How to Thicken Spaghetti Sauce
Reduce by cooking at a low boil or simmer., Add some cornstarch to the spaghetti sauce., Make a Roux and add it to the sauce., Try adding breadcrumbs., Add mashed potatoes., Finish cooking the spaghetti in the sauce itself.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Reduce by cooking at a low boil or simmer.
Reduction is the most natural and easy way to thicken a spaghetti sauce.
Here's how you do it:
Bring your tomato sauce to a boil and slightly reduce the heat, allowing it to simmer uncovered to the desired consistency.
Stir the sauce often to prevent burning.
This will encourage the evaporation of extra water, thickening the sauce.
This method does not change the taste of the sauce, but can take more time, depending on how much water you want to evaporate. -
Step 2: Add some cornstarch to the spaghetti sauce.
The cornstarch mixture has no flavor, so it will not change the taste, but it may change the consistency of the sauce by giving it a silky sheen.
Use equal parts water and cornstarch, mix, then add it to the sauce.
Only pour in a small amount at first.
Cornstarch is a powerful thickening agent, so you might need less than a teaspoon for a large pot of spaghetti sauce. , Melting butter and adding flour makes a roux.
They used in French cooking as a thickening agent.
In fact, a roux is the reason that the creamy alfredo sauce is as thick as it is! After making the roux and adding bit by bit to the spaghetti sauce, you should cook the sauce for at least 30 minutes longer or you will be able to taste the grainy flour texture.
You can also cook the roux before adding to the spaghetti, thus removing the mealy flour texture.
Even with the additional cooking, the roux can change the flavor of your sauce, albeit subtly. , Breadcrumbs, like roux, is a nice thickening agent because it's primarily flour.
Although you may be able to taste the addition of breadcrumbs slightly, they are pretty much vectors for the sauce; you'll definitely notice the thickness more than you'll notice the flavor., Peel, boil, and mash potatoes, adding butter and milk or cream if desired, and stir them into the sauce.
The flavour may become very slightly sweeter, but the main effect is the thicker sauce.
It will also be much more filling., Prepare the spaghetti until it's slightly underdone (south still of al-dente).
Drain the spaghetti thoroughly so that no water remains and add the spaghetti into the pan with the sauce.
Finish cooking the spaghetti one or two minutes in the sauce itself.
The starch from the spaghetti will help thicken the sauce, and you'll be sure that the spaghetti is well-coated with sauce. -
Step 3: Make a Roux and add it to the sauce.
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Step 4: Try adding breadcrumbs.
-
Step 5: Add mashed potatoes.
-
Step 6: Finish cooking the spaghetti in the sauce itself.
Detailed Guide
Reduction is the most natural and easy way to thicken a spaghetti sauce.
Here's how you do it:
Bring your tomato sauce to a boil and slightly reduce the heat, allowing it to simmer uncovered to the desired consistency.
Stir the sauce often to prevent burning.
This will encourage the evaporation of extra water, thickening the sauce.
This method does not change the taste of the sauce, but can take more time, depending on how much water you want to evaporate.
The cornstarch mixture has no flavor, so it will not change the taste, but it may change the consistency of the sauce by giving it a silky sheen.
Use equal parts water and cornstarch, mix, then add it to the sauce.
Only pour in a small amount at first.
Cornstarch is a powerful thickening agent, so you might need less than a teaspoon for a large pot of spaghetti sauce. , Melting butter and adding flour makes a roux.
They used in French cooking as a thickening agent.
In fact, a roux is the reason that the creamy alfredo sauce is as thick as it is! After making the roux and adding bit by bit to the spaghetti sauce, you should cook the sauce for at least 30 minutes longer or you will be able to taste the grainy flour texture.
You can also cook the roux before adding to the spaghetti, thus removing the mealy flour texture.
Even with the additional cooking, the roux can change the flavor of your sauce, albeit subtly. , Breadcrumbs, like roux, is a nice thickening agent because it's primarily flour.
Although you may be able to taste the addition of breadcrumbs slightly, they are pretty much vectors for the sauce; you'll definitely notice the thickness more than you'll notice the flavor., Peel, boil, and mash potatoes, adding butter and milk or cream if desired, and stir them into the sauce.
The flavour may become very slightly sweeter, but the main effect is the thicker sauce.
It will also be much more filling., Prepare the spaghetti until it's slightly underdone (south still of al-dente).
Drain the spaghetti thoroughly so that no water remains and add the spaghetti into the pan with the sauce.
Finish cooking the spaghetti one or two minutes in the sauce itself.
The starch from the spaghetti will help thicken the sauce, and you'll be sure that the spaghetti is well-coated with sauce.
About the Author
Lori Gutierrez
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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