How often do we open up our pantries for dinner ideas and find nothing but jars of tomato sauce to be staring back at us? We all know how
simple, delicious and cheap a pasta dinner can be, and there’s absolutely nothing
wrong with using our jarred tomato sauce multiple times a week, but spaghetti
dinners can feel quite monotonous over time, to the point where even the kids will
be left begging for some new flavors.
Tomato sauce may not be the most exciting ingredient on its own, but luckily there are an endless amount of fantastic recipes for your slow cooker that allow you to highlight your standard jar of tomato sauce in ways that you never dreamed possible!
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Use simple tomato sauce to create these 5 incredible slow
cooker dinners and see what all of the fuss is about!
1. SLOW COOKER CHILI
Chili is always a fantastic choice when you’re looking to
use up some leftover ingredients—canned beans, simple ground beef, tomato sauce
and basic spices are really all you need to produce a mouthwatering chili with
minimal effort. This recipe for Slow Cooker Chili from Fit Slow Cooker Queen
calls for a mix of fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce, but feel free to mix it up
a bit!
For a serving suggestion, Shannon adds, “I topped my bowl
with green onion, fresh cilantro, and avocado. I like to make my chili the day
before I plan on serving it. I don’t know about you but chili always
tastes best to me served the next day. Am I the only one that thinks this??”
Get the full recipe here.
2. ITALIAN MEATBALLS
You really can’t go wrong with brilliant Italian Meatballs,
especially when you’re cooking from a spectacular recipe such as this one from
Girl Versus Dough. This is a great time to experiment with your favorite tomato
sauces—why not try a garlic and onion tomato sauce tomorrow, and a red pepper
(arrabiata) sauce next week? The possibilities really are deliciously endless
and endlessly delicious!
These delectable meatballs can be served on their own, over
pasta, and the leftovers make for wonderful meatball subs!
Get the full recipe here.
3. CHICKEN AND PEPPERS
This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken and Peppers from Budget
Bytes is one of those recipes that takes you home—wherever that may be. Warm
and comforting, yet packed with flavor, this juicy chicken is best served with
a side of fluffy rice or creamy mashed potatoes.
For a budget tip, Beth adds, “You could even cut it
down to one chicken breast and add in extra peppers and onions to bring the
cost down further. It’s just mind blowing when so few ingredients thrown into a
pot can come out tasting so good and so complex.”
Get the full recipe here.
4. BAKED ZITI
We hope that you’ve not forgotten about the wonderful
classic Italian-American staple that is Baked Ziti, because even though it has
slightly fallen off of our radar, this recipe from Build Your Bite has just
reminded us of how insanely amazing it is! If you’ve never heard of this
delicious baked pasta casserole—then you are surely in for a treat! Loaded with
flavorful tomato sauce and packed with cheese this pasta bake is sure to be a
huge hit with the kids.
To serve, Joy suggests, “Serve alone or with some garlic
bread! Then try to restrain yourself from eating the whole thing in one
sitting!”
Get the full recipe here.
5. FIVE-INGREDIENT ITALIAN CHICKEN
That’s right—5 ingredients is all that it takes to produce
this tender Italian Chicken recipe from Fit Slow Cooker Queen. Chicken breasts
and Italian seasoning are added to the slow cooker with delicious mushrooms and
green beans, while pasta sauce adds the finishing touches on a wonderful family
meal that just so happens to be as delicious as it is healthy! Feel free to substitute
the veggies out for carrots or onions—or even better, add them in!
Shannon adds a great tip for getting the most out of your
cooking time with your slow cooker, “It was very hard for me not to pull the
lid off this while it was cooking because my house started to smell so
good. I didn’t do it though. Did you know lifting the lid off your slow cooker
mid cooking session can add up to 30 more minutes of cooking time? Try not
to take the lid off once you set it.“
Get the full recipe here.
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Use your tomato sauce like never before with these 5 fantastic slow cooker recipes! Be sure to SHARE them with your friends!