Can’t have tomatoes? Here’s how to give them up—and still love what you’re eating.
If you get heartburn regularly, you probably already know that the key to managing it is to avoid anything that causes your symptoms to flare up. That means staying away from your trigger foods. But what do you do when your trigger food is really common, like tomatoes? If you get heartburn two or more days a week (aka frequent heartburn), you can treat it when it hits with medication like Nexium 24HR.
You can also try skipping tomatoes. But then you remember pizza. Salsa. Marinara sauce. Ketchup. And then it starts to feel like a futile exercise — until you try these satisfying tomato substitutes!
Easy and Delicious Tomato Substitutes
Basis of your burn: Pizza sauce
Tomato-free swap: Pesto. This blend of basil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan can spread easily over pizza dough and is a terrific alternative to red sauce. Pesto is a tomato-free sauce that pairs well with a variety of toppings, like richly flavored roasted squash, mushrooms, or sage; salt bombs such as prosciutto, capers, olives, or anchovies; and cheeses like Parmesan (yes, more of it), ricotta, or mozzarella.
Basis of your burn: Ketchup on your eggs
Tomato-free swap: Za’atar. This aromatic Middle Eastern spice mix is a combination of dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, salt, sesame seeds, and sumac. Try sprinkling some over your eggs to brighten the flavor sans sogginess. (Looking for more ways to try za’atar? Try this recipe for tomato-free stuffed peppers.)
