A Little Vanilla Will Amplify The Spice In Tomato Sauce

There's a world of difference between a "good enough" versus a truly spectacular tomato sauce, and having a great recipe in your arsenal can make or break many dishes. Anyone who's dined in Italy, had a fresh tomato sauce with homegrown heirloom tomatoes, or simply enjoyed a tomato sauce at a next-level Italian restaurant can attest to this. It's worth taking a little extra time and care to master the perfect sauce recipe. Your next lasagna, pizza, pasta, or tomato-based soup will be all the better for it. 

There are countless hacks and tips  — depending on who you ask — to make jarred tomato sauce taste homemade, which can elevate your sauce into the next stratosphere. You can ramp up flavor by being choosy about your fresh tomatoes, or you can liven up the taste with added creaminess, spices, or acidity. But one tip you may not have thought of is adding a dash of vanilla extract. Yes, the same extract you'd use in sugar cookies or a birthday cake will amplify your tomato sauce, too. You can employ this tip in nearly any recipe, and just a little bit will do it for your next Italian night. Simply add a dash up to a teaspoon of vanilla extract towards the end of the cook time, when you're adding other spices and herbs, and let it simmer away. The sweet, caramelly vanilla will tone down and perfectly mellow out the sauce's bright, savory acidity. 

Adding vanilla to tomato sauce is a trick that shouldn't work — not at first glance — but it does. Vanilla is a little bit of a magic ingredient. It's good for rounding out a batch of cookies or taking a classic vanilla buttercream frosting to the next level; but its sweet, sometimes spicy flavor notes are found in some unexpected places too, like an oak barrel-aged bourbon. Vanilla complements everything from cocktails, pork dishes, and yes — even tomato sauce.

A good tomato sauce can dramatically differ, depending on the brand or recipe followed, if you're making your own. Some err on the super sweet side while others are more acidic or salty. But all good sauces will have some base notes of sweetness. After all, a tomato is a fruit, and a flavorful one, bursting with sweet juices. The addition of vanilla works to tone down acidity, which amps up these sweet notes, and can even bring out the subtle spiciness of a sauce at the same time. Much like salt or acid, vanilla works its magic when introduced to savory dishes by complementing and harmonizing with other existing flavors in a dish, rather than competing with them or vying for the spotlight. Vanilla perfects what's already there for a balanced, mellow sauce that goes with everything.

Not all vanilla is created equal. In fact, there are around 150 varieties to choose from, differing in flavors and geographical origins. For this tip, we're generally referring to mainstream vanilla extract you have in your pantry, nestled among your baking ingredients. This standard grocery store variety, sold in the pricy yet delicious little dark bottles, is made by infusing the vanilla bean pod in a combination of alcohol and water. If you feel like upping your game (and spending more money), there are more artisanal types, such as vanilla bean paste. Imitation vanilla is a bit cheaper, but less flavorful. 

This tip works well with a standard bottle of vanilla extract, but bonus points if you can get your hands on some Mexican vanilla. This is a variety you may have to do some special searching for, or you can order it from a specialty store online. The flavors of Mexican vanilla differ from other varieties you might be more familiar with in a number of ways — namely a slightly more spicy and earthy flavor profile, similar to the warmth of nutmeg and cloves. This spicy flavor can merge especially well with the kick of rich tomato sauce, and will bring out its spiciness as it tones down acidity. Just add a dash up to one teaspoon of Mexican vanilla, stirred in when you're nearly done cooking, for a blended and flavorful twist on classic tomato sauce you'll keep coming back to.