Do you ever get store bought pasta sauce and make it better...

Do you ever get store bought pasta sauce and make it better? Last night I simmered a some with some spices and meat and it ended up tasting really good.

Sure. Get a decent quality marinara and saute your own veggies, add an anchovy, simmer meatballs or sausage etc. Works for when you don't have the time to let sauce simmer for hours.

Yep, this 100%.

I'll put the sauce in a saucepan and add some fresh herbs & a little anchovy paste. Meanwhile I'll brown some ground beef or Italian sausage in a pan. When the meat is done I'll add it back to the sauce. It's not as good as a real slow-simmered one, but it's easily 80% as good and takes very little time/effort.

What herbs do you use? I just used an Italian seasoning mix.

Not him, but I add fresh chopped parsley and basil.

Normally basil, oregano, and thyme since I often have those on hand.

If I don't have those then I use a generic, dried, "Italian seasoning" mix too. It's my emergency backup for when I don't have fresh herbs.

I never take ingredients and add things to them.

I exclusively eat raw onions.

As mentioned above. Herbs.
I also add some cream and sugar, just a little.

ive never had anchovy before, im assuming it dosent give it a fishy taste? is it more of a seasoning then a meat in the sauce?

Yes, it's just a seasoning. You would only add a little bit. I use anchovy paste; it comes in a tube like toothpaste. I squeeze out just a little bit, roughly 1" long (2.5 cm)? If you were using canned anchovies then you'd use just one or two fillets.

It adds a savory flavor, it doesn't taste fishy at all in the finished sauce.

thanks user, ive seen the paste tubes, ill get some this weekend and try it in some pasta sauce

Give it a try, it's fantastic. Just remember you don't need to add very much. About as much as you'd use for toothpaste to brush your teeth is a good amount.

It's also great to add to stews & braised dishes.

>not making your own sauce from scratch

>sour cream

What does this add? Never occurred to me to put some in a sauce.

Nah turkey

Please don't put sour cream in your sauce. You read that wrong.

Some asshole always says this.
There is nothing wrong with jarred sauce. Tomato keeps just as well in a jar or can, and most of the sauce flavors are also preserved very well.
I wouldnt get one with meat or cheese in it, but the tomato/spices/veg part is fine. Cheese and meat you add yourself, along with additional flavors you like. Its saves time, we dont all have a shitload of time to make fucking pasta sauce after working and having a real life.

Be careful with how much anchovy you add. Ideally, the sauce becomes more savory. Too much and you'll get a fishy taste. Bear in mind, they are quite salty. I add it to the sauce pan while vegetables are sautéing and it will break down. Add it with the garlic since you only want it to sizzle for a little while.

I see prepared/convenience food products as a rip off. I try to avoid these products because I generally cook my meals from ingredients.

Ofcourse, add some herbs, mushrooms, and cream of mushroom soup, and that shit is golden

Gives it texture and taste,.
Whatetever fancies you.
Milk, cream, double cream, sour cream, creme fraiche.

I see them as time savers. I'll never eat another microwavable meal in my life, but I'm more than happy to buy pre-made base ingredients to add to.

I've always added sour cream to pasta sauce. I can't describe why I like it but it's pretty good.

Oof.. I've never seen an Italian tomato sauce with sour cream or creme fraiche added. Tomatoes are sour/acidic as is. A splash of cream works to offset that a bit, but totally depends what kind of sauce you're making. I like tomato with cream sauces for stuffed pastas like ravioli or tortellini. Can work for some meat sauces like bolognese. Lots of info out there though. Just ask. Maybe we won't be drunk and post frogs.

This.
I had a bunch of friends over for dinner and made some basil chicken pasta penne. I added a little Sockerooni sauce also and everyone loved it. I also eat sockerooni sauce with spaghetti and Italian sausage. Literally one of my favorite dishes and the sauce is like 3 bucks.
Also>sour cream to sauce
I had no idea this was a thing but appearantly it is. My bf puts a dollop on top of his spaghetti. I couldn't believe it first and desu I think it looks gross, but he said it's because his mom put it in her sauce to make it more creamy.

what about making it into pizza sauce? any tips on that please

I guess you'd do the same thing. Most pizza sauce is just marinara.

Anchovy is a meme, don't listen to faggots. A better result can be had by letting parmesan rinds simmer in the sauce.

I get that. But there already are so many good Italian quick sauces that I just make one of them when time is an issue.

>anchovies are memes
You're about as useless as the onions are memes guy. Stop posting. Go do your homework. You can play outside when you're done.

I used to do this until I realized I was being an idiot and switched to just starting with tomato paste.

what same thing?

what spices should I add to make it more pizza sauce like? anyone?