These 13 Unexpected Ingredients Take Your Spaghetti Sauce To The Next Level

A simple and satisfying spaghetti dinner is perhaps a staple in your household, and you might think you've got your sauce recipe perfected. After all, the basic spaghetti sauce formula is pretty much the same wherever you look – tomatoes, garlic, onions, and maybe a sprinkle of herbs. And, while there's nothing wrong with a classic marinara, what if you could dramatically elevate your sauce with a few simple additions? There are so many ways to deepen the flavor, balance acidity, or add a splash of extra umami goodness. Little creativity can transform your spaghetti sauce into a standout accompaniment to your pasta.

Many of these game-changing add-ins are likely already in your kitchen, and you've probably never considered them to be a worthy spaghetti sauce ingredient. Sure, the idea of adding a dash of lemon juice or soy sauce is easy enough to get your head around, but how about cocoa powder or coffee? They may sound questionable, but these simple additions can unlock layers of flavor you never knew your sauce was missing. So, let's take a look at some of the most unexpected and revolutionary ingredients that will supercharge your next batch of spaghetti sauce and change the way you make this dish forever.

Our first recommendation is slightly controversial. Many chefs and home cooks claim that adding sugar to spaghetti sauce is highly unnecessary, whilst others swear by it (including the Food Network star Bobby Flay). Of course, spaghetti sauce is a savory dish, and some traditionalists will likely never waiver from the view that sugar is a criminal add-in. But, the truth is, a sprinkling of the sweet stuff can actually serve a vital purpose.

Tomatoes, the core ingredient in spaghetti sauce, are naturally acidic, which sometimes results in a tangy or harsh flavor. A spoonful of sugar does an excellent job of balancing out that acidity, smoothing out those edges to create a well-rounded taste. The key is moderation. You're not aiming to make your sauce noticeably sweet but rather to enhance its natural flavors. Start with just one teaspoon of sugar, stir it in, and taste. You can always add more if needed. You'll know you've hit the sweet spot when the acidity has softened, letting the other ingredients, like garlic, herbs, and spices, shine through. If you're using fresh tomatoes, which can, depending on the variety and ripeness, be sweeter, you might need even less sugar. Often, just a tiny pinch of sweetness can make all the difference.

They're a solid addition to a soup or stew, but why not toss them into your spaghetti sauce? A surprisingly powerful addition, carrots bring a wonderful natural sweetness that balances out the acidity of tomatoes, much like adding sugar. But, they also deliver a subtle earthy undertone that can intensify the flavor of the dish.

The easiest way to incorporate carrots into your spaghetti sauce is by finely grating them and tossing them into the pan at the beginning of the cooking process. As they simmer alongside onions, garlic, and tomatoes, the carrots break down and virtually disappear, leaving behind heaps of flavor. This approach works particularly well if you're trying to avoid adding refined sugar to your sauce. Carrots are a healthier, more nutrient-dense alternative and serve as a sneaky way to add extra vitamins and minerals to your dinner.

Another great option is to blend roasted carrots into your sauce. Roasting will amp up their sweetness and introduce a slightly caramelized flavor that pairs beautifully with the savory elements of the dish. Just toss the roasted carrots into a blender (perhaps alongside roasted tomatoes and onions), and blitz them up for a super smooth texture.

While butter is a natural addition to a creamy mushroom or rich Alfredo sauce, it perhaps seems slightly out of place in a tomato-based sauce. However, it's an ingredient that most definitely shouldn't be overlooked. Olive oil tends to be the traditional choice for Italian cooking, but adding butter to your spaghetti sauce can be the secret to creating a luxurious and ultra-comforting taste and texture.

To experience its magic, add one to two tablespoons of butter right before serving. Stir in slowly, allowing it to melt and emulsify into the sauce. You should find that the butter not only enriches the flavor but also gives the sauce a creamy, silky finish — making it perfect for pasta! If you want to enhance your sauce further, try browning the butter first. Brown butter adds a nutty, toasted flavor that pairs wonderfully with the sweetness, tang, and savory notes of the other ingredients.

Don't toss out that hard, leftover rind from your block of Parmesan cheese. Instead, drop it into your spaghetti sauce. Though they're usually relegated to the trash, Parmesan rinds are packed with rich, savory flavor, and they can transform your sauce into something utterly delicious.

Chef Giada De Laurentiis is a big fan of this simple trick and often adds the rind from a whole block of Parmesan to her homemade pomodoro sauce. The idea is to infuse the sauce with the flavor from the rind and remove it at the end of cooking, much like you would with a bay leaf. There's no need to grate or melt anything. Just pop the rinds in once you've added all of the other ingredients, and let everything cook on low heat for about 35 minutes. As the rind simmers in the sauce, it slowly releases its rich, salty essence, giving your sauce the deep complexity of aged cheese.

So, next time you've finished up a block of Parmesan, pop the rinds into a plastic food bag and store them in the fridge for your next batch of sauce. They should keep well for a couple of months. Alternatively, you can store them in the freezer for up to a year.

Lemon juice is a classic natural flavor enhancer, and if you haven't tried adding it to spaghetti sauce yet, you are missing out. The bright acidity can work wonders in lifting the flavors of your dish. Zesty lemon juice fits perfectly alongside tangy tomatoes, bringing a fresh, citrusy punch that balances sweet additions like sugar or carrots. It also complements saltier ingredients such as soy sauce or anchovy paste.

When it comes to this addition, the quantity comes down to your taste preference. Some will enjoy a sauce with a distinct lemony kick, whilst others prefer it to go unnoticed and simply act as a flavor balancer. Start with a tablespoon of lemon juice, which is about half a lemon's worth. Stir it into the sauce towards the end of cooking, and give the sauce a taste. This shouldn't overwhelm the tomato base but simply brighten everything up. If you're after a deeper, citrusy taste, add a little more. You can even try scattering some fresh lemon zest for a more concentrated citrus flavor. Lemon also makes an excellent accompaniment to fresh herbs, like basil, parsley, or oregano.

Ok, hear us out on this one. Coffee can absolutely fit into a spaghetti sauce recipe. This bold ingredient might seem better suited to cakes and brownies, but a small sprinkling of instant coffee can actually add an incredible depth and richness to your sauce, without leaving any noticeable coffee taste.

This add-in became popular when British grocery store Sainsbury's included instant coffee in their spaghetti Bolognese recipe as part of their 2015 "Little Twists" campaign. When questioned by Buzzfeed on this seemingly odd addition, the response from the chain's head of PR — Cathy Wilkins, was as follows: "The coffee adds a underlying depth of flavour that helps to balance the sweetness of the tomato-based ragu." This does make sense. Coffee has a distinct bitterness, whilst tomatoes, onions, and garlic have a delicious aromatic sweetness and tang. Put all of those elements together, and you've got a perfectly balanced sauce. Plus, in a meaty Bolognese, ragu, or sausage pasta dish, the coffee's smoky notes can complement the savory flavors of the beef or pork.

The trick here is to use coffee sparingly. Sainsbury's recommends adding just a teaspoon of instant coffee to a Bolognese recipe that's made to serve four. You're not aiming for your sauce to taste like a cup of espresso. You'll simply notice the flavors deepen without becoming overpowering.

Most of us have a tub of cocoa powder sitting in our pantries, but it probably isn't being used in your dinner very often. This ingredient is the key to adding chocolatey flavor to a whole host of delicious desserts, but it can also bring an incredible richness to a simple batch of spaghetti sauce.

As with many of these unexpected add-ins, it's all about balance. The slightly bitter, chocolatey taste of cocoa powder mingles with other savory and sweet elements, creating a well-rounded pairing for the pasta. It will work especially well with meat sauces to amp up the typical robust character and to create an overall deeper flavor profile that can't be recreated with other ingredients. 

To give this powerful add-in a try, start with a teaspoon or two, best added during the simmering stage. Cocoa powder is particularly effective when combined with other umami boosters, such as Worcestershire sauce. It will also work with warming spices like cinnamon and allspice, if you're after a bolder and more layered flavor.

Worcestershire sauce is a pretty transformative ingredient. It has the ability to inject your spaghetti sauce with plenty of umami flavor. All you need is a few dashes to make your sauce taste more complex and satisfying.

Typically made from a blend of vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind, and spices, Worcestershire sauce is an ingredient like no other. This concentrated flavor booster has a unique mix of sweet, tangy, and salty notes that can enhance the natural richness of tomatoes and aromatics. It's especially effective in meat-based sauces, but it also makes an excellent addition to a simple marinara or spicy arrabbiata.

To use Worcestershire sauce, add about one tablespoon to your pot of simmering sauce. Incorporate it well, and give it a taste (you'll likely notice an immediate difference). The sauce will have a deeper, more rounded flavor. For added umami goodness, try pairing this add-in with a splash of soy sauce or the earthy richness of mushrooms. Also, don't be afraid to balance these savory notes with a sprinkling of sugar and a squeeze of lemon.

Another classic pantry ingredient, soy sauce certainly shouldn't be only reserved for Asian-inspired dishes. It's another potent umami booster that can take your spaghetti sauce to another level, particularly when it added to Bolognese. Crafting the perfect tomato-based sauce is all about building depth, and soy sauce can help you do just that.

What makes soy sauce so effective is its ability to amplify flavors without overpowering them. A tablespoon or two is enough to balance out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes with its subtle saltiness. This is another ingredient that's great in meat sauces and would also work wonderfully alongside mushrooms or Parmesan cheese. Some spaghetti sauce recipes even recommend pairing soy sauce with fish sauce, for an added umami hit.

When adding soy sauce to your spaghetti dish, you may find that you need to reduce the amount of salt. Start with about half the amount of salt that you'd typically add, and taste once you've added the soy sauce. Then, you can work from there, adjusting as desired.

A deeply flavorful ingredient that's popular in Japanese cooking, miso paste is savory, salty, and slightly tangy, making it perfect for adding complexity to your sauces. Made from fermented soybeans, miso paste is also an excellent source of gut-friendly probiotics, making it a healthful addition to your diet.

Adding just a small spoonful of miso paste to your sauce is sure to bring out a whole new level of richness. Incorporate it right at the end of the cooking process, after removing the pot from the stove (this prevents those beneficial bacteria from being killed off by the heat). Simply scoop out a few spoonfuls of the sauce into a bowl, mix it with about half a tablespoon of miso paste until dissolved, then pour the mixture back into the pot and stir. The flavor will vary slightly, depending on whether you use white, yellow, or red miso paste. Red miso tends to be the most intense and robust, while white miso provides a milder, slightly sweeter flavor. You can also use miso paste alongside other savory add-ins, such as soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or Parmesan rinds.

The distinctive fishy scent of anchovy paste might raise a few eyebrows, but this lesser-known ingredient is one of the most effective tools for enhancing a homemade spaghetti sauce. Anchovies are packed with natural umami, hence why they're a key component of Worcestershire sauce, and it's that deeply savory flavor that makes dishes taste richer and more satisfying. When used correctly, the anchovy paste should melt into the sauce, leaving behind a robust, savory note without the fishy taste.

As you can imagine, this stuff is pretty potent, and just a teaspoon of anchovy paste is enough to transform your sauce. Stir it in after you've sauteed the aromatics and added the tomatoes. As it dissolves, it'll infuse the sauce with its rich, briny flavor. If you can't get hold of the paste, canned anchovy fillets can work well here. Try adding one, roughly chopped fillet in place of a teaspoon of paste. It should break down and blend seamlessly into the sauce as it simmers.

If your spaghetti sauce tastes a little too acidic for your liking, there's a simple hack that can help. That's right, baking soda is the handy pantry staple that can fix everything. It might seem like an odd addition, but it serves a very practical purpose — neutralizing acidity. We know that tomatoes, particularly canned ones, are naturally acidic. While that tanginess can be desirable, sometimes it overpowers other elements of the sauce, especially if other ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar are in the mix.

Though other ingredients like sugar or carrots can help to balance acidity with their sweetness, a pinch of baking soda can tackle the problem with a bit more vigour. Since baking soda is an alkaline substance, it works to neutralize acidity in a way that other ingredients can't. Once all of your other sauce ingredients are simmering, add just a quarter of a teaspoon of baking soda and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. You should find that it tames the tartness, resulting in that perfect balance of flavors that every sauce connoisseur is striving for.

Tomato paste is a staple in many spaghetti sauces, but caramelizing it takes its flavor to new heights. This simple technique enhances the paste's natural sweetness and concentrates its rich, tangy flavor, adding incredible depth to your sauce.

Caramelizing tomato paste is easy and only takes a few extra minutes. After sauteing your onions and garlic, add the tomato paste to the pan and cook it over medium heat, stirring frequently for around five minutes. You'll notice the paste darkening to a brownish-red color as it caramelizes. This process cooks off any unwanted metallic flavors and really maximizes its taste, allowing the paste to truly elevate your sauce. For an even richer result, you can add a splash of red wine or broth to the pan once the paste has caramelized, scraping up any browned bits and letting the liquid absorb the concentrated flavors.

Of course, you can pair this technique with other flavor-rich add-ins, like Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, or cocoa powder. With such a wide range of powerful ingredients out there, there's always room to mix and match to craft a sauce that best suits your taste buds.