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Sometimes cooking is all about convenience, rustling up meals throughout the week to satiate hunger after a long day at work. This means that we tend to grab what we have in our cupboards or fridges, with handy jars of sauces to speed up the process.
While jarred sauces can provide an efficient step when cooking, they can lack the same flavour as a home-cooked meal from scratch. To take a shop-bought jar of pasta sauce to the next level, the experts at Simply Recipes have revealed that all you need is one very common ingredient. You won’t need to search hard to find it as it’s probably already in your fridge.
Sara Haas agreed that it’s not “realistic” to expect home cooks to whip up a homemade pasta sauce every time they want pasta. So when you’re next reaching for the trusty jar of sauce, she recommended adding butter.
The addition of butter is not only super convenient but will also elevate any shop-bought jar of sauce. Sara explained: “Butter works because it adds body to the sauce, making it feel more luxurious and creamy. The flavor is subtle and balances the natural acidity of the tomatoes.
“Butter can turn any store-bought pasta sauce into something a little more special.”
When it comes to choosing which type of butter to add, any will do. Unsalted butter works best with many pre-prepared tomato sauces as they will usually contain a higher amount of salt.
Sara explained that the butter should be “added in moderation” to avoid any excess oil or turning a tomato sauce into something creamy. For a 24 ounce jar – approximately 680 grams – start with one to two tablespoons of butter.
She explained: “I find that’s enough to boost flavour, without making things greasy or taste too strongly of butter.”
Add the butter to the sauce after it’s been heated in a pan, right before it’s ready to serve. Heat the sauce up and when it’s warm, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, then swirl around the pan until it’s melted and combined.
