OT: Making Spaghetti Sauce w/ Tomato Juice

[tarheelmjfan]

I need to come up with something to fix for dinner, & am unable to go to the store. My options are very limited, & I need help! I don't have tomato paste or canned tomatoes. Is it possible to thicken tomato juice enough to use in making spaghetti sauce? If so, how? TIA

 

[patsal]

I'm not sure, but could you bring it to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer to let it reduce to get some of the water out of it, tehn maybe thicken it with wondra or flour?
If you have flour, garlic or garlic powder and milk you could make a weak alfredo sauce, maybe add some of the tomato reduction to create a tomato alfredo sauce?

 

[Dodielynn]

I don't know about the tomatoe juice. But if you have cheese, you can make cheese spaghetti. Boil the spaghetti, drain, add butter or margarine and the cheese. Any kind of cheese will do and it's very tasty and filling. You can also make garlic bread by toasting bread slices in oven and adding butter and garlic powder.

 

[mlwear]

This post made me smile. Not to make light of your dilemma, but when I was a little kid my mom always made spaghetti sauce with tomato juice and ground beef. It was pretty runny as I remember, but I was a kid and if it was spaghetti so I didn't mind. I remember my dad always used about 1/2 sleeve of saltine crackers in his spaghetti
You may want to try to add parmesean cheese while it is simmering to thicken it. Not sure if it will work with tomato juice, but that is what I do when I make a garlic sauce for scampi.

 

[tar heel]

It will take a while, but you can cook tomato juice down to sauce consistency.

 

[pammypooh]

I make my sauce from tomato juice. You do not need to add flour. Here is what I do: Cut up onions, garlic, celery put in large saucepan with your tomato juice. I use two cans. Then I add in spices - basil, oregeno, parsley, Italian seasoning, whatever you like. Then I let it cook on low for hours. I just keep checking on it. Stir. Be sure it does not stick. About an hour or so before serving, I check on sauce taste, usually need to sweeten a little. I use splenda for this. I also sometimes add in a little Parm. cheese and if I think sauce is too thin, I add in a little Italian flavored bread crumbs. Just watch it closely after this as last two need to be stirred and watched so doesn't stick. My crew loves this. The juice thickens with all the slow cooking. Good luck!

Pam

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Thanks for all the help. You guys know everything. The only cheese I have is sliced cheddar & canned parmesan. I prefer cream/ light sauces. My DS & I both like butter & parmesan noodles. My DH, on the other hand, likes the more hearty red sauce. I'm going to bookmark this thread & give some of your suggestions a try later though. He can just eat it & like it, or not. I have the beef fried up, & think I have the stuff for Pam's recipe. I'm actually looking forward to trying it now. I love experimenting in the kitchen.

You can also make garlic bread by toasting bread slices in oven and adding butter and garlic powder.

I do the same thing. When I have loaf bread or hamburger/ hot dog buns getting old, I freeze it for later use as garlic bread. I'm too cheap to throw them away.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I make my sauce from tomato juice. You do not need to add flour. Here is what I do: Cut up onions, garlic, celery put in large saucepan with your tomato juice. I use two cans. Then I add in spices - basil, oregeno, parsley, Italian seasoning, whatever you like. Then I let it cook on low for hours. I just keep checking on it. Stir. Be sure it does not stick. About an hour or so before serving, I check on sauce taste, usually need to sweeten a little. I use splenda for this. I also sometimes add in a little Parm. cheese and if I think sauce is too thin, I add in a little Italian flavored bread crumbs. Just watch it closely after this as last two need to be stirred and watched so doesn't stick. My crew loves this. The juice thickens with all the slow cooking. Good luck!

Pam

One more question...... When should I add the ground beef? Thanks again

 

[andijean]

My mom used to make elbows with just tomato juice all the time as a kid and now I make it for mine. I just sprinkle in some pepper, salt and garlic powder. I is not like sauce that thickens, but it tastes pretty good. The other one she would make is brown ground beef, and put elbows with milk over it. I know it sounds funny, but is pretty good. I think these were from the era of pinching pennies and trying to feed 5 kids on a budget.

 

[my3kids]

Could you cook the pasta in the juice, then drain and toss the noodles with olive oil or butter & parmesan cheese?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Do you have vegetables to put in the sauce - onions, celery, even carrots? Maybe a bag of frozen veggies? Cook/heat them in a saucepan or the microwave, then put have of 'em in the blender or food processer with the tomato juice to thicken it.