My grandma always told me to add a pinch of sugar to my tomato sauce, and I finally tried it

For years I made my family's pasta sauce just like my mom showed me, with just tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. My grandma would watch me cook and say, 'Holly, you need a little sugar to cut the acid, just a pinch.' I never listened, thinking it would make the sauce taste weird or sweet. Last week I was making a big batch for friends and the tomatoes were really sharp, so I remembered her words and added maybe half a teaspoon of plain white sugar to the whole pot. It didn't make it sweet at all, it just made the tomato flavor richer and smoother. I couldn't believe the difference it made, and now I feel silly for ignoring her for so long. Has anyone else had a family cooking tip they resisted that turned out to be a game changer?

3 comments

3 Comments

lane.joel1mo ago

Wait, you used to make sauce for years without sugar? I can't even imagine that now. My mom's sauce always had a spoonful in it, so the first time I tried a friend's "no sugar" recipe it tasted like I was drinking straight tomato juice. It was so sharp it made my mouth feel weird. That little bit just rounds everything out, like it makes the garlic and herbs pop instead of fighting the acid.

uma2951mo ago

That "sharp" taste you get is the actual tomato flavor though. A good long simmer fixes the acid without needing sugar.

stella9043d ago

Oh man, the sugar debate! I read somewhere that a tiny bit of baking soda works even better for cutting acid without any sweet taste at all. Tried it once and it was wild.