How do you thicken spaghetti sauce?

Answer 1

You could use corn starch as you would in making gravy, if it wasn't a large amount, tomato paste could be added without changing the taste a great deal. Do not rinse the pasta. When you rinse the pasta under water, you remove the starches that are naturally present and the pasta doenst stick to the sauce. Big mistake.

Answer 2

Use Hunt's Tomato Sauce only, not Hunt's Tomato Paste

I use several brands, including Hunts Tomato Sauce and never use the paste. However, it always seems a little thick especially if I have left overs for the next day. Then it is really thick. If I add water it doesn't taste right (too watered down). Any ideas what I could add to thin the sauce so it still tastes good. Thanks.

Answer 3

It depends on what sauce you are making. For some you can add flour. Some you can just simmer until the excess water evaporates.

Cornstarch...Stir a tablespoon (more or less) of cornstarch in a small amount of water. Add the result to your sauce stirring all the while. You can always add more cornstarch/water but if you add too much you will easily ruin your work. I'll use a 'regular' spoon and dump it into a dinky jelly jar and mix it with the same spoon.

Flour...Works well but if you mix it in water or milk and then stir it into your sauce it will often impart a taste like the flour paste we made as kids. It is far better to make a roux (roo) by adding the flour to a like amount or butter (margarine). Cook it at a fairly LOW temperature in a frying pan stirring constantly for a few minutes or longer depending. The flour and butter will kind of cling together and bubble around the edges. When the mixture begins to just start to turn 'golden' it is ready. Cook it longer and it will get darker and add a bit of flavor of its own. Add a spoon full to your sauce and it will thicken. Stir stir stir!

Answer 4

A roux can be used to thicken sauces. A roux is made by slowly heating oil or fat with flour together until smooth. Another option is to use a cold cornstarch slurry and slowly adding it to the heated sauce. Another option is to keep cooking it until it has reduced to the proper consistency.

Answer 5

Add more Tomato Sauce to the mix to thin it out.

Answer 6

Depending on what kind of sauce, adding cornstarch a little bit at a time and whisking with a fork will thicken most sauces and gravy.

Answer 7

Tomato paste and cooking it uncovered

Answer 8

I like to add tomato paste to my sauce.

Answer 9

You can put flour in it.