My neighbor Clara brought this simple little potato bake to our church potluck last summer, and I watched the pan empty faster than anything else on the table. Folks kept going back, spearing just one more wedge until there was nothing but a smear of sauce left. It’s the kind of thrifty, no-fuss recipe that would’ve fit right in on my mother’s farmhouse table: just potatoes, tomato sauce, and a bit of cheese, baked until the wedges are tender, the sauce is thick and rich, and the edges catch and char a little. If you need something cozy, crowd-pleasing, and dead simple, this oven baked 3-ingredient tomato sauce potato bake is it.
Serve these saucy potato wedges straight from the foil-lined pan while they’re still hot and bubbling. They’re hearty enough to sit beside meatloaf, baked ham, or a skillet of pork chops, and they’re wonderful with a crisp green salad or a bowl of cottage cheese on the side, the way we used to round out a supper plate on the farm. For a potluck, I like to set them next to a basket of warm rolls so folks can swipe up the extra tomato sauce, and a jar of dill pickles never hurts either.
Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Tomato Sauce Potato BakeServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into thick wedges
2 cups plain canned tomato sauce (no added herbs or cheese)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or mild white cheese like Monterey Jack)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, letting the foil come up the sides to catch the sauce. Lightly grease the foil with a bit of oil or cooking spray if you have it, just to help with sticking.
Scrub the potatoes well and pat them dry. Cut each potato into thick wedges, about 6–8 wedges per potato, so they hold their shape in the oven and don’t turn to mush.
Spread the potato wedges out in a single, fairly snug layer on the prepared baking sheet. It’s fine if they touch; you just don’t want them piled on top of each other.
Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the potatoes, using a spoon or your hands to toss and coat every wedge so they’re all well covered. Spread the wedges back into a single layer, with as many cut sides down as possible so they can soak up the sauce.
Cover the baking sheet tightly with another piece of foil, crimping the edges to seal in the steam. Bake, covered, for 35–40 minutes, until the potatoes are starting to turn tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
Carefully remove the top foil (watch the steam). Gently stir and flip the potato wedges so they get a fresh coat of thickening sauce, then spread them back out into an even layer.
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top of the saucy potatoes. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender, the tomato sauce has reduced and thickened, and the cheese is melted with browned, lightly charred spots around the edges.
If you’d like a bit more char on the edges, switch the oven to broil for 2–3 minutes at the end, watching closely so the cheese and sauce don’t burn. The potatoes should look richly coated in red sauce with some dark, caramelized edges.
Let the pan rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving so the sauce settles and clings to the wedges. Serve straight from the foil-lined baking sheet, scooping up potatoes with plenty of that thick, tomatoey sauce.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like to play around while still keeping the spirit of the recipe, there are a few easy twists. You can swap the mozzarella for another mild melting cheese like provolone or Colby, or use a smoky cheese to give the potatoes a campfire flavor. For a little extra richness, dot a few thin slices of cheese under the potatoes as well as on top so it melts into the sauce. If your tomato sauce is very plain, you can stir in a pinch of salt and pepper or a small spoonful of sugar to round out the flavor, though the original potluck version was just straight sauce from the can. To make this ahead for a gathering, bake the potatoes covered until just tender, then cool and refrigerate right on the sheet; when it’s time to serve, bring to room temperature, add the cheese, and finish baking until hot and bubbly. Leftovers reheat nicely in a hot oven until the edges crisp again, and you can tuck them into a warm tortilla or next to scrambled eggs for a hearty breakfast.
