Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce Recipe - The Mindful Hapa (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken spaghetti sauce without tomato paste? ›

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

When your sauce begins to simmer, add the salt and a pinch of white or brown sugar, then mix; the sugar will be able to counterbalance and eliminate the sourness of the tomato, without changing its flavor or sweetening your dish.

This could happen when you add too much pasta water into your sauce, and you accidentally drown the thick sauce with the starchy water (happens to the best of us). I find that this happens to me most often when I'm making quick sauces, like a meat sauce or light marinara that hasn't had the time to simmer.

You can balance out the sweetness by adding acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or lemon juice. Another method is to incorporate savory or bitter elements like herbs, spices, or even a splash of red wine.

Add Tomato Paste

In addition to helping to alter the consistency of your sauce, this pantry staple will also help to further enhance the rich, savory flavors of tomato sauce. Arturo recommends stirring in a tablespoon or two and cooking your sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.

Best choices for a tomato sauce are a little tomato paste, then if you just need a hint try potato starch slurry. Another possibility is xanthan gum, but you have to be very careful or you'll get a “snot”-like texture. A very different approach if you want a lot of thickening: make a light brown roux.

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.

Tart tomatoes have a lot more flavor, so don't avoid them. However, if you're using tomato paste in your sauce, leave that out. You can smooth out your sauce and remove the tartness by adding cream, butter, cream cheese, and/or grated cheese such as Parmesan.

You can simmer with the cookware lid on or off, simply follow your recipe instructions. Keep in mind that when using a cover, you'll want to set your stovetop to a low setting as it can reach a simmer faster than without a cap.

Should I cover spaghetti sauce while simmering? ›

If you want to get the flavours to combine and the tomatoes to soften and get the saucy texture its best to cover the pot snd simmer on low heat. Stir occasionally to check if its sticking and do taste from time to time. If you want to reduce the sauce, evaporate excess water , you should leave the pot uncovered.

Cook and stir until meat is browned and crumbly and vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain grease. Stir diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the pan. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.

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.

The purpose of adding a pinch of sugar to tomato sauce is to balance the acidity of the tomatoes (per The Guardian).

Add tomato sauce and sugar. (may have to adjust sugar amount to taste). Simmer an hour or until the consistency you like.

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

Add Cornstarch Slurry:

You will mix equal parts of cornstarch with equal part of water in a separate bowl. Once mixed, slowly add to your spaghetti sauce. I like to add a little bit at a time and then mix.

To use flour as a thickening agent: Use two tablespoons flour mixed with ¼ cup cold water for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix in the water to prevent lumps. After stirring the combined flour and water into the sauce, cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

If flour's the classic then cornflour is the gold-standard in thickening agents. Why? Because it is flavourless so it won't change the taste of your sauce, it's translucent when heated so it won't make your sauce cloudy and most importantly, it works.