When someone compliments you on a dish, it's hard not to savor the moment. Whether it's your grandma's passed down to you or you tweaked to fit your favorite sweet and salty combo — cooking is meant to be enjoyed and explored. One recipe that invites endless experimentation is spaghetti sauce — it can be tweaked in numerous ways to suit your taste.
There's one secret addition that will ensure you receive compliments on every batch of spaghetti sauce you make. Rather than serving a or sticking with your of garlic, tomatoes, onions, and olive oil, consider adding a savory kick in the form of fish sauce. is commonly found in meat marinades, flavorful stir-fries, and curries.
However, its unique flavor profile allows it to pair wonderfully with spaghetti sauce. The flavor of marinara sauce is often dominated by the acidity of crushed tomatoes. Adding a dash or two of fish sauce enhances the rich, umami notes already present in the tomatoes, making each bite more flavorful and balanced.
So, while the usual mouthful of spaghetti sauce remains rich with tomatoes, Italian seasonings, and a kick of garlic, think about adding a savory hint to the flavor profile. A tablespoon of fish sauce per batch should do the trick, but you can always add a few more dashes for a more pronounced flavor. Why this fishy twist works While fish sauce may seem pungent on its own, it lends a hint of sweetness and a subtle tang of fishiness that beautifully complements your sauce.
This is because umami .