How to Cook Good Old-Fashioned Tomato Gravy

Cover white rice, noodles or cornbread with tomato gravy.

Aside from being juicy and delicious, tomatoes are packed with lycopene, which is believed to reduce the risk of developing intestinal, prostate and breast cancer. Homemade tomato gravy, which is used as sauce for rice, noodles, meatloaf or just about anything, has gone by the wayside -- replaced with processed, prepackaged convenience foods. Creating your own tomato gravy will rival anything that grandma used to make.

Things You'll Need

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• Large skillet
• 1 large onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 small green pepper
• 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup bacon bits
• Corn starch

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil in a large skillet.

2. Dice one large onion, two celery stalks and a small green pepper.

3. Saute the onion, celery and green pepper in the skillet over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Add a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup of tomato paste to the skillet.

5. Stir the ingredients, adding a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 cup of bacon bits.

6. Adjust the temperature to low and add 2 tablespoons of corn starch.

7. Stir the ingredients continuously until they begin to thicken, or roughly 10 minutes. Add more corn starch by the tablespoon if the consistency is too runny.

8. Remove the tomato gravy from the heat and serve.

References

• Taste of Home: Old-Fashioned Tomato Gravy REcipe
• Home Ec 101: Tomato Gravy Recipe
• Cooks: Tomato Gravy