20 Meals You'll Actually Want To Eat That Begin With A Can Of Diced Tomatoes
Always keep this non-perishable on hand for an easy, satisfying meal.
If you look in your kitchen right now, there's a good chance you have a can of diced tomatoes sitting around. So don't let this versatile ingredient go to waste. Turn it into one of these satisfying recipes.
1. Skillet Lasagna
Unlike traditional lasagna that gets baked in the oven, this skillet version calls for bowtie pasta, ground pork sausage and beef, diced tomatoes, and a three-cheese mixture that comes together on the stovetop. Get the recipe for skillet lasagna here.
2. Creamy Tomato Soup
Diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and milk form the base of this creamy and simple soup that tastes worlds better than the canned stuff. Get the recipe for creamy tomato soup here.
Making Bolognese sauce from scratch doesn't have to be a whole to-do. Sauté ground beef in some olive oil with onions, garlic, and herbs, then add crushed tomatoes and simmer. Get the recipe for pasta Bolognese here.
4. Baked Shrimp in Tomato and Feta Sauce
You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp for this one-skillet meal. The shellfish gets baked in a tangy and bright sauce of canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, and feta cheese. Serve it with crusty bread for dunking. Get the recipe for baked shrimp in tomato feta sauce here.
Store-bought tortellini becomes a gourmet meal when served in this decadent blend of diced tomatoes, cream, chicken stock, herbs, and Parmesan cheese. Get the recipe for one-pot creamy tomato tortellini soup here.
6. One-Dish Chicken Bake
Combine canned tomatoes with garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Then nestle chicken breasts into the tomato mixture topped with shredded cheese and let the whole thing bake for 35 minutes until bubbly and hot. Get the recipe for one-dish chicken bake here.
7. Italian Sausage Stew
This hearty recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients: diced tomatoes, canned white beans, onion, garlic, and Italian sausage. If you don't happen to have sausage, any ground meat will do the trick. Get the recipe for Italian sausage stew here.
8. Creamy Tomato Gnocchi
Along with some heavy cream, canned tomatoes in their juices forms the base of this rich and decadent gnocchi. If you don't have potato gnocchi on hand, try making it with any tubular pasta.
9. Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry
While this recipe calls for chickpeas stewed in a flavorful broth made with coconut milk, diced tomatoes, and curry powder, you can feel free to swap in whatever protein and veggies you have on hand like sweet potatoes or shrimp. Get the recipe for creamy coconut chickpea curry here.
10. American Goulash
Elbow macaroni (or any pasta), ground beef, and canned, diced tomatoes are the heart of this filling recipe you can enjoy for lunch or dinner. Make a big batch because it tastes even better as the next day's leftovers.
11. Minestrone Soup
Thanks to a handful of canned and boxed ingredients like kidney beans, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and noodles, you can easily whip up this comforting soup when you're low on fresh groceries. Get the recipe for minestrone soup here.
Cod (or any white, flaky fish) gets baked in canned tomatoes, lemon juice, and fresh basil. The result is perfectly tender fish with lots of flavor. Get the recipe for four-ingredient baked fish here.
13. Shakshuka
This Middle Eastern and North African recipe is perfectly appropriate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Bake eggs in a mixture of diced tomatoes, red peppers, onions, garlic, and spices until just set. Get the recipe for shakshuka here.
Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients for this Cajun-dish. You can make use of whatever protein you have on hand whether it's chorizo, frozen shrimp, chicken, ground beef, etc...Get the recipe for chicken, shrimp, and sausage jambalaya here.
A true dump and cook meal, just toss all of your ingredients into a big pot and let them simmer. The recipe calls for ribeye, but you can use any cut of beef. Get the recipe for cabbage and beef soup here.
Work with the ingredients you've got: If you don't have everything for the sauce, just use canned tomatoes and season them with a little sugar, salt, pepper, and whatever dried Italian seasonings are in your pantry. Get the recipe for Chicago-style deep-dish pizza here.
17. Spicy Eggplant Pasta
This recipe calls for a mixture of fresh and canned tomatoes, but if you're running low on ripe tomatoes, just opt for the canned version. This pasta will still turn out great. Get the recipe for spicy eggplant pasta here.
This one-pot meal is so easy you don't even have to boil the noodles separately. Just toss everything — spaghetti, garlic, onion, canned tomatoes, and broth — into a large sauce pot or Dutch oven, turn on the stove, and wait for your dinner to make itself. Get the recipe for one-pot tomato basil pasta here.
19. Chicken Cacciatore
There are no fancy ingredients involved in this dish. In fact, all you need are chicken breasts, canned tomatoes, some leftover red wine, onion, and spices, but it still manages to taste restaurant-quality. Get the recipe for chicken cacciatore here.
20. Stuffed Pepper Casserole
This cheap and comforting meal is made with bell peppers, rice, canned diced tomatoes in their juices, ground beef, and shredded cheese. Just dump everything besides for the cheese in a large pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cook until the rice is tender. Get the recipe for stuffed pepper casserole here.