The easiest way to add richness and homemade flavor to packaged pasta sauce
Adding a couple of tablespoons of butter at the end of cooking softens the packaged pasta sauce and gives it a more homemade taste.
The late chef and author Anthony Bourdain revealed in his essay "Don't Eat Before Reading This," according to The New Yorker, the amount of butter restaurants use in their sauces and in almost everything they serve. You can apply the same trick at home, even with store-bought tomato sauce.
Adding butter as a finishing touch makes the sauce smoother and richer, with a subtle sheen. It also balances the acidity of the tomatoes and softens the overall flavor, and the technique works equally well with homemade tomato sauce.
To test it, heat a standard-sized jar of your favorite sauce on the stovetop and add a couple of tablespoons of butter. Taste it and add more if needed, but don't overdo it, as too much butter can mask the flavor. Opt for unsalted butter, since store-bought sauces are often quite salty, and adjust the salt at the end if necessary.
For a creamier sauce, add a little cream, milk, or ricotta cheese, or use olive oil for a similar dairy-free texture. Simmering it with a Parmesan cheese crust, or adding chopped olives or capers, adds a touch of saltiness and umami flavor.
Fresh or dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, or parsley, add freshness, and red pepper flakes add a touch of spice. For a more intense flavor, stir in a splash of red wine or a drizzle of thick tomato paste. You can also concentrate the flavors by simmering the sauce for 15 to 30 minutes, rather than just reheating it.
If you have more time, sauté garlic, onion, or vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, or carrots before adding them to the sauce. Brown bacon, sausage, or ground beef or pork and stir it in for a richer sauce. To enhance the tomato paste, sauté it in olive oil before adding it.
