Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce Recipe - The Mindful Hapa (2024)

FAQs

How to tone down tomato taste in spaghetti sauce? ›

When your sauce begins to simmer, add the salt and a pinch of white or brown sugar, then mix; the sugar will be able to counterbalance and eliminate the sourness of the tomato, without changing its flavor or sweetening your dish.

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

Causes of Watery Spaghetti Sauce

Other causes include excess water from the noodles themselves or inadequately cooking down the sauce. Giving the sauce the proper amount of time to reduce is key: To do so, bring the sauce to a boil, then drop it to a simmer, and allow it to cook.

If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.

Add a little milk to tomato sauce for a sweeter taste to offset the acidity of the tomatoes. This is a well-kept secret amongst Italian grandmothers. In northern Italy, Bolognese sauce is never made without milk! It can be added at the beginning or end of cooking.

That makes this smart trick not just tasty, but convenient. Butter works because it adds body to the sauce, making it feel more luxurious and creamy. The flavor is subtle and balances the natural acidity of the tomatoes. Butter can turn any store-bought pasta sauce into something a little more special.

Fresh garlic: Mince or crush some fresh garlic and add it to the sauce. This will give the sauce a more pungent and aromatic flavor. Dried herbs: Dried oregano, basil, and parsley are all classic Italian herbs that go well in spaghetti sauce. Add 1/2 teaspoon of each to the sauce.

Maybe it needs a touch of salt, red pepper flakes, or some fresh garlic to liven it up. You could add dried or fresh herbs too: oregano, basil, thyme, tarragon, parsley—they're all great! Want to go next level? Toss in some chopped anchovies (or anchovy salt), olives, or some lemon zest and/or juice.

One of the main purposes of using tomato paste is to help build a rich tomato flavor and give an umami punch to a wide range of dishes. Using tomato paste in combination with tomato sauce, tomato purée, or canned tomatoes can go a long way in making a meal with multidimensional flavor.

Can you add tomato paste to spaghetti sauce to make it thicker? ›

One of the best ways to make use of tomato paste is to treat it as a natural thickening agent for tomato-based sauces, says Arturo. In addition to helping to alter the consistency of your sauce, this pantry staple will also help to further enhance the rich, savory flavors of tomato sauce.

Add instant mashed potatoes

Method: Bring the spaghetti sauce to a gentle simmer on the stovetop. Add a small amount of mashed vegetables like potatoes (try 1-2 tablespoons) and stir. After about five minutes, check the spaghetti sauce to see whether it is at the desired consistency. Repeat as needed.

Simmering and Boiling

In the event that your goal is to keep moisture in—like when your pot of soup, stew, or sauce is already at the right consistency, but you want to keep cooking the vegetables and melding the flavors—leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.

But remember not to overcook it. 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.

As the sauce simmers, the liquid will evaporate, leaving you with a thicker, more concentrated sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

When you're in this situation, there's actually an unexpected and common condiment that can come to the rescue. The next time you're faced with a metallic-tasting sauce, reach for Worcestershire. Adding just a little bit can mellow out any metallic notes, while also amping up the natural flavors of your marinara.

Lots of basil. It brings out the sweetness in the tomatoes, and all herbs are mildly alkaline so that helps balance the acid too. A small pinch of brown sugar helps if you can't detect the sweetness of the tomato. If all that fails, a pinch of baking soda.

Diluting a sweet tomato sauce will dull its sweetness, so you can add water or chicken or vegetable broth, a little at a time until the sauce tastes better. Or, if you like spicy food, you can try spicing the tomato sauce with some crushed chili flakes, which should help balance out its sweetness.

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.