Improve The Taste Of Jarred Spaghetti Sauce With A Salty Ingredient

Jarred sauces make it possible to whip up pasta dinners in a jiffy, but they can often leave you feeling like something is missing. It could be the lack of robust seasoning or the absence of subtle heat that's to blame, or perhaps something to balance the tartness of tomatoes or the overall sweetness. Regardless, these sauces often just need that little something to add an oomph — something that will take a run-of-the-mill jarred spaghetti sauce to delicious new heights. 

What you're looking for is MSG — the same savory ingredient that can also spice up cocktails in a pinch. Monosodium glutamate or MSG often gets a bad rep because of myths rooted in racism. But, the white powder is generally safe to consume (unless you're particularly sensitive to it), especially when added in small quantities. Luckily, a pinch or so of MSG is all you need for a big impact.

MSG is an excellent flavor enhancer that is composed of two elements: glutamic acid and sodium. Glutamic acid is the amino acid responsible for bringing out that sought-after fifth taste of umami. Though it can make just about anything taste better, MSG truly shines when it is paired with equally complex, savory, and umami-rich ingredients. This is why it works so well with tomato-based spaghetti sauces. After all, tomatoes also contain glutamic acid and are packed with umami.

MSG packs quite the punch, so it's best to use it sparingly. Begin small and add more as you taste. The exact amount will vary depending on how much sauce you have and how much flavor enhancement it needs. But in general, you only require about half a teaspoon of MSG for an entire family-sized dish, or about four servings. As a bonus, you likely won't be adding as much to the sodium content as you think, because MSG actually has less sodium than salt. 

One thing to note about MSG though is that it isn't a cure-all for lackluster spaghetti sauces. It won't add umami where there is none and it can't fix something that has no flavor to begin with. Instead, think of it as an enhancer that will boost the ingredients that are already present in the sauce. It will only amplify the umami flavors that are inherently packed in the tomatoes, adding that savory depth which is so often missing in bottled spaghetti sauces.

MSG can boost the overall flavor of jarred spaghetti sauce, but there are plenty of other flavor enhancers that you can use if you don't have the seasoning on hand. Look for ingredients that are packed with glutamate, as these will be the closest substitutes to MSG. Take umami-rich mushroom for example, or even salty anchovies.

While bottled sauces may already have some herbs and aromatics in them, you can always add more. Toss in extra onion and garlic, and sprinkle more fresh or dried herbs over on top. Adding some heat is a simple way to pump layers of flavor into a plain pasta sauce as well. Chili flakes are a no brainer, but why stop just there? Don't be afraid to experiment with different punchy ingredients — think smoky paprika and cayenne powders, zesty gochujang and harissa pastes, sweet and garlicky sriracha sauce, or even just fresh red chilies. The world (or the spice and condiment rack, rather) is your oyster. 

Cheese is another ingredient that you can never go wrong with. Melt a creamy cheese like ricotta into the sauce or throw in parmesan rinds into it as it bubbles and boils. In fact, it's an ingredient that even Giada De Laurentiis adds to her jarred pasta sauce. Give it a final garnish of some more cheese and voila! You will hardly be able to tell that your pasta sauce came out of a jar.