How to make spaghetti sauce taste homemade?

A jarred sauce can sometimes lean a bit acidic, so the way to balance that is with richness. A glug of a good quality extra virgin olive oil, a splash of cream or half and half, a dollop of ricotta or mascarpone, or even a few pats of butter stirred in can smooth those rough edges.

How to make simple pasta sauce 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.

What gives spaghetti sauce the best flavor?

What is in your spaghetti sauce that makes it taste so deliciously authentic? Tomatoes (canned or fresh), garlic, onions, olive oil, herbs (such as basil and oregano), and sometimes red wine. The flavors develop through slow cooking, which allows the ingredients to meld together and create a rich and savory taste.

What is the secret to good sauce?

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.

What does adding butter to tomato sauce do?

Similar to creamy sauces like Alfredo, or meaty sauces like ragu, tomato sauce is naturally low in fat, and as a result, sometimes becomes too thick and too starchy when it's been tossed with pasta. The addition of butter helps to loosen and emulsify the sauce, making it smooth and creamy .

What gives spaghetti sauce depth of flavor?

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 brings out spaghetti flavor?

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.

Why does my homemade spaghetti sauce taste bitter?

Leaf states that this can be due to burning the sauce in the pot or simply dealing with a batch of produce that are overly acidic or metallic from canning or cooking . This can also come from under-ripe or low-quality tomatoes, as well as stirring in a hefty amount of tomato paste, per Boss The Kitchen.

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.

Why add lemon to pasta sauce?

Why Do You Put Lemon Juice in Pasta? Fresh lemon juice adds a fantastic bright flavor to pasta , and it's especially delicious when paired with savory Parmesan cheese, as in this lemon pasta recipe.

What is the secret to the best spaghetti?

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.

What is the most important ingredient in spaghetti?

Tomatoes is the most popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce dishes. In fact, over 90% of spaghetti sauce recipes contain tomatoes. Variations of tomatoes include: tomato sauce: 15% of recipes.

5 Ingredient Quick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (2024)

Recipes

ByMerissaAugust 13, 2019August 13, 2019

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Looking for a delicious meal that you can make with very few ingredients in a short amount of time? This simple and quick spaghetti sauce recipe uses just 5 ingredients and your whole family will love it!

Table of Contents

Quick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

I love cooking and having a meal on the table for my family by the time my husband gets home from work. I know that if I were the one coming home from a long day away from the house I would love to come home to the smell of something delicious.

But yes, I am only human and some days I’m very very tired. You know those days when it seems like the little one has been cutting molars for at least a month now and the kids are bored with everything in the house (and every activity you can come up with) so instead, they decide that hanging onto your legs all day seems like a good idea. You know what I’m talking about.

5 Ingredient Quick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

This easy spaghetti sauce recipe will help you put supper on the table in a hurry on busy nights when you don't have much time to cook. It's simple and it's frugal!

CourseMain Course

CuisineItalian

KeywordQuick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

1poundhamburger(optional)
4 cupstomato sauce(pureed or diced tomatoes will work)
1mediumoniondiced
1/2teaspoongranulated garlic
1 teaspoondried oregano
salt(optional)

Instructions

If you don't plan on using beef at all, skip this step! In a frying pan, fry the hamburger with the diced onion until no pink remains in the meat and the onions are transparent. (If you didn't use lean beef, make sure to drain excess grease from the burger before the next step.)
Pour the ingredients into a saucepan if your frying pan isn't large enough. Add in the tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, and salt. Stir occasionally and let the mixture simmer until warmed through.
Serve over warm pasta. If you feel fancy add a bit of Parmesan cheese on top.

That’s it! In about 15 to 20 minutes, you have a complete, hearty supper on the table with this 5 ingredient Spaghetti Sauce. I usually slice up some kind of vegetable or fruit that doesn’t need to be cooked to go along with the meal to keep it quick.

Simple Spaghetti Sauce Cooking Tips

If you want to make this dish and you have a little more time or want it to be warm by the time you come home, you could also make this simple spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker. I brown the meat first (if I’m adding it) and then add all the ingredients together and place them on low for 4 hours.

It would be so easy to make this recipe with everything that you’ve grown yourself! Use home canned tomatoes, fresh oregano from your herb garden, and homegrown garlic and onions. If you raise beef, you can even have produced that yourself as well. There’s nothing like enjoying a meal that you really did make and grow yourself!

Trying to plan better, more frugal meals for your family so that you always have a warm meal on the table and aren’t wasting money at the grocery store? You’ve got to check out my ebook Meal Planning Made Simple. Even if you thought meal planning didn’t work for your family, this ebook will help you find the perfect fit for your family’s style.

Looking for more quick and easy meals to put on the table on busy nights? Check out this post for some of my favorite Quick, 3 Ingredient Meals and this post for my other favorite 5 Ingredient Meals!

What are some of your family’s favorite simple meals?

This Quick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe was originally published on Little House Living in August 2018. It has been updated as of August 2019.

5 Ingredient Quick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (2024)

Quick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

5 Ingredient Quick Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Simple Spaghetti Sauce Cooking Tips

FAQs

How to make spaghetti sauce taste homemade? ›

What is the secret to the best spaghetti? ›