I start by adding about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan; then I heat over a medium flame for a minute or two. Then comes my jarred sauce of choice, a dash of ground cloves and about 1/4 cup red wine. Simmering for about 30 minutes or so helps the flavors to meld (and gives my children time to set the table). After the pasta has boiled, it also helps to splash some Pompeian Extra Virgin oil over the noodles. This keeps it from sticking to the pan, and adds just a tiny boost of flavor.
When time is short, I’m all about “doctoring” some sauce from a can or jar, and when we have company over people always tell me they love my marinara!
If you are a veggie lover, sauteed mushrooms and onions are tasty add-ins. Diced tomatoes add extra flavor and texture. And Italian sausage will make your sauce extra savory (adding ground beef can actually contribute to blandness). While some jarred sauces already have garlic or garlic powder in them, it doesn’t hurt to saute a few cloves in oil to kick the flavor up a few notches.
I always add something or other to my canned spaghetti sauce. Sometimes brown sugar. Sometimes seasonings. Sometimes veggies. Whatever I have on hand that I think will go well. I also use spaghetti sauce as a base for many of my veggie soups.
Thanks for mentioning sugar, Heather! That can help to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes. ~Anne
I love ground beef in my pasta sauce… but that’s largely because I find even the mildest sausages to be gross. I typically doctor my sauces with olive oil, garlic, oregano, and basil. Adding mushroom is a requirement. Adding carrots and zucchini are just an awesome bonus.
I actually like ground beef, too, but not on its own. Herbs and garlic and oil definitely help banish the blandness!
Great idea! I cook mostly with olive oil (and sometimes grapeseed oil) and love Pomeiian products – their vinegars are great too!
I make my own sauce but this looks like a great alternative when in a pinch. I use olive oil almost every day.
Oooo nice post! I love olive oil 😉 and I think I will use this technique in my cooking.
So, my husband has tried to make spaghetti sauce from scratch a few times. But I love the Classico and Barilla spaghetti sauces. I always add wine to my sauce while cooking, but I never heard of adding ground cloves. That’s interesting.
We should really think of this when we make pasta. We always try the different kinds where its more cheese or certain spices but we still ending up adding our own spices to give a boost.
Didn’t think of using oil though to help, thanks for the tip!
Thanks for the tips. Homemade tastes so much better but sometimes I just don’t have the energy to let it stew for several hours.
Good idea! This sounds yummy!
Oooh very interesting! I would’ve never thought cloves!! I am more of a typical garlic and oregano person but cloves is an interesting twist!