topic Re: PASTA SAUCE in Recipes

PASTA SAUCE

eddyandme — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:35:26 GMT

Any suggestions on how to spiff-up a jarred pasta sauce?

I've thought of adding some ricotta along with hamburg/pork. Any ideas would be appreciated.

TIA

Re: PASTA SAUCE

Desertdi — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:44:37 GMT

I add sliced fresh mushrooms and zucchini at the final end of simmering

Re: PASTA SAUCE

eddyandme — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:05:27 GMT

@Desertdi , mushrooms - love them but always forget them. Thanks, sounds yummy. Haven't seen zuchinni around here yet, but certainly will add some mushrooms!

Re: PASTA SAUCE

deepwaterdotter — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:12:23 GMT

We like mushrooms and peppers added to a jar of Victoria marinara sauce.

Re: PASTA SAUCE

Mz iMac — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:24:52 GMT

@ciao_bella I know you can advise the OP.

Re: PASTA SAUCE

retiredatlast — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:49:33 GMT

I keep 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes in my pantry at all times. My go to quick and easy pasta sauce is to saute diced onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil along with some crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, dried basil, and black pepper. I don't add extra salt. Then I add the tomatoes and simmer for about an hour. It saves money from buying the jarred sauces and I can control the amount of extra ingredients. Of course, I do keep a jar of ready made sauce for quick emergencies. And if I use it, I do the same thing with the onion, peppers, garlic in olive oil, but I add less spices. And only simmer it for about 15 minutes.

Re: PASTA SAUCE

matty liz — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:48:39 GMT

put a pinch of sugar, parmesian cheese and some italian season in mine

Re: PASTA SAUCE

ciao_bella — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:19:30 GMT

@eddyandme To add subtle extra touches to jarred sauce, add some good quality olive oil and fresh basil with a pinch of red pepper flakes. To that, if you want to get more involved with extra add-in's, I love a handful of chopped olives that you can simmer in the sauce.

If you want to add meat, as you had indicated, I would add some olive oil to a fry pan, then mince a few garlic cloves and a small minced onion or shallot and sweat/saute for a little bit until softend, then add your ground beef or beef/pork with some fresh or dried herbs. I also like pancetta diced and browned in the sauce. Like others mention, sliced sauted mushrooms or zucchini are good choices that hold up well.

You mentioned ricotta. I would not add the ricotta directly to the sauce as the sauce will not look appetizing, sort of 'grainy looking', though will taste okay. Instead, I would add a splash or two or a litte more of heavy cream to the sauce at the very end. This will give your sauce a rich 'creamy less acidic sauce' much like a vodka sauce without the vodka.

Hope I was of some help to you.

Re: PASTA SAUCE

River Song — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:33:56 GMT

If the sauce is plain, I add garlic, Italian seasoning herbs, sautéed onions, green pepper and olives. Plus, a splash of red wine if I have an open bottle in the fridge. For meat, I've added cooked ground beef or diced Italian sausage.

To change things up, I've also added sour cream to the pasta sauce, off the heat so it doesn't curdle, for a velvety, creamy tomato sauce.

Re: PASTA SAUCE

eddyandme — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:54:23 GMT

@River Song wrote:
If the sauce is plain, I add garlic, Italian seasoning herbs, sautéed onions, green pepper and olives. Plus, a splash of red wine if I have an open bottle in the fridge. For meat, I've added cooked ground beef or diced Italian sausage.

To change things up, I've also added sour cream to the pasta sauce, off the heat so it doesn't curdle, for a velvety, creamy tomato sauce.

I love sour cream!!!! Never thought of adding it to sauce - gonna try it!

Re: PASTA SAUCE

Zhills — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 16:26:58 GMT

I buy a sauce that I love so I don't have to 'fix' it!

Re: PASTA SAUCE

shoekitty — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 01:39:38 GMT

I love RAO's Arribiatta (sp) to me it is the most natural and very homemade tasting. The tomatoes they use are outstanding. I do add black olives and a bit more onion to it

Re: PASTA SAUCE

shoekitty — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:50:50 GMT

@eddyandme wrote:
@River Song wrote:
If the sauce is plain, I add garlic, Italian seasoning herbs, sautéed onions, green pepper and olives. Plus, a splash of red wine if I have an open bottle in the fridge. For meat, I've added cooked ground beef or diced Italian sausage.

To change things up, I've also added sour cream to the pasta sauce, off the heat so it doesn't curdle, for a velvety, creamy tomato sauce.

I love sour cream!!!! Never thought of adding it to sauce - gonna try it!

@eddyandme great idea with sour cream. I think that might be great over raviolis. A local cafe does that I think with a plainer pasta sauce over raviolis. My granddaughters and husband love it. They use mushroom ravioli

Re: PASTA SAUCE

eddyandme — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:28:36 GMT

@shoekitty wrote:
@eddyandme wrote:
@River Song wrote:
If the sauce is plain, I add garlic, Italian seasoning herbs, sautéed onions, green pepper and olives. Plus, a splash of red wine if I have an open bottle in the fridge. For meat, I've added cooked ground beef or diced Italian sausage.

To change things up, I've also added sour cream to the pasta sauce, off the heat so it doesn't curdle, for a velvety, creamy tomato sauce.

I love sour cream!!!! Never thought of adding it to sauce - gonna try it!
@eddyandme great idea with sour cream. I think that might be great over raviolis. A local cafe does that I think with a plainer pasta sauce over raviolis. My granddaughters and husband love it. They use mushroom ravioli

@shoekitty , I've never had mushroom ravioli. Now I'll be in search! Thanx!

Re: PASTA SAUCE

Enufstuff — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:10:36 GMT

I use Victoria low sodium sauce, either marinara or tomato basil. I brown a little ground beef and add some oregano.

Then I add the sauce and heat.

For years I have loved Rao's, but now I need everything low sodium. I wish they would make a low sodium sauce.

Re: PASTA SAUCE

eddyandme — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:01:15 GMT

Never heard of that pasta sauce @Enufstuff . Does Amazon carry it?

I always use Rao's, but low-salt sauce might be good 'cause my pup, Brody, LOVES pasta and sauce. I often give him Chef Boyardee to slip in his sympatica or just a quick meal with his kibble.

Re: PASTA SAUCE

Pooky1 — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 23:17:17 GMT

Wow. That sounds delicious.. I could go for some of your sauce on any kind of pasta.