The Simple Thickening Solution To All Types Of Pasta Sauce

If your tomato-based pasta sauce is a bit too thin, adding a few spoonfuls of tomato paste can help. For a cream-based sauce, simply stir in some grated cheese of your choice.

You could even substitute the cheese with a white bean purée for a more neutral flavor profile. This could be important if you cook your pasta in liquids besides water.

Since tomato paste is just concentrated tomatoes, the flavors of the tomatoes are greatly amplified, so add only a little at a time to avoid throwing off your flavor balance.

The natural sweetness of tomatoes is also intensified in tomato paste. If your sauce becomes overly sweet, you can balance it by incorporating acidic and/or salty ingredients.

Similarly, too much cheese or bean purée can overpower your cream-based sauces. Use only the amounts necessary to add thickness to your sauces; you likely won’t need much.