One of the greatest gifts a grocery store offers the busy home cook is a selection of ready-to-go jarred pasta sauces. And while there are many options out there that easily check the boxes for both deliciousness and convenience (we should know, since we tried and ranked the best premium pasta sauces , as well as 12 jarred classic marinara sauces, which we also ranked worst to best ), there is an easy way to make your favorite store-bought selection even more satisfying. Although your jar is technically ready to use straight from the store, heating it up enhances the flavor, aroma, and even the texture of your sauce.
It doesn't cost a thing or require a single extra ingredient, but this step can be the difference between satisfactory and truly superb store-bought pasta sauce. All you have to do is pour the contents into a saucepan and set it over a low heat until it's sufficiently warmed through. A few minutes will do the trick, but if you have a little extra patience and can let it simmer for 15 minutes or a half hour, the added time will deliver on the benefits of heating your sauce even more.
How heat transforms your store-bought pasta sauce Heat helps optimize your sauce on multiple levels. First, and perhaps most importantly for hungry diners, it elevates the taste. As you simmer and some of the moisture in your sauce evaporates, natural sugars caramelize and the flavors — whether tomato and basil, a spicy arrabbiata, or just a simple marinara — gradually intensify.
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