The Sunday Stash is a large batch of one simple, easy-to-make food that can be mix-and-matched with meat, vegetables, grains, and pasta to create meals throughout the week (or, if frozen, the month).
My daughters have been eating pasta with tomato sauce since they were babies, when they used to grab fistfuls of spaghetti off of their highchair trays, staining their little cheeks (and everything else in reach) orange as they ate. (True story: to save their clothes from irreparable tomato staining–harm, on pasta nights I used to either strip them down to their diapers before dinner or have them eat in oversized old tees, which we affectionately refer to as "pasta shirts" to this day.)
Now that they're older, the girls still request pasta several nights a week, so I always keep a stash of homemade tomato sauce on hand. We often simmer meatballs in it (I've gotmy tomato-sauce-and-meatballs routinedown to a tight 30 minutes), but the wonderful thing about tomato sauce is that it's actually incredibly versatile. You can use it as a base of a chicken cacciatore–type braise, you can spice it up and poach eggs in it, you can add it to soups and stews—the list goes on.
Since I like to make a big batch, I keep the recipe as simple as possible: just olive oil, garlic, sweet onions, canned tomatoes, and oregano. You don't need to mince anything since the sauce will be puréed with the immersion blender after cooking, a trick that not only saves time and thickens the sauce, but also helps to avoid toddler-style freakouts about unwelcome bits of onion or chunks of tomatoes.
Once the sauce has cooled, you can divide it up, putting some of it into the fridge and a few containers of it into the freezer. (You'll be so happy to find it there in a few weeks on one of those days when you have nothing prepped for dinner,not that this ever happens to me.) Here's the recipe—and 8 ways you can use it to make quick, easy meals:
1. Add Grilled Sausages to It
Grill a few Italian sausages until crisp and brown, slice them up, and toss them with some of that tomato sauce for a quick protein you can serve on crusty buns or over pasta.
2. Turn It Into Tomato Soup
Add 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth to 2 cups of tomato sauce and simmer with a few fresh basil leaves for 5-10 minutes for almost-instant tomato soup. Make asheet pan of grilled cheese sandwichesto serve with it, and dinner is complete.
3. Braise Chicken In It for a Weeknight Cacciatore
You can use any chicken you happen to have on hand—drumsticks, thighs, even skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but I love to use a whole, cut-up chicken. Brown the chicken in a large pan, add a couple of sliced red bell peppers and onions, maybe a handful of sliced mushrooms if you have them, and then pour in the tomato sauce and let the whole thing simmer until the chicken is cooked.
4. Simmer Meatballs In It
With the tomato sauce ready to go, meatballs will come together in minutes. To make themthe traditional way, use a mix of ground beef and pork and/or veal, brown the meatballs in a separate pan, and then finish in the sauce. To make themmy super-easy shortcut way, use whatever ground meat you have on hand and drop the meatballs into the simmering sauce as you form them, no pre-browning required. They cook in 12-15 minutes, depending on how big you make them, and come out really moist and flavorful. We love to serve this with pasta, of course, but you can also put them on a crusty roll with mozzarella cheese for a meatball sub, or serve over roasted broccoli or steamed spaghetti squash or zoodles if you're looking for a lighter, more veg-focused meal.
5. Spice It Up and Turn It Into Shakshuka
Sauté sliced garlic and onions in olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add 2 tablespoons harissa and 2 teaspoons cumin; stir and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add 4 cups tomato sauce to the pan, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Using a large spoon, make 4 indentations in the sauce; gently crack an egg into each one (you can crack the eggs into a small cup one at a time to make sure the yolk doesn't break before sliding into the sauce). Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. (To speed this up, you can cover the pan with a lid.) Serve with a loaf of good bread and dollops of thick yogurt.
6. Add it to a Pot of White Beans
Gently simmer canned or cooked white beansin a few good glugs of olive oil. (I like to add a peeled garlic clove and some fresh rosemary to the pot while the beans cook.) Add a ladle or two of tomato sauce, stir to combine, and simmer for a few more minutes, until the sauce is warmed through and the beans are flavorful. Serve topped with garlicky sautéed shrimp (as inthis recipe) or sausages, or serve over thick slices of toasted bread and finish with feta and a drizzle of olive oil.
7. Drizzle Cream Into It for a Decadent Pasta Sauce
There are few dishes I crave more than penne a la vodka, but it's really easy to make at home (and it's quite good without the vodka, as inthis recipe). Just simmer a few cups of sauce while you get your pasta cooking in a separate pot. Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream to the sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit. Salt to taste and toss with cooked pasta. If you'd like, add a pat or two of butter or a handful of shredded mozzarella to the sauce when you stir in the pasta.
8. Make Minestrone Soup
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine 2 cups of tomato sauce with 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and add 2 cans of beans (I love cannellini beans and chickpeas in my minestrone) and some chopped vegetables: diced carrots, sliced celery, diced potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are tender. If desired, add a small bunch of shredded kale and simmer until wilted. Top each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of grated Parmesan.
