8 Ways to Make Any Pasta Sauce Instantly More Amazing (2024)

FAQs

8 Ways to Make Any Pasta Sauce Instantly More Amazing? ›

More flavor to your pasta sauce - add carmelized onion, roasted chopped garlic, and more flavorful herbs like fresh chopped basil, thyme and oregano. Then add some coarse ground black pepper and some cayenne to give it a bit more zing.

More flavor to your pasta sauce - add carmelized onion, roasted chopped garlic, and more flavorful herbs like fresh chopped basil, thyme and oregano. Then add some coarse ground black pepper and some cayenne to give it a bit more zing.

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.

A hefty drizzle of olive oil stirred in off the heat is also a great move. And if you're feeling really spunky, add some meaty richness to that sauce: crisp some bacon or brown sliced sausages or ground meat. For some veggie richness, sauté mushrooms or caramelize fennel in plenty of olive oil.

There are some really good ingredients to add to a pasta dish to make it more interesting are as follows: Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, or mint can add a burst of fresh flavor to your pasta. Chop them finely and sprinkle them on top just before serving.

One simple trick to enhance the flavor of pasta is to add a dash of salt to the boiling water before cooking the pasta. This will infuse the pasta with salty flavor and help it to taste better. Additionally, try tossing the cooked pasta with olive oil, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to add more depth of flavor.

It sounds unconventional to use milk in a meaty red sauce, but upon further investigation, it makes total sense why Italians swear by it. According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”.

Adding extra onion, shallot, or garlic to a jarred sauce can really make a world of difference to wake up the flavor. While they will cook in the sauce, they also bring a bit of bite that will have been processed out of the aromatics used in the original sauce.

Most tomato sauce recipes are based on canned tomatoes, and canning companies carefully regulate the pH level of their products. So, the need to add sugar to tomato sauce is declining, but there may still be exceptions. It's best to make your sauce without sugar at first, then taste it and add a pinch if necessary.

Parboil the Pasta

In Italy, one of the oldest pasta-cooking tricks in the book involves parboiling the pasta in water until it's shy of al dente, draining it, and then simmering it directly in the sauce to finish cooking.

Why add Worcestershire sauce to spaghetti sauce? ›

Whether you can pronounce it or not, Worcestershire sauce is an easy, effective way to load up spaghetti sauce with umami flavor. It is salty, tangy, and has lots of potent vinegar, all of which cut through tomatoes to create a soothing, savory flavor.

Try adding something acidic! Acidity is a great “secret ingredient” that will add brightness to your pasta dish and give it a more lively flavor. While warming up your pasta sauces, add a splash of red wine vinegar, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar, or add some chopped olives or capers.

The best way is to submerge the pot in a sink filled with ice water, and to drop a ziplock bag of ice cubes or those ice gel-like packets into the sauce so it cools from both inside and outside.