There's A Flavorful Non-Pasta Sauce You Should Pour On Spaghetti

There's no denying that spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs is the pinnacle of Sunday suppers. Nothing says love quite like standing over a pot of boiling, sputtering tomato sauce all day and peering into your spice cabinet to find simple ways to add pizzazz to your recipe. While we won't discount the historic and often familial relevance of this dish, what we will suggest may change the way you think about spaghetti forever. Instead of opting for a slow-cooked tomato sauce for your pasta, smother the entire thing in barbecue sauce.

Although it might seem a bit odd, it sure is tasty. Barbecue sauce has similar umami flavors, thanks to its tomato base, along with a hint of acid from the inclusion of vinegar. Most notably, the sauce will have more profound sweet notes than a standard marinara. So, while it may take some time for your palate to adjust to this new ingredient, you'll be glad you tried adding it to your rotation in order to switch up your pasta night.

There's nothing wrong with dumping homemade sweet and tangy barbecue sauce on your warmed noodles and calling it a day. Yet there are other ways to use this sauce to elevate the dish as a whole. For one, you may want to consider cooking down some vegetables, like peppers and onions with a little bit of garlic, before adding your sauce. The veggies will soften the sugary blow of the sauce and add texture to your meal.

Add protein to your recipe by including meat — just think of all the proteins usually associated with barbecue sauce. You can toss in your leftover pulled pork and pour in a little extra barbecue sauce to cover all of the noodles. Or, use shredded chicken to give your pasta a lighter feel.

You don't have to stick to using spaghetti noodles for this recipe either. In fact, you may want to select a different type of pasta, like penne, to support your meat and veggie additions. Another option is to bake this dish in the oven with a sprinkle of crunchy, seasoned breadcrumbs on top.