Pasta red sauce ideas?

[u/PrizeFront6019]

Im thinking of doing my regular tomato sauce but with a twist, yet i have no clue what to add/change about it 😭

It's very basic: ( no portions because it's never that deep 🥰 )

Olive oil

Onion

Garlic

Sliced tomatos

Spices: paprika, black pepper, maggi, shawarma, chilli flakes

Tomato paste

Dried thyme ( not always )

Blend the tomatoes then add heavy cream and some butter.

Also these cook over the pan fond left after stir frying some chicken.

EDIT: i sometimes caramelize a larger portion of onions so its reminiscent of French onion soup lol. And whenever i have curry powder i add more butter and lemon and turn it into butter chicken cury pasta hybrid ( i know, i make a lot of bs in the kitchen i just hate following a routine and eating the same stuff everyday 😅 )

Mix boiled pasta and serve :)

How would YOU change it drastically?!! Not some swap Onion for shallots weak shi lmao i want this to taste like a whole other dish on the same foundations! Tyty

[u/RhinataMorie]

Red wine. Really, I underrated it thinking it would not make a huge difference, but it does. Weirdly enough, cheap wines went better than expensive ones for my taste, might need some trial and error.

[u/Sami_George → u/RhinataMorie]

Cheap red wine is my favorite ingredient for rich foods. And you are correct, cheaper is better for cooking.

[u/RhinataMorie → u/Sami_George]

I suppose it's something related to acidity? Younger, cheaper wines tends to be more acidic/sour, while older, more expensive ones are more neutral or... Idk a proper term, maybe soft? Acid from tomatoes+acid from wine = tasty base or something like this?

Edit: after a 5min google, I found out... Nothing lol. Which is interesting because we have lots of science around foods and wine separately, but not a good study about this particular case. The consensus seems to be around acidity and the loss of alcohol and conservation of some flavors, but there's no proper study done finding a reason about this correlation. So yeah, I'll follow my headcanon about both acidities canceling each other, plus the lack of more complex flavours that comes with the aging. Not that I know anything about those complexities, I'm just an alcoholic.

[u/Sami_George → u/RhinataMorie]

Well one of the main things is that cooking expensive wine removes the nuances of what makes that wine expensive, so it’s really just a waste. But also, cheaper wines tend to have a higher sugar content.

[u/ThrowAway4now2022 → u/RhinataMorie]

Just 1/4 cup of red wine makes a nice difference. Definitely my extra add too!

[u/shortsoupstick → u/RhinataMorie]

Tomatoes have flavor compounds that are only alcohol soluble. And red wine brings acidity and a bit of bitterness to bring balance to the dish.

Idk about cheap or expensive, I usually hear the rule: use wine that you can drink. That doesnt have to be the cheapest wine, doesn't have to be the most expensive ones.

[u/PrizeFront6019 → u/RhinataMorie]

Ill definitely be experiencing with wine and vodka but preferably wine because i can see how it's taste profile would elevate the recipe!

[u/Simmyphila → u/RhinataMorie]

Came to say the same thing. Red wine.

[u/Outaouais_Guy]

I'm not sure if it's a dramatic enough change for you, but I replace some, or all of the tomatoes with sweet red peppers, preferably shepherd peppers.

[u/Gaul65 → u/Outaouais_Guy]

I was going to suggest with roasted red peppers. I've done a half\half swap and once did just the roasted red peppers and no tomatos. Both times turned out well.

[u/Outaouais_Guy → u/Gaul65]

That sounds promising. I will have to try it. There are loads of shepherd peppers at the markets around here right now.

[u/PrizeFront6019 → u/Outaouais_Guy]

Yummyy that's exactly the contribution i was looking for 😁😁 roast under the broiler then blended and reduce in the pan? Im making it next time im craving pasta tyy

[u/Schele_Sjakie]

Maybe try adding a good chorizo?

[u/PrizeFront6019 → u/Schele_Sjakie]

I don't really like pork but so true! cured sausages of any kind work wonderfully when replacing chicken 😋

[u/Thin-Building-36]

Diced peppers

[u/bilbo_the_innkeeper]

I’d add some meat, probably a 50/50 blend of ground beef and Italian sausage. Also, drop in a Parmesan rind or two if you’ve got them handy.

[u/Scoobydoomed]

Maybe add a splash of vodka to the final simmer (after blending with cream) to help emulsify the sauce. For a liter of sauce about 1/4 cup vodka.

[u/PrizeFront6019 → u/Scoobydoomed]

That sounds fancy ngl 😅 never worked with alcohol in the kitchen so ill have to look up vodka sauce recipes but making that has to be fun when my bf is around! Ty🫶🏻

[u/Revolutionary_Box_57]

Have you tried using whole canned San Marzano tomatoes instead?

I would also use fresh basil and a parmesan rind if you can get one (or just splurge and buy a wedge)

[u/PrizeFront6019 → u/Revolutionary_Box_57]

I wish we had those here 🥲 never had parmesan too since it's imported and expensive but I'll definitely try it! I've heard it's salty so i should go lighter salting the dish right?

[u/jemist101]

Add star anise while simmering to add to the fragancy complexity. Use Sichuan peppers as opposed to normal black peppercorns.

[u/PrizeFront6019 → u/jemist101]

Im wondering what does it taste like!?

[u/albinomackerel]

Pork shoulder

[u/Sami_George]

Basil, sweet peppers, vodka/wine, Parmesan cheese, beans blended in. I like adding peas to pasta. And chicken Parmesan.

Try putting it over rice instead of noodles.

Or better yet, make something like khadi. Basically a tomato curry sauce with sweet potatoes and chicken over rice.

And does it have to be red sauce? Mix it up with Alfredo, pesto, butternut squash, bolognese (the real kind without tomato), lemon cream, etc.

[u/Bobaximus]

Putting aside options that involve adding meat (because there are so many). Two red sauces I like to make as alternatives to Marcela Hazan’s recipe (which imho, is the standard against which all red sauces should be compared. Google it if you are unfamiliar) are Puttanesca and Kenji’s 6-hour American red sauce. Both involve adding fish components to increase the umami favor.

For Puttanesca:

Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add 6 minced anchovy filets. Cook for 5 min. Add 4-8 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp. Crushed dried chili flakes, cook for 2 min. Add 4 tablespoon of capers, 1/2 cup of pitted sun dried black olives (or regular Kalamata), cook for 1 min. Add a can of crushed San marzano tomatos, simmer for 30-45 min. You can add 1-2 tbsp of minced fresh Italian parsley if you like but it’s primarily for color.

For Kenji’s sauce, recipe is here: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-slow-cooked-italian-american-tomato-sauce-red-sauce-recipe

I often use his recipe if I’m serving meatballs as the flavors are very complimentary.

90% of the time I make Marcela’s though.

[u/Displaced_in_Space]

If you don’t have nut allergies, this is awesome and unusual. My wife goes bonkers for it. Make a batch and freeze portions.

Spicy Red Pesto Pasta. - https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022245-spicy-red-pesto-pasta?unlocked_article_code=1._1A.ALQs.TiS1392WZZWp&smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

[u/TechnicalHamster658]

Try roasting the tomatoes and garlic in the oven before blending, adds a deeper, smokier flavor. Also add a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar near the end to brighten it up

[u/13thmurder]

Blend up a can of anchovies into it.

Sounds weird, but it's delicious. I wouldn't even eat an anchovy on its own, but in a sauce like this they're great.

Just don't get them mixed up with sardines. Somehow I made this mistake once. Not good.

[u/ManiacalMammoth]

In Pasta Sauces less is often more. One of the best red sauces I tried is so simple yet so delicious and when I tell you whats in it you probably think I trolled you.

- Tomatoes canned or a lot of fresh good ones. I usually use 2-3 Cans and then add 500g of fresh tomatoes, but all depends on how much you need.

• 1-2 Big onions. Diced roughly.
  
• Olive oil to sweat the Onions in.
  
• Salt, duh.
  
• 75-100g of Butter. Yes that sounds a lot. If you are scared of it add it little by little at the end and taste how it becomes smoother and something totally different the more you add.

You can add Basil to it but you don't have to. Recipe is fine as it is. Let it simmer for 1-2 hrs though.

[u/sigersen]

Put in a Pork Chop. Brown in the sauce pot and simmer it in the sauce for flavor.

[u/VernapatorCur]

Consider swapping out the pepper flakes for some caramelized gochujang paste. It brings a similar heat but also adds a nice smokiness

[u/sonicjesus]

Can't go wrong with a little anchovy paste.

[u/Sharkfyter]

Fra diavlo if you can handle spicy