Improving store bought pasta sauce?

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I like more chunks in my sauce, too..

Agreed!
Like browned&crumbled Italian Sausage or Ground Beef, YUM!
I'll sprinkle some meat and then pour in some sauce over that, etc ...

 

[Kayelle]

Personally, I actually prefer $1.00 a can of Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce over more expensive brands, even TJ's. I don't think I've ever used it without additions though.
It's only a base for the additions I include anyway. I always add some red wine, no matter what. I've added all of the above mentioned at one time or another except marinated artichoke hearts. Great idea and thanks Larry as I really like the sound of that. Hmm, now I'm thinking sliced green olives instead of black.

 

[GotGarlic]

I think that everyone has their own opinions on "store bought pasta sauce".
Which brings to mind what Buckytom and Aunt Bea mentioned.

When we're talking about "store bought pasta sauce", what kind are we referring to?

My first thought goes to $1.00 a can of Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce
View attachment 29219
Now, that needs improving, in the ways already stated above ^^

But then there's the higher end, top-shelf stuff (have you ever noticed that Hunt's canned tomato sauce IS on the bottom shelf? [emoji38])

View attachment 29220
I've been buying Trader Joe's Organic Marinara Sauce for years now,
no doctoring necessary. Heat and serve! Add ons are optional (I think that the seasonings of TJ's is spot on for us anyways ), and I do like some Meatballs or Sausages or Braciole or Country Spare Ribs or ....

Not everyone has a Trader Joe's nearby, or can afford to pay several times as much for a container of pasta sauce.

I always have a jar of Classico Tomato & Basil pasta sauce on hand for evenings when I don't have the energy to make sauce from scratch. When I do, though, I start with a 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes, rather than diced because I prefer the smooth texture and making a larger amount saves energy and money and is more efficient. .

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Not everyone has a Trader Joe's nearby, or can afford to pay several times as much for a container of pasta sauce.

I always have a jar of Classico Tomato & Basil pasta sauce on hand for evenings when I don't have the energy to make sauce from scratch. When I do, though, I start with a 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes, rather than diced because I prefer the smooth texture and making a larger amount saves energy and money and is more efficient. .

Exactly GG !
Everyone has their own opinions, tastes, preferences, budget, availabilities, etc. This is just my own view on "store bought pasta sauce".

For me personally, I can't eat very much tomato product of any kind...it just doesn't like me... a little goes a long way for me, but now DH, any kind of red sauce, pasta, bread (no salad please, "Nope, not with pasta, that's not how my Mom made it" sshhhh, she did! he just didn't like it ) ... he's as happy as a clam.

 

[buckytom]

The really high end tomato sauces like Rao's, Silver Palate, or Batali's crack me up.

$8 or $9 for a jar of sauce? I've tried them, an surprise surprise, they weren't any better than a doctored up $1 can of Hunts, if you know what you're doing.

I've been buying Bertolli sauces lately when they go on sale. No doctoring needed, but I still usually add meataballs and or sausage, or fish of some kind. My wife prefers Tuttorusso, but i think it's a bit plain.

 

[Rocklobster]

We have a very limited selection up here..

 

[taxlady]

We usually get the sauces from Classico. They make a lot that don't have any soy. President's Choice also has some decent organic sauces with no soy. This can be extremely handy when neither of us has enough spoons to either cook or even shop and we can get those delivered. Or maybe just enough spoons to get to the pharmacy (for the President's Choice sauces).

 

[Aunt Bea]

The really high end tomato sauces like Rao's, Silver Palate, or Batali's crack me up.

$8 or $9 for a jar of sauce? I've tried them, an surprise surprise, they weren't any better than a doctored up $1 can of Hunts, if you know what you're doing.

I've been buying Bertolli sauces lately when they go on sale. No doctoring needed, but I still usually add meataballs and or sausage, or fish of some kind. My wife prefers Tuttorusso, but i think it's a bit plain.

I agree with the high end sauces being overrated.

Why pay a fortune for this simple sauce from Rao's.

https://www.marthastewart.com/328007/raos-marinara-sauce

This no sugar added sauce from Hunts is great but I can never find it in my local stores, maybe that is the reason I like it so much!

 

[larry_stewart]

Sometimes I go crazy with additions to my sauce ,but honestly, sometimes I prefer just a very simple sauce:

Either something simple like Marcella Hazan's tomatoes, onions, butter S&P. Just started making this one a few years ago, so simple, but so good. Especially during the summer when I have tons of fresh tomatoes.

Although, most times Ill make a sauce heavy with the garlic. Sautee garlic, onion, olive oil, tomatoes ( usually canned ) S&P
Occasionally Ill toss oregano and / or basil but many times it's the tomato taste im looking for .

There is one canned sauce I use that I really like Don Pepino's or something like that ( yellow can).

When making a lasagna or ziti, ill often ' stretch' the canned sauce with some tomato puree I have in the freezer from the garden.

My most 'go to' additions to a canned sauce would be more garlic and mushrooms.

During the summer, when I have an over abundance of herbs ( rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, bay leaves, parsley) Ill often run into the garden and just pick away.

I especially like toasting fennel seeds ( not too many) then building a sauce on top of that. My wife doesnt like the fennel flavor, but to me, it kinda gives the sauce that sausage- like flavor.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Three bucks is my limit on prepared pasta sauce, and this is why:

A 28oz can of San Marzano tomatoes is around $3 and then by
the time I add in onions, garlic, spices, herbs, cooking cost & time,
you're pretty much even-steven with a higher end canned/jarred
pasta sauce.
(btw TJ's is $2.99/25oz. jar, at least here in cowboyville )

... and Aunt Bea, I saw that episode of Maaaatha when she had
Frank on the show ... that's how I was taught to make my sauce.
I thought to myself, why would I pay $11 here
in the middle of the desert for a jar of the same thing I
make at home for around $3 ?
A friend of ours hosted a dinner at Rao's in Las Vegas,
meh. It was a very large table of American-Italians (all but me ),
they were not impressed ... sure glad I wasn't payin'

 

[GotGarlic]

Exactly GG !
Everyone has their own opinions, tastes, preferences, budget, availabilities, etc. This is just my own view on "store bought pasta sauce".

Of course. However, your comment came across as "why buy *that* when you can get what I consider the best?"

 

[buckytom]

Lol.

 

[rodentraiser]

I've tried umpteen tomato sauce recipes and even the ones that people swear are full of flavor taste dull to me. So I use Classico's Spicy tomato sauce. The one time I couldn't find it, I bought another kind and threw in some red pepper to season it. That was the day I found out you can have too much red pepper in your tomato sauce.

 

[caseydog]

I've tried umpteen tomato sauce recipes and even the ones that people swear are full of flavor taste dull to me. So I use Classico's Spicy tomato sauce. The one time I couldn't find it, I bought another kind and threw in some red pepper to season it. That was the day I found out you can have too much red pepper in your tomato sauce.

When I first made a sauce from real San Marzano tomatoes (in a can, of course), it was a bit of an epiphany. I like my sauce to really taste of tomatoes, and have the herbs and spices be supporting actors. That's my own personal taste. I grwo my own red peppers. They are potent, so I often cut a slit in them, put them in the whole during the simmer, and remove them when the sauce has just the right amount of heat.

I grow my own oregano and basil, too. I use fresh in the summer, and dried in the winter. I prefer fresh... again, just my personal taste.

CD

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Of course. However, your comment came across as "why buy *that* when you can get what I consider the best?"

I think that everyone has their own opinions on "store bought pasta sauce".
Which brings to mind what Buckytom and Aunt Bea mentioned.

When we're talking about "store bought pasta sauce", what kind are we referring to?

My first thought goes to $1.00 a can of Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce
View attachment 29219
Now, that needs improving, in the ways already stated above ^^

But then there's the higher end, top-shelf stuff (have you ever noticed that Hunt's canned tomato sauce IS on the bottom shelf? )

View attachment 29220
I've been buying Trader Joe's Organic Marinara Sauce for years now,
no doctoring necessary. Heat and serve! Add ons are optional (I think that the seasonings of TJ's is spot on for us anyways ), and I do like some Meatballs or Sausages or Braciole or Country Spare Ribs or ....

I gotta be honest here, I haven't made scratch sauce in about 2 years now, I was, but then I didn't have all of my kitchen toys for awhile and just feel out of the habit of making a humongous pot-o-sunday-red-gravy for the freezer.

GG, that’s unfortunate that you see my post that way. I certainly did not intend to come across as "why buy *that* when you can get what I consider the best?", and I’m sorry if it did, but it was again just my own opinion, with no disrespect to anyone else. Posting thoughts on the internet can be subjective to others; they can be interrupted in many ways.
A number of members here at DC have responded to the OP with their own views on ‘improving store bought pasta sauce’, creating a conversation in our community.
And after all, isn’t that what it’s all about, simply a conversation, some thoughts, an opinion, different ideas, preferences, banter, friendly give and take.

 

[caseydog]

So, Jerry, do you have the answers you were looking for?

Jerry?

Jerry?

Hmmm. Well, at least we were able to squabble with each other over jarred tomato sauce. That's always a good time, and worthwhile exercise.

CD

 

[buckytom]

Actually, it can be fun:
https://youtu.be/9F7dL41VaRk

 

[Aunt Bea]

While you are waiting for the macaroni to cook please take a look at my favorite book!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alQU6pnKHgM

 

[roadfix]

Like I always do with a can of Bush's beans I doctor up cheap spaghetti sauce if that's what I have on hand.

 

[Cheryl J]

GG, that’s unfortunate that you see my post that way. I certainly did not intend to come across as "why buy *that* when you can get what I consider the best?", and I’m sorry if it did, but it was again just my own opinion, with no disrespect to anyone else. Posting thoughts on the internet can be subjective to others; they can be interrupted in many ways.
A number of members here at DC have responded to the OP with their own views on ‘improving store bought pasta sauce’, creating a conversation in our community.
And after all, isn’t that what it’s all about, simply a conversation, some thoughts, an opinion, different ideas, preferences, banter, friendly give and take.

I didn't get that at all from your post, Kgirl. Over the years I've tried sooo many bottled sauces to keep on hand in the pantry...it usually comes down to what's on sale, and curiousity in trying a new brand. I love TJ's marinara sauce too and find it reasonably priced, but it's so far away I don't get there that often.

Once or twice a year I make my own in a big batch, portion it out, and freeze it, but I'm only a one person household with limited freezer space. Having a jarred sauce on the pantry shelf is really handy when I have my little grandson over for an unexpected dinner, as he's not much into onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc..