for Hearty Italian Sausage Soup.
One-Skillet Taco Pasta
What's needed: 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes, 1 can of tomato sauce
Sure, traditional pasta is great. But have you tried taco pasta? This easy recipe takes all of the things you love about tacos—seasonings, spice, and yes, cheese—and converts them into a pasta format. Taco Tuesday is about to take on a whole new meaning.
Get our recipe for One-Skillet Taco Pasta.
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes
Restaurants feel the use of a lean protein like shrimp entitles them to the use of egregious quantities of butter, cream, and cheese, all but drowning out any chance of actually tasting the seafood in question. Instead, we turn to a Little Italy favorite: spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo, made from little more than crushed tomatoes, white wine, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Indulgence with less calories sounds much tastier, doesn't it?
Get our recipe for Shrimp Fra Diavolo.
Slow Cooker Cuban Tomato and Black Bean Soup
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes
Not only is this dish flavor-packed (thanks to the combination of the jalapeño, red, and green peppers, ham hock, onions, and all the other yummy fixings that go into a Cuban black bean soup recipe), but we make sure to keep things as light as possible. Between the reduced-sodium black beans, no-salt-added diced tomatoes, unsalted chicken broth, and the addition of Greek yogurt for a healthy garnish, you'll enjoy your 260 calories worth of a delicious soup.
Get our recipe for Cuban Tomato and Black Bean Soup.
Eggs Diablo
What's needed: 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 can of tomato sauce
Sure, you could make hard-boiled or scrambled eggs for breakfast, but if you really want to kick things up a notch, why not try this recipe for eggs diablo? With crushed red pepper and fire-roasted tomatoes, along with green peppers and onions, this dish is bursting with flavor and nutrition.
Get our recipe for Eggs Diablo.
Crock-Pot Italian Meatballs Recipe
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes
While we're huge fans of making meatballs and sauce from scratch, sometimes it's hard to take the time to do so. That's why this crock-pot Italian meatballs recipe is the perfect go-to when you want a large spaghetti dinner without all the work. Plus, it uses up the canned tomatoes in your pantry that you're trying to get rid of!
Get our recipe for Crock-Pot Italian Meatballs.
Pasta Fagioli Soup
What's needed: 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 can of diced tomatoes
While there are numerous variations to making a homemade Pasta Fagioli soup recipe, we decided to go directly to the source to see what was in Olive Garden's special recipe. According to the menu on the Olive Garden website, the ingredients in their soup include "white and red beans, ground beef, fresh tomatoes, and tubetti pasta in a savory broth." So that's exactly what you'll find in this recipe.
Get our recipe for Pasta Fagioli Soup.
Jambalaya
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato paste
By decreasing the rice ratio (or even swapping out with quinoa for a gluten-free alternative) and increasing the produce and protein, this jambalaya recipe cuts the calories and carbs dramatically. Don't worry though: it still has enough soul (and flavor) to satisfy the most discerning Creole critics.
Get our recipe for Jambalaya.
Pinto Bean Chili
What's needed: 1 can of tomato puree
If you have canned tomatoes and no idea what to do with it, why not whip up a large pot of chili? It's great for dinner, or even for your lunch meal prep for the week!
Get our recipe for Pinto Bean Chili.
Turkey Chili
What's needed: 1 can of whole-peeled tomatoes, 1 can of tomato paste
Though we've never been shy about professing our undying affection for chili, it's not without its dangers, namely soaring sodium counts and reliance on fatty ground beef. Go lean by using ground turkey and build flavor with spices, beer, and a bit of chocolate.
Get our recipe for Turkey Chili.
Tomato Chicken Curry With Cauliflower Rice
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes
Looking for something on the spicier side? By using a jalapeño in the recipe, this chicken curry comes with a slight kick, but between the sweetness of the coconut milk and the acidity of the crushed tomatoes, this tomato chicken curry recipe is the perfect dinner dish no matter what season you're in.
Get our recipe for Tomato Chicken Curry with Cauliflower Rice.
Seared Chicken Pizzaioli
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes
To lighten things up without losing flavor, we ditch the breading of your typical chicken parm (which gets soggy underneath the sauce anyway) and sear the chicken rather than fry it. A ladle of red sauce and a thin layer of bubbling mozzarella rounds the dish out.
Get our recipe for Seared Chicken Pizzaioli.
Crock-Pot Beef Ragu
What's needed: 1 can of tomato paste, 1 can of crushed tomatoes
Sick of the usual meat sauce and meatballs on a weeknight? Take your Italian cooking up a notch with this delectable beef ragu recipe. Not only is it easy to make, but this dump-and-go Crock-Pot recipe is perfect to prep and freeze for later!
Get our recipe for Beef Ragu.
Minestrone With Pesto Soup
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes
This healthy minestrone soup recipe is a hodgepodge of veggies that will go a long way in making sure your diet is not lacking in its necessary greenery. Vary the specific vegetables depending on what's in your fridge and what looks good in the market, but be sure to finish with a spoonful of jarred pesto, which helps tie the whole bowl together.
Get our recipe for Minestrone with Pesto Soup.
Crockpot Chili
What's needed: 1 can of tomato paste, 1 can of crushed tomatoes
Our crockpot chili recipe has big flavors in spades: smoky chipotle pepper, hoppy IPA, and plenty of cumin and chili powder to tie the whole thing together. Chili and corn have a natural affinity for each other, so we like serving this with a wedge of cornbread or a stack of warm tortillas. Now, get out your crockpot and chill. (Sorry, we had to.)
Get our recipe for Crockpot Chili.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
What's needed: 1 can of whole-peeled tomatoes
Over the past two decades, tortilla soup has rivaled chicken soup as a comforting mainstay on major restaurant menus. Between the pulled chicken, the soothing tomato broth, and the pile of fixings, what's not to love? How about a bowl of soup with 86 percent of your day's sodium allotment? Unless you learn to enjoy it at home, that's what you're likely to get when you ordering this dish out. Let our chicken tortilla soup recipe change that for you.
Get our recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Curry with Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Stir Fry
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes
This Indian-style curry takes no more than 25 minutes to prepare, yet it will taste like it's been simmering away all day. The balance of the creamy coconut milk, the sweet cubes of squash, and the subtle heat of the curry powder could make the most dedicated meat eater forget he was eating only vegetables.
Get our recipe for Curry with Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Stir Fry.
Turkey Cassoulet
What's needed: 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 can of tomato paste
Turkey is often restricted to only be the star of the meal at Thanksgiving, but you can—and should!—eat it all year round. That's why we made it the focal point of our cassoulet recipe. If you're not sure exactly what a cassoulet is, it's essentially a slow-cooked casserole originating from France that usually has meat and beans in it. In this cassoulet, we stay true to the dish's roots, but swap in turkey, which brings a different flavor palette to the meal.
Get our recipe for Turkey Cassoulet.
Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas
What's needed: 1 can of whole-peeled tomatoes
With this red chile enchilada recipe calls for chicken, you can play with the filling as you see fit. As long as you have canned tomatoes to make the sauce, and a few tortillas, you're good to go!
Get our recipe for Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chicken Chili
What's needed: 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes
In this pumpkin chili recipe, we combine all the classic chili elements—beans, peppers, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and chili powder to name a few—along with the chicken and pumpkin in a slow cooker for a few hours. Then, you'll come home to a flavor-packed chili that is savory and brings a little kick you can ramp up by adding in some hot sauce. You might not think to pair chicken and pumpkin together, but one spoonful of this dish and you'll be hooked.
Get our recipe for Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chicken Chili.
Spaghetti With Spicy Tomato Sauce and Bacon
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes
Bucatini alla Amatriciana is a staple in and around Rome and the type of dish Italian college kids cook when they miss Mama's cooking. The beauty of the dish is that just a few strips of bacon infuse an entire pot of pasta with a rich, meaty flavor, cut perfectly by the sweet of the tomatoes and the heat of the pepper flakes. No fatty sausage links, greasy ground beef, or fist-size meatballs are necessary in this spaghetti recipe.
Get our recipe for Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Bacon.
Crock-Pot Vegetarian Chili
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes
Just because a meal doesn't have meat in it doesn't mean it can't be a hearty one! This crock-pot vegetarian chili is stocked with all sorts of filling foods you'll love mixing together in the slow cooker.
Get our recipe for Crock-Pot Vegetarian Chili.
Bolognese Sauce
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato paste
Call it meat sauce, call it ragù, call it whatever you want, but there's no denying that a well-made pasta sauce is one of life's finest pleasures. The Italians traditionally make Bolognese with pork, veal, and beef—a rich combination that makes for a delicious but calorie-laden bowl. This Bolognese follows the same technique used for an authentic, velvety sauce, but subs in turkey for veal and lean sirloin for fattier beef. You can serve this over dried spaghetti or fettuccine, but fresh pasta really is best.
Get our recipe for Bolognese Sauce.
Copycat Wendy's Chili
What's needed: 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 can of diced tomatoes
Thanks to a clear list of ingredients on the Wendy's website, it was easy to put together this recipe. According to the list, the Wendy's chili has a chili base, tomatoes, chili beans, pink beans, kidney beans, onions, celery, green peppers, ground beef, chili pepper, garlic powder, and spices. While the recipe also has sugar and modified corn starch in it, we knew you could have a delicious chili without either of those additives, so we didn't bother adding them into our version.
Get our recipe for Copycat Wendy's Chili.
Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
What's needed: 1 can of whole-peeled tomatoes
Traditional meatballs are made with a mixture of beef, pork, and veal. Turkey, lean and tender, replaces the latter two in these meatballs, saving you major calories while simultaneously providing your taste buds with major yum. And if anything, go heavy on the meatballs and light on the pasta.
Get our recipe for Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs.
Crock-Pot Jambalaya
What's needed: 1 can of diced tomatoes
There's nothing like a steaming, spicy bowl of crock-pot jambalaya to warm you up! While you can make a faster jambalaya recipe, using a slow cooker helps to savor all of the flavors of the jambalaya. Between the sausage, tomatoes, and spicy cajun seasoning, this crock-pot jambalaya recipe is bursting with flavor.
Get our recipe for Crock-Pot Jambalaya.
Instant Pot Chili
What's needed: 2 cans of tomato sauce, 2 cans of diced tomatoes & green chiles
Not a fan of beans in your chili? Than this Instant Pot chili recipe is for you! With a mixture of ground beef and lots of diced vegetables, this recipe uses up four cans of tomatoes in your pantry! Talk about a pantry clean out.
Get our recipe for Instant Pot Chili.
Turkey Bolognese With Fettuccine
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can of tomato paste
Before there was spaghetti and meatballs, before there was tomato sauce with ground beef and Italian seasonings, before there was Hamburger Helper and bottles of Prego, there was ragù, a slow-simmered meat sauce that is heartier, more complex, and, yes, more comforting than its American counterparts. And that's what we go back to in this turkey bolognese recipe.
Get our recipe for Turkey Bolognese with Fettuccine.
Italian Pizza Sauce
What's needed: 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 can of tomato paste
While it's super easy to order a pizza for dinner, it's actually incredibly easy to make pizza with this Italian pizza sauce recipe from scratch as well. It's an easy pizza sauce recipe that will make enough sauce for 4 different pizzas—perfect for easy weeknight dinners!
Get our recipe for Italian Pizza Sauce.
Homemade Ketchup
What's needed: 1 can of tomato puree
Have you ever had homemade ketchup? Not only is it fresh and delicious, but you can also control the amount of sugar and salt in it and season it to your liking. It's also super easy to make. Homemade ketchup really highlights the flavor of tomatoes rather than masking it with lots of vinegar, sugar, and salt.
Get our recipe for Homemade Ketchup.
Classic Italian Meatballs
What's needed: 4 cans of tomato sauce, 1 can of tomato paste
Learn how to make authentic Italian meatballs straight from one editor's Italian grandmother. Here are her special secrets for creating the best tasting tomato sauce and melt-in-your-mouth meatballs, which you can easily throw together with a few of your canned tomatoes!
Get our recipe for Classic Italian Meatballs.
Shakshuka
What's needed: 1 can of crushed tomatoes
Made with fresh or canned tomatoes, the sauce starts with sautéed bell peppers, onion, and garlic. A few good spoonfuls of the spicy North African red pepper paste harissa adds depth to the shakshuka, making the mixture of this paleo casserole way more exciting than your everyday tomato and garlic sauce.
Get our recipe for Shakshuka.
