Every cook knows that fresh is always better, but canned ingredients are one of a few food-editor-approved shortcuts in the kitchen. Need to bulk up your pasta? Add chickpeas. Want easy homemade tomato sauce? Start with a can of whole tomatoes. These 18 recipes are all made better by the addition of canned ingredients, and they're just as easy as they are tasty.
Easy Tomato Sauce
Get the recipe: easy tomato sauce [2]
Cans needed: tomatoes
Slow-Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup
Get the recipe: slow-cooker ham and white bean soup [3]
Cans needed: white beans
Microwave Queso Dip With Green Chiles
Get the recipe: microwave queso dip [4]
Cans needed: green chiles or Rotel
Easy Slow-Cooker Chili
Get the recipe: easy slow-cooker chili [5]
Cans needed: tomato puree, pumpkin puree
Easy Puttanesca Pasta
Get the recipe: easy puttanesca pasta [6]
Cans needed: anchovies, tomatoes, capers, olives
Olive Tapenade
Get the recipe: olive tapenade [7]
Cans needed: olives, anchovies, capers
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Get the recipe: tuna noodle casserole [8]
Cans needed: tuna
Linguine With Kale and Chickpeas
Get the recipe: linguine with kale and chickpeas [9]
Cans needed: chickpeas
Tuscan White Bean and Vegetable Soup
Get the recipe: Tuscan white bean and vegetable soup [10]
Cans needed: cannelini beans, Great Northern beans
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Get the recipe: sun-dried tomato pasta salad [11]
Cans needed: sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives
Vegan Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Get the recipe: vegan chipotle black bean tortilla soup [12]
Cans needed: black beans, corn
Italian Sausage, White Bean, and Kale Soup
Get the recipe: Italian sausage, white bean, and kale soup [13]
Cans needed: cannellini beans
Marinated Chickpea Salad
Get the recipe: marinated chickpea salad [14]
Cans needed: chickpeas
Spicy Marinated Olives
Get the recipe: spicy marinated olives [15]
Cans needed: olives
Tuscan Farro and Bean Soup
Get the recipe: Tuscan farro and bean soup [16]
Cans needed: tomatoes, borlotti beans
Spinach and White Bean Soup
Get the recipe: spinach and white bean soup [17]
Cans needed: cannellini beans
Chickpea Soup With Kale and Bacon
Get the recipe: Tuscan chickpea soup with kale and bacon [18]
Cans needed: chickpeas
Chrissy Teigen's Green Bean Casserole
Get the recipe: Chrissy Teigen's green bean casserole [19]