It does sound strange, but famous chefs have been known to add similar flavors to their spaghetti sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh herbsįresh 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.If using instant coffee makes you turn up your nose, you can try using brewed coffee, too, which according to one cook lends "a touch of bitter flavor" that actually highlights the sweetness of the other ingredients, like sautéed onion and carrot, in your sauce (via First For Women). The starch in the cooking water helps emulsify the sauce and bind it to the pasta. Swirl ¼ to ½ cup of pasta cooking water into your pasta and sauce before serving. Add 1 to 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, lentils, or beans to the sauce when heating. Don’t forget beans!īeans give pasta dishes a protein-packed heartiness and incredible texture. 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. Tender greens add incredible flavor and texture to tomato-based pasta sauces. Frozen vegetables will also do the trick. Got cooked vegetables in the fridge? Cut them into same-size pieces then stir them into the sauce while heating. The heat of fresh ginger highlights the acidity of tomatoes and rounds out all the other flavors in the sauce. Try this secret ingredientĪdd a coin or two of fresh ginger to the sauce in addition to using one of the flavor-boosting techniques above. The spicy addition is a great way to wake up the flavors of a jarred sauce as well. Punch things up with a pinch of chili flakesĪrrabbiata, puttanesca, and many other classic Italian tomato sauces call for a pinch of chili flakes to give them some fiery heat. Sweeten and thicken with squash puréeĪ 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. jar of prepared pasta sauce in a saucepan, then add ½ cup chopped onion and/or 1 teaspoon minced garlic. To ramp up the aromatic flavors, stir ½ cup water into a 24-oz. 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. Simply whisk 1 tablespoon of tomato paste into the sauce while you’re warming it up. Tomato paste can lend deep, tomato-ey flavor to a prepared sauce and help thicken it. 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. Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. dried oregano, Italian seasoning blend, or herbes de Provence into the sauce, then let it simmer, covered, 5 minutes or more. Season with dried herbsĬlassic Italian herbs like basil and oregano taste pretty mellow in jarred sauces Reviving their aromatic goodness is easy when you stir 2 tsp. (Tip: When it comes to finding high-quality whole grain pastas, we’ve done the work for you in our Healthy Pasta Taste Test.) 2. You may already have a favorite jarred pasta sauce, but if you don’t, choose a brand that is oil-free and low in sodium like Delallo Fat-Free Marinara Sauce or Whole Foods 365 Fat-Free Marinara.
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