Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the one ingredient that makes spaghetti sauce so much better? ›

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.

Because of the naturally high acidity of tomato sauce, I find that most store-bought tomato sauces tend to be way too abrasive and sharp-tasting. The addition of butter really rounds out the flavor of the sauce and helps to temper the acidity. It also gives the sauce a nice sheen, which is a fun bonus.

Add small pinches of baking soda to your tomato sauces, but be careful not to salt the food beforehand. Adding baking soda to the sauce will cause a chemical acid base reaction that results in a salt being formed. Salt your dish after adding baking soda to neutralize the acidity to your liking.

Starting with good quality tomatoes and crushing them by hand offers great flavor and texture later on. The combination of butter and oil releases fat-soluble aromatics and gives the sauce a creamy texture. Slowly cooking the sauce in the oven creates rich caramelization without burning.

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.

Add the rind from a piece of Parmesan cheese while simmering the sauce to add a bit of nutty, salty flavor. Before serving, grate high-quality Parmesan or pecorino cheese over the dish. Want something heartier? Spoon in a couple tablespoons of ricotta cheese for a rich and creamy tomato sauce.

Roast the tomatoes first.

This one simple thing will completely change the dynamic of the sauce. Roasted tomatoes give a robust depth of flavor to an otherwise simple sauce. Heat equals flavor, folks.

Boost the Acidity

Tomatoes are naturally acidic, but sometimes a jarred pasta sauce can lean too sweet, or just taste flat. Incorporating acids like lemon juice (and even zest) or red wine vinegar right before serving can round out your sauce.

Tomato sauce deepens and intensifies the longer you cook it. Tomato sauces can be cooked in 10 minutes or for 4 hours, and they can all be delicious.

Can I add heavy cream to pasta sauce? ›

Whole Milk or Heavy Cream: Add a splash and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Hard Cheeses: A half cup of grated parmesan, pecorino, or other hard cheese adds a deep savory note to the sauce. Fresh Cheese: Try adding a scoop of ricotta, mascarpone, crème fraîche or even simple cream cheese!

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.

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.

do not add too much baking soda because it will make your sauce bitter or salty. so you're gonna want to start really small.

Why the approach works: Though the sugar will not actually neutralize acidity, it changes our perception of other tastes, mellowing tartness while maintaining the sauce's complexity.

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.

For best flavor, use certified San Marzano tomatoes. Add Parmesan cheese into the sauce while cooking. Use no salt added tomatoes. Use ground beef to cut down on sodium content.

Red pepper flakes, dehydrated or fresh garlic, dried oregano, parsley, or basil, or an Italian seasoning blend are all good options. Dried herbs and spices should be added at the beginning of the cook time so that they have time to bloom.