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Chefs share 9 of their favorite ways to upgrade a basic jar of tomato sauce

Alyssa Towns SwantkoskiFeb 7, 2023, 01:12 IST

A premade tomato sauce can taste like it was prepared by a pro with a few tweaks.iStock / Getty Images Plus

Chefs shared their favorite ways to upgrade a jar of tomato sauce at home.
Unexpected ingredients like pancetta, fennel seeds, and tempeh can improve a sauce.

Use mushrooms to give your sauce umami flavor.

Mushrooms can add umami flavor to a dish.Erin McDowell/Insider

Get fancy and make a sauce heartier with a brunoise.

Make sure your vegetable pieces are small.chaechaebyv/Shutterstock

Add jarred sauce to a pan of onions and garlic.

Be sure to brown your onions first.Erin McDowell/Insider

Add hand-torn basil for a fresher, deeper taste.

You can use fresh or dried basil to upgrade a sauce.Elusive Edamame/Shutterstock

Fennel seeds can add flavor to a sauce.

Toast fennel seeds before you add them to sauce.PicksArt/Shutterstock

When in doubt, add sauce to the sauce.

Some sauces can work well together.Taras Grebinets/Shutterstock

Use a combination of fresh and dry herbs.

You can use freshly grown thyme to upgrade sauce.Karl Tapales/Getty Images

Pair garden vegetables with a dash of heat for a flavor pop.

Try to chop up your vegetables into uniform pieces.Photo by Cathy Scola/Getty Images

Try adding tempeh for a more substantial sauce.

Tempeh can also be added to stir-fries or salads.Harald Walker / EyeEm/Getty Images

I made Florence Pugh's garlicky crostini and the recipe was both chaotic and delicious