Improving store-bought pasta sauce?

Hand rubbed oregano (Krinos mountain oregano, in the box - store it in a glass jar after opening)
Pinch of dried peperoncino flakes
Perhaps a pinch of garlic &/or onion powder
Fresh ground Tellicherry black pepper
Splash of good olive oil
 
I do not use jarred tomato sauce .. However, here is a quick way to " Doctor " industrialised tomato sauces .. However, it is so easy to prepare from scratch and there is absolutely no comparison to any industrialised sauce ..

2 cloves minced garlic
3 teaspoons fresh parsley
40 grams of pinenuts
120 grams of 2 Year old Reggiano Parmesano freshly grated
Salt and pepper to taste
4 large tablespoons of Italian Extra virgin olive oil
60 Ml. Italian dry red wine
150 grams of San Marzano tomatoes puréed or fresh tomatoes peeled and de-seeded or a basic Italian jarred sauce if you prefer
*** Optional: 50 grams of manteca de cerdo ( porc fat ) or Proscuitto or Guanciale ( the cheek ) or veal cheek if preferred ..
 
morning glory said:
Chilli would be my favourite.
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But not too much.

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ElementumSpices said:
Are there any quick and easy ways to spice up store-bought pasta sauce for a weekday dinner?
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Yes.

You need to think of the store bought sauce as merely the tomato sauce base and add to it like you would when you add normal tomato sauce to your from scratch sauce. I sometimes do a quickie sauce from store bought. But I have a preferred store bought sauce, Classico. To that I would add Anaheim Peppers, Sorranos, Mushrooms, more Onion, Garlic and Oregano, Marjoram and Thyme ... perhaps some rosemary too. I never use ground beef in Spaghetti sauces, always cube cut something. Oh, and I would add some Olive Oil. How about some red wine, like a Cabernet or Merlot to perk it up? But this whole procedure is kind of to naught as a can of tomato sauce and a can of paste, if desired, costs less. I sometimes use Classico sauce because it is a good store bought sauce and they pack it in Atlas Mason jars which are very good for storing stuff.

If you are going to use store bought, find a good sauce like Classico.
 
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@ElementumSpices
:wave: and :welcome: to the forum.

There was a time that I used packaged/jarred pasta sauce. I realized that I spent a lot of time and effort tweaking prepared sauces. It is much easier to prepare a fresh pasta sauce. Please excuse me if I sound arrogant. Not the case. Just a home cook that has learned the joy of a fresh made tomato sauce. BTW - canned tomatoes are great.
 
ElizabethB said:
BTW - canned tomatoes are great.
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That's a great way to make tomato sauce, directly from whole tomatoes by cooking them down. It's just difficult the first time to figure out how many to use as you reduce them in the pan.
 
Spring has arrived and I have heirloom tomato seeds sprouting. I will have more lovely, flavorful heirloom tomatoes than we can eat. I usually scald the tomatoes and freeze them. When I want tomato sauce I pull a pack of tomatoes out of the freezer and make a sauce. The fresh flavor is incredible.
 
ElizabethB said:
Spring has arrived and I have heirloom tomato seeds sprouting. I will have more lovely, flavorful heirloom tomatoes than we can eat. I usually scald the tomatoes and freeze them. When I want tomato sauce I pull a pack of tomatoes out of the freezer and make a sauce. The fresh flavor is incredible.
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I've just done that with a bag full that a mate gave me. Peeled them and roughly liquidised them first.
 
@Yorky

I drop my tomatoes in a pot of boiling water - skin on - for 1 minute. Remove to a bowl of ice water. Peel then freeze. They taste garden fresh.
 
I do not liquefy the tomatoes because I some times want whole stewed tomatoes. Freezing them whole gives me more versatility.
 
Generally the frozen (liquidised) tomatoes are used for bacon/sausage sandwiches, viz:

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Or they go in a curry or a chilli con carne.
 
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