Updated on November 9th, 2022
There are many ways to repurpose leftover spaghetti sauce. There are plenty of ways to make this tasty condiment last longer, from making ramen to the soup. Here are 16 delicious ways to use leftover spaghetti sauce.
Reusing Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
Tapenade de Olives
Have guests arriving for a night of Heads Up and drinks? Wow, them with a delicious tapenade that only appears to be difficult to prepare. Combine 1 cup spaghetti sauce, 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives, 1/2 cup chopped roasted peppers, and a tablespoon of capers in a mixing bowl. Serve with carrots, celery, and crackers, garnished with chopped parsley. If you want to go all out, combine the tapenade with store-bought hummus and spread the mixture on slices of French bread. Top each one with arugula for a pop of color and spicy flavor.
Zucchini Boats with Stuffing
This is the no-fuss, healthful side dish you’ve been seeking to go with all of your favorite Italian-inspired dinners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cut four zucchinis half lengthwise to create the dish. After that, use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and spray both sides of the zucchini with extra virgin olive oil. Add tomato sauce, chopped tomato, grated Parmesan cheese, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste to a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes more, or until the cheese is slightly browned.
Parmesan Eggplant for One
On nights when you’re having dinner alone, as tempting as it may be to simply zap a frozen dish, you’re better off eating something fresh. (Believe us when we say that your taste senses will appreciate you!) Make this Eggplant Parmesan for One from culinary blogger Betsy, and the next time you’re snacking and Netflixing alone. The recipe only requires five additional ingredients in addition to the 12 cups of marinara you already have. This warm dish can feel good eating because the eggplant is baked rather than fried.
Vinaigrette with Tomatoes
You’ll appreciate how your produce tastes coated in a savory and robust tomato vinaigrette, whether you’re serving a steak and spinach salad or one made entirely of beans. Combine a teaspoon of spaghetti sauce, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and drizzle over your favorite dish.
Pizza with English Muffins
The only thing better than a pizza night is a pizza night with friends and one that allows you to make use of any remaining sauce. Ezekiel English muffins, leftover bottled tomato sauce, chopped vegetables, and mozzarella cheese are all you need to make these adorable small veggie pizzas. After topping the muffins with whatever sauce you have left, pour on the vegetables and cheese, and bake for 10 minutes at 375°F. Combine the remaining vegetables, greens, and dressing to make a substantial and nutritious side salad to go with your mini pizzas while they’re baking.
Meatloaf
While there are a million different types of meatloaf, if you have 1/2 cup of pasta sauce in your fridge, you can make our simple go-to. Combine it with 2.5 pounds of grass-fed ground beef, 1/2 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs, 1 egg, and 1/4 cup chopped onion in a mixing dish. Combine all ingredients and shape it into a loaf in a greased 8×8 baking dish with your hands. Add a couple more substantial spoonfuls of sauce on top and bake for an hour at 350°F, or until the center is no longer pink.
Marinara Mussels
From the inside out, this protein-rich Italian meal will warm you up. In a deep skillet, start by sauteing some minced garlic in olive oil. Add a touch of saffron, 1/4 cup white wine, 1 cup tomato sauce, and 1.5 pounds of muscle. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the mussels open, covered in the pot. Yum!
Ratatouille is a simple dish.
You’re losing out if your only experience with ratatouille is from the film about a rat who aspires to be a great cook. There’s nothing not to like about this classic, marinara-smothered dish, packed with veggies and flavor to boot. Sauté garlic, sliced bell peppers, eggplant, onion, yellow squash, and zucchini in olive oil to cook at home. Toss in one cup of sauce, 12 cups of water, and some fresh basil to the pan. Before digging in, let the mixture simmer until it is soft.
Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
With a new Buffalo wing recipe, you can spice things up this game day—and use your leftover pasta sauce. Combine equal parts marinara and spicy sauce in a medium or large mixing basin, then coat the chicken wings in the mixture. Bake it at 425°F for 40 minutes to make a well-cooked app.
Purgatory’s Eggs
This recipe has protein, decent carbs, a small amount of healthy fat, and some delectable spicy, creamy, and salty flavors. To create this morning hangover cure, heat 2 cups pasta sauce (or 1 1/2 cups sauce with 1/2 cup water) in a small skillet with a garlic clove, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to taste in a small skillet. 2 eggs, cracked, covered, and cooked until the whites have set. Enjoy with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese on top!
Salsa
Have you run out of salsa for your dinner party? You may use your leftover pasta sauce to save the day! Combine a cup of marinara sauce, a splash of spicy sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, corn kernels, black beans, cilantro, and sliced red onion in a mixing bowl. And there you have it! You’ve got a bowl full of ready-to-eat salsa.
Noodles with Veggies Vodka Alla
Penne a la vodka, traditionally cooked with heavy cream and white pasta, isn’t exactly a diet-friendly recipe. It is, however, very possible to indulge without destroying a week’s worth of healthy diet by making a few clever substitutions. In a skillet, cook 14 cups of Greek yogurt and 1.5 cups of pasta sauce for 5 minutes over a low flame to make a slim version of the classic dish. (If you set the heat up too high, the yogurt will curdle.) Remove from the heat and whisk in a third of a cup of vodka before tossing it with spiralized vegetables. Carrots and zucchini ribbons are our favourites, but any vegetable can do.
Bloody Marys are a popular drink in the United States.
While most people don’t think “bloody mary” when they see a jar of marinara, it may be used to make a delicious Saturday morning pick-me-up. (Just stay away from the meat varieties.) 12 cup spaghetti sauce, 14 cups water, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and 12 tablespoons horseradish are combined with 1.5 to 3 ounces vodka (that’s 1 or 2 shots). If you want to go all out, garnish your glass with a celery stalk, Worcestershire sauce, and spicy sauce. In this special study, Best and Worst Hot Sauces—Ranked!, you’ll find some of our favorite hot and spicy options.
Sauce for Cocktails
Have you forgotten to get cocktail sauce for your shrimp cocktail? Take a look in the fridge for any leftover tomato sauce. It makes a fantastic stand-in when coupled with a pinch of horseradish (taste until you get the flavor you want).
Quesadilla Italiana
This delicious and sweet Italian quesadilla would result from a love affair between a slice of pizza and a quesadilla. Spread some leftover spaghetti sauce over a medium whole-grain tortilla to prepare one at home. Then top with mozzarella cheese and vegetables, fold in half, and pan-fry until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
Lasagna with Spaghetti Squash
If you like the idea of low-carb zoodles but don’t want to spend the time cutting the vegetable into ribbons, spaghetti squash is about to become your new best friend. The inside of the squash takes on a stringy consistency after you cut it in half, remove the seeds, drizzle with EVOO, and roast it in the oven.
How Long will Pasta Sauce can be Kept in the Refrigerator?
According to experts, pasta sauce can keep 3 to 10 days once opened and can be stored in the refrigerator for further use.
The “Best By” or expiration date on a food item is used by most shoppers to determine when to discard it. However, most consumers are unaware that the expiration date refers to how long the food’s quality will remain excellent rather than the item’s basic safety. Because of the ambiguity surrounding those labeling, a considerable volume of food is thrown away at home.
There isn’t a clear, universal understanding of these labels: food spoils at different rates for different people. While the label is usually a manufacturer’s indication of how long the product will retain its quality and taste, this does not necessarily mean the item has “gone bad.”
If a householder hasn’t opened their pasta sauce container, eating may be okay even after the expiration date has passed. Someone in a separate family may learn that if they open a jar of pasta sauce and leave it on the counter for many hours, it will go bad well before the expiration date.
What to Look for in a Bad Pasta Sauce?
There are a couple of telltale symptoms that your pasta sauce has deteriorated. If you discover that your tomato pasta sauce has darkened or thickened dramatically, it’s a warning that it’s about to spoil.
If a milk-based sauce has gone bad, the smell and color will be important clues. Once it has soured, it may have a sour odor or darkened color, similar to milk.
A fast technique to recognize spoiled food is to look for mold. If your sauce has any mold, don’t eat it. Everything should be thrown away.
Is it True that Some Spaghetti Sauces Store Better than Others?
Tomato-based sauces, such as those used in dishes like spaghetti alla puttanesca, tend to last longer. This is because the tomatoes’ acidity acts as a natural preservative. Dairy-based treats, such as a rich carbonara, on the other hand, are best had right away. While they can be kept in the fridge for a few days, the texture and flavor will alter. If you’re going to make a large quantity of sauce, choose one that will keep well so you can enjoy it for longer.
What Happens if Someone Eats Expiry Dated Sauce?
You could get food poisoning or be exposed to hazardous microorganisms at large levels.
“If you eat something past its expiration date and it’s ruined, you could get food poisoning,” said Summer Yule, MS, a registered dietitian nutritionist. Fever, chills, stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are signs of foodborne sickness.
Dr. Clare Morrison of MedExpress stated, “If you eat expired food, it could contain deadly concentrations of pathogenic germs like E. coli and Bacteroides.” This can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and possibly even a fever.
Conclusion
You’re not alone if you’ve ever put a half-used jar of marinara in the fridge only to discover it moldy and disgusting when you go back to use it. It happens to me regularly, and I usually want to use up the leftover spaghetti sauce, but I always seem to lose sight of it as it sinks deeper and deeper into my refrigerator’s war zone. This implies that I am wasting food, but I am also squandering money.
