There are all kinds of easy ways to personalize prepared pasta sauce and turn it into something that tastes special. We’ve put together 13 make-it-better tips that will punch up the flavors and textures of a basic jarred tomato sauce in the time it takes to cook the noodles.
Note: All quantities are given for a 24/25-oz. jar of prepared marinara or other pasta sauce.
1. Start with the right pasta and sauce
2. Season with dried herbs
Classic Italian herbs like basil and oregano taste pretty mellow in jarred sauces Reviving their aromatic goodness is easy when you stir 2 tsp. dried oregano, Italian seasoning blend, or herbes de Provence into the sauce, then let it simmer, covered, 5 minutes or more.
3. Or flavor with fresh herb sprigs
Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce. Remove the sprigs before serving.
4. Double up on tomato goodness
Tomato paste can lend deep, tomato-ey flavor to a prepared sauce and help thicken it. Simply whisk 1 tablespoon of tomato paste into the sauce while you’re warming it up.
5. Add more garlic and/or onions
Jarred pasta sauces are designed to appeal to a wide majority of consumers, which means they often lack the aromatic kick you get from fresh onions and garlic. To ramp up the aromatic flavors, stir ½ cup water and 24-oz. jarred pasta sauce together in a saucepan, then stir in ½ cup chopped onion and/or 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
6. Sweeten and thicken with squash purée
A cup of pureed pumpkin, butternut, or other winter squash gives pasta sauce a hint of sweetness and a velvety consistency that coats pasta like a cream sauce.
7. Punch things up with a pinch of chili flakes
Arrabbiata, puttanesca, and many other classic Italian tomato sauces call for a pinch of chili flakes to give them some fiery heat. The spicy addition is a great way to wake up the flavors of a jarred sauce as well.
8. Try this secret ingredient
Add a coin or two of fresh ginger to the sauce in addition to using one of the flavor-boosting techniques above. The heat of fresh ginger highlights the acidity of tomatoes and rounds out all the other flavors in the sauce.
9. Make it chunky with extra veggies
Got cooked vegetables in the fridge? Cut them into same-size pieces then stir them into the sauce while heating. Frozen vegetables will also do the trick.
10. Wilt a handful of greens
Tender greens add incredible flavor and texture to tomato-based pasta sauces. Simply stir 2 cups baby spinach or chopped leafy greens into the simmering sauce, then cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until the greens are wilted and tender.
11. Don’t forget beans!
Beans give pasta dishes a protein-packed heartiness and incredible texture. Add 1 to 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, lentils, or beans to the sauce when heating.
12. Save and use your pasta cooking water
Swirl ¼ to ½ cup of pasta cooking water into your pasta and sauce before serving. The starch in the cooking water helps emulsify the sauce and bind it to the pasta.
13. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs
Fresh basil is the natural choice with simple pasta sauces like marinara, but parsley, cilantro, and even mint can also give pasta dishes a burst of fragrant flavor when they’re sprinkled on just before serving.
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FAQs
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.
What can I add to pasta sauce to make it taste better? ›
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.
How can I make my pasta more delicious? ›
You can also enhance the flavor of your pasta by adding some freshly grated Parmesan cheese or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil on top just before serving. One simple trick to make your pasta taste better at home is to add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water before cooking the pasta.
What is the one ingredient that makes spaghetti sauce so much better? ›
Add butter
Yes, that's right. Toss in a few tablespoons of butter, and let it melt into the sauce. If you've never tried it before, it might seem strange, but a little butter makes tomato sauce rich and smooth, and also balances out too much acidity, which is common in jarred sauces.
How to make pasta sauce yummier? ›
Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce. Remove the sprigs before serving.
How do you add richness to 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.
How to jazz up pasta? ›
Fresh or dried herbs will also add flavor to pasta dishes.
"I use a lot of parsley, either fresh or even dried," Montillo said. "Oregano, garlic powder, onion flakes, black pepper all work well in a variety of sauces."
How do you make the best tasting pasta? ›
Directions
- Only partially cook dry pasta. In a pot of abundantly salted boiling water, cook dry pasta for only half or three-quarters of the recommended time. ...
- Add the semi-cooked pasta to a pan sauce. ...
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding the reserved water.
I fry up some onions in olive oil with garlic, Italian seasoning and hot pepper flakes, then brown the beef in that mixture adding some salt & pepper to the meat. Then drain the grease and add jarred spaghetti sauce (I like Prego Garlic & Onion) and simmer on low while the pasta cooks. It is so good.
How do you make spaghetti sauce taste more meaty? ›
Don't know if you're using jarred sauce, but my method is pretty simple....
- Sear and break up hot Italian sausage in the pan.
- Use a slotted spoon to reserve the meat.
- Sauté mushrooms in the reserved oils, and when soft add garlic, onions, and pepper. ...
- Add tomato paste and cook out the acidity (optional).
Season with oregano, basil, and rosemary. Stir 3/4 cup red wine and tomato paste into beef mixture. Pour spaghetti sauce into the pot; stir. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until flavors blend, 10 to 30 minutes.
How to deepen the flavor of spaghetti sauce? ›
A generous sprig or two of fresh herbs like basil, parsley, rosemary, or sage can all amp up the flavor of a jarred pasta sauce. Alternatively, some of those herbs, like parsley, sage, and rosemary, can be great minced up and gently fried into fresh olive oil before adding the sauce to the pot.
What can I add to spaghetti sauce to make it amazing? ›
Olives and capers add a punch of briny goodness and give tomato sauce some real personality. Toss in some chopped or whole, pitted olives and/or a handful of drained capers after heating the sauce for several minutes. Or, if you're adding garlic or sautéed vegetables, add to the sauté just before you pour in the sauce.
What is the secret to good sauce? ›
Once the sauce has reached a simmer, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking slowly. This allows the flavours to blend together and the sauce to become thicker and tastier. A really simple - but effective - trick is to always keep the lid on, so as to preserve the aroma.
How do you make sauce taste richer? ›
To make your sauce rich and luxurious, finish it with a pat of butter, a splash of cream or coconut cream, or a spoonful of yogurt, crème fraîche, or sour cream. 13. Swirl in some high-quality olive oil Adding a glug to the sauce just before serving gives it a similar richness and shine to butter without adding dairy.
How to make pasta sauce taste sweet? ›
If your spaghetti sauce is too sour, you can sweeten it to make it more to your liking.
- Stir in sugar to make a very sweet sauce. ...
- Add sweet vegetables to your recipe. ...
- Substitute yellow or orange tomatoes for half the tomatoes in your recipe. ...
- Add sweet wines, such as lambrusco or white zinfandel, to the sauce.
Simmer for richer flavor
Low and slow, Bon Appétit confirms that the reason why a simmered sauce is so darn delicious is because it allows water to cook off, concentrating the umami-packed flavors of the tomatoes and balancing the levels of sugar and acidity in the sauce.
