How to Make Store-Bought Pasta Sauce Taste REALLY Good
Store-bought pasta sauce can be really blah, but you can't beat it for convenience. Here's how to make store-bought pasta sauce taste good!
Recently, I updated my Pasta Alla Porters recipe post. One thing led to another, and it ended up inspiring this post!
In that original post, I shared my recipe for our bastardized Puttanesca sauce. It uses store-bought pasta sauce as a base, as a super quick, tasty meal option .
I’ve always kind of seen it as a dirty secret, or guilty pleasure, but I found out I’m not alone!
A bunch of people who like to cook elaborate meals sometimes just want to throw on a quick, 20ish minute meal... and are totally willing to use store-bought sauce as a bit of a cheater ingredient.
After polling a bunch of friends, I decided to write up a bit of a guide on the various ways I will make store-bought sauce taste really GOOD, without investing a ton of time.
Everything I'm suggesting in the post can make a pasta dish in about 20 minutes, start to finish.
This is something I’ve been doing since I was in my teens, right through my “bachelorette” years, and through marriage. I kind of assumed it would be too basic to blog about, but apparently not.
So... Here we are.
First, a quick heads up - this post is going to be long-ish, and may be overwhelming.
There are a LOT of ways you can improve on any off-the-shelf pasta sauce, after all.
I’m going to break it down into three main sections:
- The things you should have on hand.
- Ways to fix specific issues with store-bought pasta sauce.
- Specific suggestions for how to improve store-bought white, rose, and red sauces.
So, let’s get to it!
Ingredients to Have on Hand
The following isn’t an exhaustive list, but gives you a lot of ideas to play with.
It’s also not a “must have” list, for the most part: adding just two or 3 of these ingredients to a sauce can go a long way to making it taste great!
Pantry Ingredients
Olive Oil
Have a decent olive oil on hand. It doesn’t have to be super fancy - and you don’t really need flavoured ones on hand for this.
Balsamic Vinegar
I use Balsamic Vinegar both as a bit of acid (more on that in a bit), and to add “that little something” to boost the overall flavour of the pasta sauce. I don’t aim for the balsamic to be a featured flavour, it just adds depth.
I like to have a few different ones on hand, for various uses. For improving pasta sauce, I tend to stick to unflavoured (ie: not the one infused with extra flavours).
- The older/thicker your balsamic vinegar is, the less you need to use.
- The more complicated the flavour profile of the recipe, the more basic/cheap I go with the balsamic.
There’s not a ton of point of using your most premium balsamic, when it’ll be drowned out by very aromatic/flavourful ingredients.
Dried Herbs & Spices
In general, you can go as wild with your spice rack/cabinet/drawer as you want (I have over 75!).
For the purposes of dressing up your pasta sauce, though, here are the few I recommend having on hand:
Basil
Crushed Chilies
Fennel
Oregano
Parsley
Pepper
Salt
Smoked Paprika
Tarragon
Thyme
I like to have my herbs and spices pre-measured and ready to go
Other Pantry Items
Anchovies
Capers
Olives
Tomato Paste
Perishables
Wine
I like to keep small bottles of red wine and white wine in the fridge for cooking with. A few notes on that:
- You want dry wine, not sweet.
- Buy something you’d be ok with drinking, if you’re a wine drinker. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should be potable!!
I don’t use any more than ¼ cup at a time for cooking, and usually less than that. A splash of wine really helps, you don’t need a ton!
So, don’t buy more than you’ll use in a few weeks.
- Related to the last two points: DON’T buy “cooking wine”!
Cooking wine is not something you’d want to drink, it doesn’t taste good... so why add it to your pasta?
Also, cooking wine has a bunch of salt and preservatives added to it (shelf life). Just get some cheap-ish real wine. It’s worth it.
Produce
Garlic
Lemons
Mushrooms
Onions
Peppers - Bell and/or hot.
Fresh Herbs
I love using fresh herbs when dressing up store-bought sauce. Basil, oregano, parsley and thyme tend to be my most-used ones, but don't let that stop you from playing around with others.
If you have the space for it, I recommend a kitchen herb garden.
Fearless Dining has a great post on Growing Herbs in Your Kitchen Window, btw.
Dairy
Cheeses - Parmesan, Asiago, and Mozzarella are my go-tos.
Butter
Cream
Meats
Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Ground chicken, sausage, beef, etc
Pepperoni
Seafood - shrimp and scallops, mostly.
Smoked Sausage
How to Fix Store-Bought Pasta Sauce
Before getting into the ways you can jazz up a jar of pasta sauce, I’d like to address ways to fix pasta sauce issues in general.
How to Fix Pasta Sauce that is Too Thick
Thin it out!
There are a few different things you can use to thin your sauce, and which you choose will depend on what sauce you’re working with, and what your goal is.
My go-to options:
Tomato juice or V8 Juice
Chicken, beef, or seafood broth
Milk or heavy cream
Just remember that if you’re adding more than a splash or so, you’ll want to adjust your seasonings.
You’re not just diluting the thickness, you’re diluting the flavour!
How to Fix Pasta Sauce That is Too Runny
There are two main ways I’ll work with runny sauce:
Simmer it Down
Simmering it releases excess moisture as steam, concentrating the sauce. It can be a time-intensive fix, though.
Use the Liquid
Slightly under-cook the pasta. Strain, add the sauce, and finish cooking it in the runny sauce.
The pasta will absorb the excess liquid - and flavour to go with it!
How to Fix Pasta Sauce that is Too Salty
Bulk it out with other ingredients - ingredients without salt, anyway - to dilute the saltiness.
This can be mushrooms, onions, ripped up baby spinach, some broth, cream, etc.
What you do will depend on what kind of sauce you’re using, and what you’re planning to put in it.
How to Fix Pasta Sauce that is Too Sweet
Add a bit of acid!
Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice are the usuals for this, as balsamic vinegar adds some sweetness along with the acid.
How to Fix Pasta Sauce that is Too Acidic / Sour
There are two ways to do this:
- If your sauce isn’t overly sweet, add a small amount of sugar.
Anywhere from a pinch to ¼ teaspoon of sugar can make a big change to the amount of acid that you’re able to perceive.
- If your sauce is sweet enough, or you don’t want to add sugar for whatever reason, try a VERY small amount of baking soda to neutralize a bit of the acid.
Really, just a pinch. You don’t want to add too much baking soda, or you could end up with an off taste.
How to Fix Pasta Sauce that is Bland / “Blah” Tasting
There are a few potential culprits, when it comes to bland sauce.
Salt
First, does it need salt? If so, add some and reassess.
Acid
If it’s salty enough and still bland, add a bit of acid.
A splash of lemon juice, some white wine, a little balsamic vinegar, even sliced black olives can go a long way to giving a bland sauce some life.
Spice
When in doubt, add a bit of crushed chilis to the pot. You don’t even necessarily have to get it *hot*, for the bit of spice to fend off the blah taste.
Fat
Chuck a lob of butter, a drizzle of olive oil, or pour a glug of heavy cream into the sauce. It can make a huge difference!
A Combo Approach
Salty hard cheeses like Asiago or Parmesan add both fat and salt.
Capers add acid and salt.
Pickled hot peppers add salt, acid, and spice.
Quick Pasta Sauce Ideas
Overwhelmed? Here are the specifics for a few of my favourite ways to doctor up canned pasta sauce - each should only take about 15-20 minutes, sometimes less.
In terms of timing, this is how I go:
- Start a pot of water boiling.
- Prepare any ingredients - chopping onion, pressing garlic, etc.
- Get the first step going (usually sauteeing onions)
- Put the pasta in the now-boiling water.
For each of these ideas, the sauce is generally ready by the time the pasta is cooked.
Note: For each of these, I’m assuming a standard size jar of about 3 cups, and about 12 oz of dry pasta
How to Improve Store-Bought Red Pasta Sauce
Red sauce comes in a bunch of different varieties - meats, mushrooms, basil - but I treat them pretty interchangeably when it comes to dressing them up.
The Basic Improvement Set
Here’s a walkthrough of a pretty basic order of operations for dressing up any red sauce.
Feel free to add to or leave out anything mentioned below ... but this is the general order I work with:
- If you’re adding meat, cook it first and then set it aside.
- Olive oil and chopped onions in a pan, cook until the onions are tender. If I’m using mushrooms or peppers, I’ll toss them in with the onions.
- Add some garlic. Like a LOT of garlic, usually. Cook another minute or so.
Note: If I’m using anchovies, I’ll mash a couple of them into a paste and toss them in with the garlic.
- Add a splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar. Sometimes both. Whatever! Cook another minute or so.
- Add the jar of pasta sauce, and a bit of herbs/spices. Allow sauce to heat fully.
- If you want to add ⅓-1/2 cup heavy cream to make it a rose sauce, do that now.
- If you’re adding olives, capers, etc... do that now.
- Taste, adjust seasonings. Add some fresh herbs now if you like.
- Add your meat, if applicable, and let it heat through.
- Add your pasta.
- Serve hot, topped with some cheese or fresh herbs if you like.
Quick “Arrabbiata” Sauce
- If you want meat in this, cook it first. I sauteed some shrimp in olive oil and pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Chop an onion and a serrano pepper or two. You’ll want the pepper chopped finely!
- Saute the onion and pepper together until onion softens. Add garlic.
- Add a good sploosh of balsamic vinegar, and/or some red wine. Cook another minute or so.
- Add a jar of red sauce, heat through.
- Add a good handful or two of fresh basil, stir well.
- Taste, get a feel for how hot it is from the fresh peppers. Add some crushed chili flakes. You want this pretty spicy!
- Allow it to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add Pasta, and meat if applicable.
- Serve hot, topped with some cheese or fresh herbs if you like.
Note: I like this one tossed with penne
Quick Vodka Sauce
- If you want meat in this, cook it first, set aside.
- Saute a chopped onion in olive oil until tender. Add garlic, cook for another minute.
- Add a good sploosh of balsamic vinegar, and ¼-1/3 cup vodka. Stir well, simmer for a few minutes.
- Add a jar of red sauce and a pinch of pepper flakes, heat through.
- Add a good handful or two of chopped up fresh basil, stir well.
- Add ⅓-1/2 cup heavy cream and a handful of grated parmesan, stir well.
- Allow it to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add Pasta, and meat if applicable.
- Serve hot, topped with some cheese or fresh herbs if you like.
Quick Puttanesca Sauce
- Chop an onion and a serrano pepper. You’ll want the pepper chopped finely! Also, mash up 5 or 6 anchovies.
- Saute the onion and pepper together with olive oil until onion softens. Add a bunch of pressed garlic, along with the anchovies.
- Add a good splash of some red wine. Cook another minute or so.
- Add a jar of red sauce and like ¼ teaspoon or so of crushed pepper flakes, heat through.
- Add a handful of sliced or chopped black or kalamata olives, and a couple Tablespoons of drained capers. Heat through.
- Add a good handful of chopped fresh basil, stir well.
- Allow it to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add cooked pasta, stir to combine.
- Serve hot, topped with some cheese or fresh herbs if you like.
Note: I like this one tossed with penne, rotini, bows, or other pasta with a fun texture. Spaghetti is traditional though.
Rose Sauce Ideas
Basic Rose Sauce Improvement Set
Same as under the basic improvement set under the red sauce, but:
1. You can use red or white wine
2. I usually don’t bother with tomato paste for rose sauce
3. I usually don’t use capers or olives with rose. Not sure why, I just... don’t. Feel free to experiment, though!
Chicken, Mushroom & Spinach Rose Sauce
- Saute some chopped onions in olive oil. Add 4 or so pressed garlic cloves, cook another minute.
- Add a couple chopped up chicken breasts, cook just until browned on the outside.
- Add 8 oz of quartered mushrooms, and a few big handfuls of chopped baby spinach. Cook until mushrooms are nice and soft, and spinach is wilted.
- Add a splash of white wine to the pan, if you like. Cook for another minute or so.
- Add a jar of rose pasta sauce and a light sprinkling of pepper flakes, allow to heat up.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add cooked pasta, stir to combine.
- Top with some grated Parmesan.
Note: I like this one tossed with penne
Rose Sauce with Basil & Sausage
- Get a lb or so of Italian sausage*, break it up and cook it in a bit of olive oil.
- Once the sausage is browned, add some chopped onion to the pan. Cook till softish, then toss in some crushed garlic. We usually do 4-6 cloves for this.
- If you want to add a splash of wine - red or white works - do it now, cook for another minute.
- Add a jar of rose pasta sauce, stir well, allow to heat through.
- Add a couple of good-sized handfuls of chopped fresh basil.
- If you like your Italian sausage with a lot of fennel, add some dried fennel if you like.
- Allow it to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add cooked pasta, stir to combine.
Note: I like this one tossed with gnocchi
Neither one of us can handle eating pork anymore, so I make a quick seasoned ground chicken mixture that tastes EXACTLY like actual Italian Sausage:
1 lb ground chicken
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon each: dried parsley, smoked paprika
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each: coarse black pepper, fennel seeds, onion powder
¼ teaspoon each: crushed chilies**, dried oregano, dried sage, dried rosemary, dried thyme
Mix it all together.
** Use more crushed chilies for a hot Italian sausage substitute - this one is pretty mild.
White / Alfredo Sauce Ideas
Basic Alfredo Sauce Improvement Set
- Saute chopped onion in olive oil. Add a few cloves of pressed garlic once the onion is softened, cook for another minute.
- Add a splash of white wine if you’d like, cook for another minute or so.
- Add a jar of white sauce, allow to heat through.
Optional: Add a good handful of chopped parsley or basil right before serving.
Roasted Garlic Alfredo
- Roast a few heads of garlic - 4 or 5.
- Squeeze out the cloves, mash, and set aside before starting.
- Follow the above “Basic Alfredo Sauce Improvement Set”, but add the mashed roasted garlic in with the pressed garlic.
Note: For a more mild garlic flavour, just use the roasted garlic, and skip the pressed fresh cloves.
Chicken Tetrazzini
- Cook a chopped-up chicken breast or two, set aside.
- Saute a chopped onion and a lb of sliced mushrooms until soft. There should be a fair amount of liquid from the mushrooms, don’t let it cook off!
- Add a few pressed garlic cloves.
- Add a good splash of white wine, cook for another minute or so.
- Add a can of Alfredo sauce, some frozen peas, and the chicken from the first step. Allow to heat through.
- Season with a bit of pepper and fresh or dry thyme.
- Add slightly undercooked pasta, stir well, and allow to cook for a few minutes, until the pasta is fully cooked and sauce has thickened as a result.
- Traditionally, you’d put this in a pan, top with some bread crumbs and cheese, and bake it for a bit... but we usually don’t bother.
More Pasta Recipes
Looking for tasty ways to carb load? I've got you covered!
Acorn Squash Tortellini with Nutmeg Cream Sauce
Antipasto Salad
Basic and Flavoured Pasta - Homemade!
Chocolate Dessert Ravioli
Marie's Pasta Salad
Pasta Alla Porters
Spinach Pine Nut Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce
Spanakopita Tortellini
So, that’s about it, hope it wasn’t too much to read!
What are your favourite ways to dress up a jar of pasta sauce?
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