Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What gives spaghetti sauce depth of flavor? ›

Herbs: Add some dried herbs such as oregano, basil, or thyme for some extra flavor. Red pepper flakes: If you like some heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. Parmesan cheese: Grate some Parmesan cheese over the top of the spaghetti before serving.

Nutmeg. Nutmeg is the key to boosting earthiness and adding a touch of nuttiness to your spaghetti sauce. Nutmeg also has a slightly sweet flavor, which we know goes great with acidic canned tomatoes. Overall, it accentuates the other ingredients in the sauce and adds complexity.

IF YOU COOK spaghetti in a big pot of water, drain it, then toss it with sauce, you are pouring a lot of flavor down the drain, says Vendemmia chef Brian Clevenger. “The trick to good pasta is cooking it in the sauce,” he says. It was while working at Delfina in San Francisco that he really started to understand why.

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

Give your sauce a creamy and rich taste by adding dairy. Cut the heat and stir in a pat of butter. a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream, or even a spoonful of yogurt for some extra creaminess. Editor's Tip: Turn your spaghetti sauce into a delicious vodka sauce!

Flat or bland sauce likely needs a hit of something acidic to lift and enhance its flavors, such as a small splash of high-quality, flavorful vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a few drops of not-too-fiery hot sauce.

It enhances the flavor of sauces by giving them depth, a punch in the background and complexity. Foods with complex flavors appeal to our tongues, so Worcestershire sauce makes sauces taste better.

It is widely held that Italian immigrants began adding sugar to their sauce to make up for the overly acidic tomatoes they were forced to work with in their new home. But the history of sugar in pasta sauce actually goes back to Italy itself.

Great tomato flavor is all about balancing acidity and sweetness. Too much of either can leave you with asauce that tastes one-dimensional. Many sources recommend adding a pinch of baking soda to a sauce that's overly tart, which raises the pH and makes it less acidic.

Should you put sugar in spaghetti sauce? ›

Adding a bit of sugar to your homemade spaghetti sauce helps to cut the natural acidity of the tomatoes and helps to balance the sauce. For an extra kick, add a sprinkling of red pepper flakes to your sauce. Only add this if you like some spice, though!

Like nutmeg, it makes food seem sweet even when there is little sugar in the dish. The combination of cinnamon and just one teaspoon of sugar tempers the normal acidity of the tomatoes in the sauce. For the side dish of carrot salad, the carrots are cooked briefly to take away some of the crunch.

Fresh herbs make all the difference in any pasta sauce, so if you have some lying around, they will really perk up a jarred sauce. Obviously, basil is classic, but thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, and oregano are all great in pasta sauce. Fresh parsley also makes anything sing, as do chives.

It is widely held that Italian immigrants began adding sugar to their sauce to make up for the overly acidic tomatoes they were forced to work with in their new home.