The Old Spaghetti Factory Meat Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to spaghetti sauce to make it taste better? ›

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.

Herbs: Add some dried herbs such as oregano, basil, or thyme for some extra flavor. Red pepper flakes: If you like some heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. Parmesan cheese: Grate some Parmesan cheese over the top of the spaghetti before serving.

IF YOU COOK spaghetti in a big pot of water, drain it, then toss it with sauce, you are pouring a lot of flavor down the drain, says Vendemmia chef Brian Clevenger. “The trick to good pasta is cooking it in the sauce,” he says. It was while working at Delfina in San Francisco that he really started to understand why.

For me, it's an ingredient that is always available in my pantry: anchovy paste. A touch of anchovy paste (while not being fishy in the least) can add a depth of flavor and a hit of umami they can make your sauce crave-able. I guess I'll define “spaghetti sauce” first.

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.

Time Is a Valuable Ingredient

But you should consider simmering for three or more hours, letting it lazily cook away, no more than a few straggling bubbles surfacing at a time. Time plus low heat and fresh ingredients make for a great sauce.

The addition of butter helps to loosen and emulsify the sauce, making it smooth and creamy.

Should I add sugar to jar spaghetti sauce? ›

Jarred sauces can be a lifesaver when you don't have time to cook from scratch — no judgment here. Feel free to add more garlic or Italian seasoning to that sauce but avoid adding any sweeteners, as many premade sauces already contain a lot of sugar.

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.

Whether you can pronounce it or not, Worcestershire sauce is an easy, effective way to load up spaghetti sauce with umami flavor. It is salty, tangy, and has lots of potent vinegar, all of which cut through tomatoes to create a soothing, savory flavor.

This secret ingredient spaghetti sauce is a simple, slow-cooked, authentic spaghetti sauce, as good as the restaurants serve — or better! The secret ingredient is baking soda. Do not taste the sauce right after adding it; wait awhile, and this sauce will not disappoint you.