How far can you make a tin of tomatoes go?

Everyone’s got a tin of tomatoes lurking in the back of the cupboard. Whether you want to fuel up for the afternoon ahead with a nourishing soup or you’re after a deliciously simple plant-based dinner, these recipes show you how to make the most of them, says Hannah Twiggs

(Tarantella)

There’s never been a better time to embrace your store cupboard – in particularly, tinned tomatoes.

This selection of super convenient recipes not only make the most of this wonder ingredient, but other readily available ingredients, without compromising on flavour.

Fuel up for the afternoon ahead with a deliciously nourishing tomato and roast pepper soup that can be whipped up in less than half an hour. Suitable for batch cooking and freezing, it’s a quick and health option for lunch on a budget.

For a tasty, yet deliciously simple plant-based lunch or dinner, try the roast peppers stuffed with spiced tomato rice. A wholesome dish that can be made even healthier by adding mixed beans to bring some plant-based protein to your day.

Keep all the family happy with a South American twist on the classic pasta bake – the Mexican chicken pasta bake. It can be made using any beans you have in the cupboard – black, butter, kidney or even cannellini, and for a vegetarian option, try using tofu instead of chicken.

Top up your five a day with the super versatile tomato, prawn and vegetable risotto. Packed full of goodness, you can also try adding extra vegetables such as green beans or peppers to give more texture, flavour and nutrients.

Tomato and roast pepper soup

Perfect for batch cooking for lunches – you can double the amounts and freeze (Tarantella)

Serves: 4

Preptime: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

For the soup:

4 red peppers, de-seeded and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of sea salt and black pepper

1 large red onion sliced up finely

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp sun dried tomato paste

1 can Tarantella chopped tomatoes

350ml veg stock

1 tsp sea salt and black pepper

To serve:

Top with extra virgin olive oil, basil, black pepper

A swirl of yoghurt (optional)

Fresh bread

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 180C.

Firstly, roast the peppers by adding them along with the olive oil, salt, and pepper to a medium baking tray and roasting in the oven for approx. 20 minutes or until soft and a little brown on the edges.

Set aside.

In the meantime, add olive oil and red onion on a medium saucepan and fry for 8-10 minutes until soft.

Add the spices and garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.

Now add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

When the peppers are ready, add them to the pan and cook for a further minute.

Turn off the heat and blitz to smooth and creamy with an immersion blender or food processor.

Season well.

To serve, top with fresh basil and drizzle with olive oil.

Mexican chicken pasta bake

You can use any beans you like. Swap the chicken for tofu for a vegetarian version (Tarantella)

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

250g dried macaroni

2 chicken breasts (around 300g), chopped into small pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 red, orange, or yellow peppers chopped

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1-2 tsp chipotle paste

70g Tarantella tomato purée

1 can Tarantella chopped tomatoes

150ml water

1 400g can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp sea salt and black pepper

150g mature cheddar, grated

To serve:

Sour cream

Thinly sliced jalapeños

Method:

Firstly, cook the pasta as per the pack instructions, drain and set aside.

In the meanwhile, heat some oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 8-9 minutes, stir as needed.

Add the onion to a large saucepan with the olive oil and fry for 5 minutes.

Now add the garlic and peppers and fry for a further 3 minutes.

Add the spices, tomato purée, chipotle paste and fry for a minute or so.

Now add in the tin tomatoes, pasta, chicken, beans, water, and stir to combine. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Season well.

Pre-heat your oven to 180C.

Transfer to a large casserole dish and top with the grated cheese.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until melted and golden.

To serve, top with sour cream and jalapeños

Roast peppers stuffed with spiced tomato rice

Add some mixed beans to add some plant-based protein (Tarantella)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the peppers:

4 red, orange, or yellow peppers

250g cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

Big pinch of sea salt

For the rice:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, cleaned and chopped

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1-2 tbsp harissa paste

250g cooked rice of choice

1 can Tarantella peeled plum tomatoes

70g green olives chopped up—optional

1 tsp sea salt

To serve:

Fresh or liquid herbs; basil, thyme, or dill

Mixed leaf salad and fresh bread on the side

Method:

To roast the peppers and tomatoes: pre-heat your oven to 180C.

Firstly, cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and stalk.

Add the peppers to a large baking tray and drizzle with oil and season.

In another pan, add the cherry tomatoes and drizzle with oil and season.

Bake both for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven. Set aside.

In the meantime, fry the leeks in olive oil until soft, then add the garlic. Fry for a further minute or so.

Now add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Finally, spoon the rice filling into the baked peppers and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven.

Top with roast tomatoes and herbs.

Tomato, prawn and veg risotto

Add extra veg like green beans and peppers for extra texture, flavour and nutrients (Tarantella)

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the risotto:

250g arborio rice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped roughly

4 cloves garlic sliced

3 tbsp white wine (optional)

1 litre veg stock (more if needed)

1 jar Tarantella passata

200g frozen peas

1 tsp sea salt and lots of black pepper

50g Parmesan, grated

For the prawns and veg:

300g cooked prawns

1 courgette chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

Toppings:

Fresh rocket

Method:

To make the risotto: add the oil to a large pan on a low to medium heat, then add in the chopped onions. Fry for 8-10 minutes until soft.

Next, add the garlic and fry for a minute, then add rice and stir for a minute, then add in the wine. Stir to combine thoroughly.

Add 250ml of the stock and the passata.

Then add the rest of the stock, a ladle at a time, until all the liquid is absorbed.

In a little oil, pan fry the courgette for 4-5 minutes, then add the prawns. Cook for a further 2 minutes to heat through.

When the rice is tender, add in the peas, prawns, courgette and salt, pepper, and stir to combine.

Now stir in the Parmesan.

To serve: Top with the fresh rocket and a drizzle of olive oil.

For more information visit www.tarantellauk.com