🍝 Happy National Spaghetti Day 🍝
An easy tomato sauce recipe to start your kids cooking, for all you noodle kids (and kids-at-heart) out there!
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We’re kicking off 2025 with a new One Potato segment - we’re talking about Kids Cook Real Food and easy recipes so that your kids can take over the kitchen, which we’ll be sharing at least once a month. They’ll have the confidence to do so, and you’ll have the confidence to let them!
If we zoom out and look at older kids, a 2015 study from Cornell U showed 2% of students ate salad for lunch, until they grew part of it themselves - then 10% did!
The more kids have a hand in growing and preparing what they eat, the more likely they are to eat it. Zoom back in - we’ve had the experience with our own kids that when super picky eaters have a hand in helping prepare dinner, and choosing the ingredients, they are more likely to eat it. But where to start? What are kids capable of at each age?
With help from our friend and colleague Katie Kimball, the teacher of the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, we’re excited to bring you more opportunities that further the One Potato mission of family meals made easy. What could be easier than having your kids cooking dinner for themselves? With the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, the focus is on the 30 basic cooking skills, not just making a recipe. Check out the full course curriculum map HERE.
Today’s Easy Tomato Sauce Recipe is all about teaching your kids how to taste and layer flavors - and maybe cooking this recipe together for National Spaghetti Day will help you slow down for a minute in the kitchen and savor tasting while you cook, too.
And, don’t forget to check out the Kids Cook Real Food FREE knife skills video, so they can help with prepping right away - this recipe, and other One Potato recipes from the archives!
Tasting as You Cook: Chef Lola Style
Tasting while you cook? That’s where the magic happens! It’s all about slowing down, trusting your taste buds, and playing with flavors. Start simple—have a taste of that tomato sauce or sniff that basil BEFORE mixing or adding it to other things. What do you feel? Sweetness, tanginess, or maybe something earthy? Now, as you mix ingredients together, keep tasting at every step.
Adding salt? Go little by little—just a pinch—then stir, taste, and adjust. Herbs like basil or oregano? Give them a quick rub between your fingers to release their oils and sprinkle them in slowly. Let the sauce simmer and evolve. Here’s the secret: flavors get stronger as they cook down, so start light and save the final touch-ups for the end.
The more you practice, the better you’ll get at finding that perfect balance of savory, sweet, and aromatic that makes a dish sing. Trust yourself—your taste buds know what’s up! 🍅🌿
Cook From the Freezer / Love Your Future Self
Doubling or even tripling your tomato sauce recipe is a game-changer for busy weeknights, and every time you bring it out, your kid can feel proud that they cooked it up! Once cooled, portion it into freezer-safe containers for a quick base for future meals. Use it over store-bought ravioli or tortellini for an easy dinner, or take it up a notch by stirring in chopped veggies, browned ground beef, or crumbled sausage for a heartier option. Roasted vegetables like zucchini or eggplant are also great add-ins to create a veggie-packed family favorite.
Keep an eye out - we’re going to be interviewing Katie, the founder and creator of Kids Cook Real Food, for our Order Up! Interview Series very soon!
Family and food is not just what we eat, but who we eat it with, how we prepare it, the memories we make, and so much more. One Potato is a completely subscriber-supported community; become a Paid Subscriber for access to the full Recipes and Specials archives for $5/month or $45/year.
The Easiest Homemade Tomato Sauce 🍅
For 6 Servings // makes 8 cups
PREP TIME: 10 min. COOK TIME: 20 min. TOTAL: 30 min.
One Potato Kitchen Tools: large sauté pan, chef’s knife, cutting board
From Your Pantry: salt (kosher or sea), pepper, Extra-Virgin olive oil
Ingredients:
1 (28 oz) can of whole peeled tomatoes (Italian, if you can swing it!)
1 (28 oz) can of tomato sauce (Italian-style)
1/4 c. Extra-Virgin olive oil
1/2 onion (chopped)
5 garlic cloves (minced)
1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs
1/2 c. fresh basil (chopped)
Directions:
Start with the Aromatics:
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, stirring until they’re soft and translucent (but not brown—browning can make the sauce bitter).
Build the Sauce Base:
Pour in the whole tomatoes and let them warm for a few minutes. Grab a potato masher or large spoon and gently crush the tomatoes right in the pan. Add the tomato sauce, dried Italian herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Remember - a little at a time. Taste, stir, adjust. Stir to combine, then simmer for 15 minutes, letting the flavors meld. You can continue to taste and adjust as you like.
Pro Tip: For young kids, use caution when working over a simmering pan. The heat should be low for a very low simmer, with zero splatter.
Freshen It Up:
For the last couple of minutes, stir in the chopped fresh basil for a vibrant, herby finish.
Serve It Your Way
This is a versatile starter sauce that’s perfect over spaghetti, tucked into chicken Parmesan, or layered into a lasagna.
Enjoy! 🍝
Grow your Own Basil:
Revisit One Potato’s Get Growing with Chef Lola segments on picking our your basil plant and harvesting, storing, and cooking with homegrown basil - to brighten up those spaghetti dishes and make homemade pesto. It’s a great year-round activity since you can pick up a plant at your local grocery store or plant nursery, and grow basil indoors.