We all love Spaghetti! We can easily make this comforting food on busy days or tiring nights. What makes Spaghetti taste good? Obviously, it’s the spaghetti sauce in it. Yes, we can buy spaghetti sauce from the market but even better is to make it at home. Surely, you know to put tomatoes in it, but other things to put in spaghetti sauce to make it taste better? What seasonings go in spaghetti sauce?
Basically, a good spaghetti sauce has various seasonings in it apart from just putting tomatoes & beef. It includes garlic, onion, basil, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, bay leaves, and a little bit of sugar. These basic ingredients elevate the taste of spaghetti sauce.
Let’s get to know more about spaghetti sauce and its seasonings.
What Seasonings Go in Spaghetti Sauce?
What makes tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce stand apart from each other, it’s the seasonings that get added to spaghetti sauce and, obviously, the beef. Here is the full list of seasonings to put in spaghetti sauce:
- Garlic/Garlic Powder: Garlic is a staple of Italian cuisine and a crucial component of spaghetti sauce. In olive oil or butter, minced or sliced garlic can be sautéed before adding tomatoes, onions, and other sauce components. Garlic contributes a piquant flavor that pairs well with tomatoes and herbs.
- Onion/Onion powder: Onions are frequently sautéed with garlic to impart a subtle flavor to the sauce. Depending on the temperature and the quantity of the onion segments, cooking onions until they are translucent can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.
- Basil Fresh/Dried: Basil is a commonly used, fragrant, herbaceous herb in Italian cuisine. You can add dried or fresh basil leaves to the sauce to impart a fragrant, faintly minty flavor. Both fresh and dried basil can be used, but fresh basil is more aromatic and flavorful.
- Oregano: Oregano is a slightly bitter, earthy herb popular in Italian and Mediterranean cooking. Add dried or fresh oregano to the sauce to enhance the depth of flavor. Oregano and basil are frequently combined to make a traditional Italian spice blend.
- Thyme: Thyme is a fragrant, flowery herb used in French and Mediterranean cooking. Add dried or fresh thyme leaves to the sauce to give a gentle sweetness and flowery taste. Thyme is frequently used with oregano and basil to make a spice blend.
- Red pepper flakes: A sprinkle of red pepper flakes can be used to spice up the sauce. Red pepper flakes are created from dried, crushed chili peppers and give the sauce a fiery taste. The number of red pepper flakes used will be determined by personal taste.
- Salt & Pepper: Salt and pepper are fundamental seasonings that can help temper the sauce’s flavor. The combination of salt and pepper enhances the flavor of the tomatoes. Be careful to sample the sauce before adding more salt or pepper.
- Sugar: A little sugar can help balance the tomatoes’ acidity while adding sweetness to the sauce. The amount of sugar used will be determined by personal liking as well as the acidity of the tomatoes used.
- Bay leaves: Bay leaves are a delicate herbal ingredient that can be added to the sauce for a mild taste. Bay leaves are frequently used in soups and stews, and they lend a distinct taste to the sauce.
- Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning is a dry herb combination that includes basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. It is a quick and simple flavoring alternative to all the ingredients mentioned above.
In general, begin with a few basic ingredients such as garlic, onion, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper, and then add more seasonings to taste. Taste the sauce while it cooks and adjusts the seasonings as needed to make a perfectly seasoned sauce to your satisfaction.
How To Make Spaghetti Sauce?
Don’t know how to make spaghetti sauce? Don’t worry. We got you covered. Here is the full recipe for making spaghetti sauce:
Time:
- Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking Time: 30 Minutes/2 hours
- Total Time: 40 minutes/2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 2 cans (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Directions:
- Heat the olive oil in a big saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until the onion is transparent and the garlic is aromatic.
- If using ground beef or Italian sausage, brown it in the saucepan, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon.
- Stir together the pureed tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper in the pot.
- Add sugar to the saucepan and stir to combine if using.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to low heat and cook for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours), stirring periodically.
- Adjust the spices as needed after tasting the sauce.
- Serve the sauce over prepared Spaghetti and garnish, if desired, with grated Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Note: This recipe yields a basic, tasty spaghetti sauce that may be tailored to your preferences. To customize the sauce, add extra flavors like red pepper flakes or thyme, or use ground turkey or veggie crumbles for the ground beef or sausage.
Storing: This homemade spaghetti sauce may be prepared ahead of time without any difficulty. You may keep it in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze it. Keep it in storage for up to four to six months. To prepare the frozen sauce for use, transfer it to a saucepan and cook it over the fire until it is warm.
Bottom Line
This was all about what seasonings go in spaghetti sauce. Garlic, onions, basil, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, bay leaves, and a touch of sugar are all components of this seasoning blend. These fundamental seasonings greatly improve the flavor of the spaghetti sauce.
We hope you found this article helpful & informative. Thank you for reading!