How to Thicken Pasta Sauce

Wooden spoon resting in a pot of Italian tomato sauce.

4.80 from 5 votes

There's nothing quite as comforting as a delicious, hearty plate of pasta topped with a rich and flavorful sauce. However, sometimes the pasta sauce turns out too watery, leaving you with a less-than-satisfying meal. Fear not! In this post, I will walk you through 5 effective methods to thicken pasta sauce and transform it into a mouthwatering masterpiece.

Prep Time1

Cook Time5

Total Time6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 43kcal

Author: MaryAnne

Ingredients

Tomato Paste Method:

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

Roux:

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Cornstarch Slurry:

1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

Tomato Paste Method:

Pour your thin pasta sauce into a large saucepan.Set the saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. The tomato paste will melt into your sauce, creating a velvety texture.
Continue simmering for around 5 minutes, until your sauce is thick. If the sauce is still not your desired consistency, be sure to taste it before adding more tomato paste, as the tomato flavor will have intensified.
If the tomato flavor isn't too strong, go ahead and add another tablespoon of tomato paste, stir, and simmer until sauce has thickened to your liking.

Make a Roux:

In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (or heat 1 tablespoon olive oil) over medium heat.
Add 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour to the melted butter and whisk continuously to form a smooth paste.
Cook the roux for a minute or two to remove the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the pasta sauce while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally.

Make a Cornstarch Slurry:

In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water to create a smooth slurry.
Add the slurry to the pasta sauce and stir well to combine.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens.

Notes

Storage: Store your pasta sauce (in an airtight container) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to freeze: After your sauce has completely cooled, pour it into quart-sized freezer bags (or freeze it in glass jars, leaving room at the top to allow for expansion) and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.

How to reheat sauce: Pour into a skillet over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until heated through.

Nutrition