10 interesting ways to use spaghetti sauce

Don't throw out that leftover spaghetti sauce. Instead, use it in unexpected — and tasty — new ways. Here are some ideas.

1. To flavour baked fish and keep it moist, bake fillets or whole fish in spaghetti sauce. Add a few olives, some herbs and some citrus zest for more flavour.
2. For a quick sausage or steak sandwich, pan-fry your favourite sausages or thin-sliced top round sandwich steaks in a skillet. Remove the meat, then sauté sliced onions and peppers in the pan. Add your favourite spaghetti sauce and return the meat to the pan. Simmer for five minutes then serve on steak rolls.
3. To mix up a quick marinade for Southwestern-style chicken, combine 250 millilitres (one cup) marinara sauce and five millilitres (one teaspoon) pure chile powder such as ancho chile powder. Or use a blended seasoning such as chili powder. Use to marinate 450 grams (one pound) chicken parts in the refrigerator for one to three hours.
4. For a speedy pizza, spread 175 millilitres (3/4 cup) spaghetti sauce over a prepared pizza crust. Or for individual pizzas, use four pita bread rounds. Add 250 millilitres (one cup) shredded mozzarella and 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) grated Parmesan if you like. Add any number of other toppings from anchovies to zucchini. Bake at 230°C (450°F) until the cheese melts and is lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
5. To keep beef burritos moist and flavourful, brown 450 grams (one pound) ground beef along with one chopped onion, one seeded and chopped red bell pepper, and a few chopped garlic cloves. Stir in 250 millilitres (one cup) marinara sauce, five millilitres (one teaspoon) paprika, five millilitres (one teaspoon) dried oregano, two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) ground cumin, and two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) chili powder. Simmer on low for 15 minutes and serve with tortillas, shredded cheese and salsa.
6. If you need an instant simmering liquid for clams or mussels, use jarred spaghetti sauce. Doctor up the sauce with saffron, white wine, fresh garlic and/or chopped fresh herbs.
7. To make a vinaigrette for a broccoli salad, use spaghetti sauce as the base. Mix together 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) smooth marinara sauce, 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) red-wine vinegar, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) chopped fresh parsley, 2 millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) salt, and 0.5 millilitres (1/8 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper. Toss with 550 grams (20 ounces) thawed frozen broccoli pieces.
8. For a one-dish chicken meal, cook seasoned chicken parts in olive oil in a deep skillet until browned all over. Remove to a plate and keep warm, then add onions and bell peppers to the skillet and sauté until tender. Add mushrooms, thyme, red-pepper flakes and fennel seeds and cook until the mushrooms begin to give up their liquid, about five minutes. Pour in jarred spaghetti sauce and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, cover and simmer until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a fork. Serve over noodles.
9. To get a jump-start on the sauce for braised meats, use spaghetti sauce as the base. Most sauces include the same ingredients you would be braising with anyway, such as onions, garlic and tomatoes.
10. To make gazpacho when you don't have fresh tomatoes, use spaghetti sauce. Combine the sauce in a food processor along with fresh orange juice, cucumber, bell peppers, scallions, cilantro and a little hot-pepper sauce. Pulse until the vegetables are just chopped. Thin with a little cold water, if necessary, then refrigerate the soup for three hours and serve chilled.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!