How can I make my tomato-herb pasta sauce a lighter color?
I've been making a simple tomato sauce using tomato puree, basil, oregano, dried pasilla peppers, and garlic (as well as the left-over bits from cooking beef meatballs in the same pot). The flavor is good, but the sauce is visually very dark: a dark red that isn't very appetizing. I think this is because of the amount of basil I'm adding, but I'm not sure.
What techniques can I use or changes can I make to my recipe that will lighten the color closer to the red color of the tomato base, without changing the flavor too much?
Best Answer
Maybe too much basil, depending on how much you are using. It really only takes a couple of leaves to add flavor, if you are using fresh. I would not recommend dried. You are probably also getting color from the dried pasilla pepper. You could leave that out. If you want a hit of pepper, add some to your final presentation. Cooking time will also effect the color of a tomato sauce. Try cooking for a shorter time. My basic tomato sauce cooks for 20 - 30 minutes.
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How do you lighten up tomato sauce?
Try adding something acidic! Acids brighten up flavors and add a delicious tanginess. What is this? While you're warming up your pasta sauce, add a splash of red wine vinegar, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar, or add some chopped olives or capers.How do I make my spaghetti sauce lighter?
My tomato sauce is too dark If you've overdone it with the redness and your sauce is too dark, you can add some cream cheese/sour cream to lighten it.How do you lighten marinara sauce?
A squeeze of fresh lemon into a cream sauce or a glug of balsamic vinegar into a marinara will brighten up your store-bought sauce that's too bland or too heavy.How do you tone down spaghetti sauce?
Heat 1 cup of sauce with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (baking soda neutralizes acidity). Taste the sauce and add tiny amounts of baking soda to see if it mellows the acidity. If there is still an edge, swirl in a teaspoon of butter, letting it melt until creamy. Usually this does the job.Learn How to Make Your Own Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce with the Help of Tuttorosso!
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Answer 2
If the dried herbs are the reason for the dark color: Try substituting them with fresh herbs, in larger pieces, added towards the end of cooking, which should result in a "green flecks in red sauce" appearance that you may like better.
If the reason is something else or you don't have access to fresh herbs, you could try adding a little bit of cream/cream cheese/sour cream/mascarpone to your sauce. This will lighten the color, but since you have a lot of green stuff you might not end up with a good-looking red color, so try that with a small portion of your sauce first.
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