Use these tips to get the most out of your store-bought sauce to get dinner on the table quickly and easily.
Let’s just say it out loud. Even those who enjoy cooking may not always have the time or inclination to make pasta sauce. Especially on a weeknight after a long day at work, when boiling water for noodles seems exhausting. Good quality jarred sauces can be a game changer for those last-minute dinners; simply open, heat, and pour over your preferred pasta shape. However, jarred sauces lack homemade flavor. So we like to embrace the semi-homemade vibe! Many simple things can be done to add a new twist to a jarred sauce without taxing the brain.
How to Make Store-Bought Sauce Taste Homemade
1. Choose the right sauce.
To begin, make it a good one if you rely on jarred pasta sauce, whether tomato-based, creamy Alfredo or even pesto. Rao’s is the secret weapon of home cooks and professional chefs, and it’s delicious right out of the jar. And, while it is slightly more expensive than many other brands, it has a great flavor, so even if you don’t have time to doctor it up, you will still get a delicious result. Look for sales at your local grocery store or two-packs at Costco. We recommend using a simple marinara style with tomato sauce to give you the most flexibility in adding other ingredients.
2. Start with protein.
Protein is one of the things that a simple sauce like marinara or Alfredo lacks. Fortunately, it is simple to incorporate it into a complete meal. If you have the energy to sauté, brown any ground meat, chopped bacon or pancetta, raw Italian sausage slices, or salami cubes. Drain the fat, and then add your sauce. You don’t have time for pan work? Add shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover meat from another meal, or cubed ham. Frozen meatballs that have already been cooked can be heated in the sauce straight from the freezer. Vegan or vegetarian? Add a can of drained beans, chickpeas, or frozen crumble-style plant protein.
3. Add some freshness.
Fresh herbs make all the difference in any pasta sauce, so if you have some on hand, they’ll brighten up a jarred sauce. Although basil is a classic, thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, and oregano are also delicious in pasta sauce. Likewise, fresh parsley, like chives, brightens up any dish.
4. Increase the aromatics.
Adding extra onion, shallot, or garlic to a jarred sauce can make a huge difference in flavor. While they cook in the sauce, they will also add a bit of bite extracted from the aromatics used in the original sauce.
5. Increase the level of richness.
A jarred sauce can sometimes be a little acidic, so the way to balance that is with richness. 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 out the rough edges. If you want to add umami to a sauce that doesn’t have meat, try a bouillon cube or a spoonful of bouillon paste.
6. Experiment with some acid.
On the other hand, some sauces are actually quite sweet, and you may need to add a bit of acid to balance them. A few tablespoons of leftover wine, a splash of balsamic vinegar, or even a few drops of lemon juice can brighten the sauce significantly. This is especially true for jarred Alfredo or pesto, both of which benefit from a squeeze of lemon.
Jarred pasta sauces can serve as the foundation for truly exceptional dishes with little fuss and maximum flavor, so much that you could zhuzh them up for company!
Learn more: 14 Foods Every Southerner Should Have In the Pantry