Its hard to go wrong with a basic tomato sauce — all you need are some ripe tomatoes, a dash of aromatics, and maybe a fresh herb or spice. While there are ways to jazz it up with the help of wine or even cheese, a tomato sauce will always be delicious as long as its sweet, umami, and acidic flavors are all in perfect balance. Because of a tomatos acidic nature, however, thats easier said than done, as the acidity can quickly overpower the other components.
The pH level of fresh tomatoes typically ranges from 4.3 to 4.9 with some canned tomatoes falling as low as 3.5 on the scale (the lower end of the scale implies higher acidity). These varying levels can quickly throw your sauce off-kilter, turning a sweet, spicy, and umami flavor bomb into a sour and tangy mess. Luckily, Giada De Laurentiis has a crafty little trick to save your sauce and all it requires is some carrots.
In a video posted on TikTok, De Laurentiis walks fans through a recipe for a basic pomodoro sauce. She adds canned tomatoes to some roasted garlic and throws in fresh basil leaves and Parmesan rinds on top. Before letting the sauce simmer away, she also adds two small sticks of peeled carrots to the pot, explaining that they “absorb the acidity of canned tomatoes.”
The secret ingredient is chopped carrots, which give the tomato sauce a fresh flavor and add a nice sweetness.
Carrots are a quick trick to balance acidity
To cut through the tang of an acidic tomato sauce, you need an alkaline-rich vegetable like carrots—alkaline is a compound that balances pH levels. Not only can the bright orange sticks balance the sauces acidity, theyll also counteract it with a sweet flavor. The only thing to keep in mind is that carrots can often be a touch too sweet, so unless you like your tomato sauce on the sweeter side, you may want to turn up the heat with the help of spices like chili flakes.
While Giada De Laurentiis trick uses sticks of peeled carrots and presumably blends them with the rest of the sauce when it is done cooking—though the TikTok video doesnt mention precise instructions—thats not the only way to use this tip. You could always add peeled and grated carrots for a smoother result and blend them into a puree with the rest of the sauce.
Alternatively, if you dont want to go through the hassle of blending your tomato sauce, you can finely chop the carrots or blitz them in a food processor before mixing in so that they dont make the sauce too chunky. No matter how you choose to prep the veggies though, consider adding them when you cook the aromatics rather than popping them straight into the tomatoes to simmer as De Laurentiis does. Sautéeing the carrots first will unlock their sweet flavors, helping balance the acidity of the sauce even more.
I never knew why my mom always added carrots to her homemade tomato sauce until I learned that they act as a replacement for something else: sugar. I now know that its extremely common to find white sugar in pasta sauce recipes, usually around 1/4 cup. And jarred tomato sauces tend to be full of sugar, too — you might be surprised if you check the label. In fact, its what makes Papa Johns pizza sauce so sweet and makes you say, “What is that?” every time you cant quite place the undeniably delicious flavor of the sauce.
Dont worry; carrots wont make your tomato sauce chunky. The trick is to chop them super finely and sauté them along with the onion and the garlic so they cook down as their sweetness releases. To make this step as easy as possible, my mom always pulses fresh, peeled carrots a few times in a food processor until theyre pulverized. They blend into the sauce so smoothly, youd never know they were there. The next time youre picking out a tomato-based pasta recipe for the night, try leaving your sugar in the pantry and opting for this method instead. No one will know your secret, but you might want to reveal it anyway.
This all makes sense — sugar helps counteract the acidity of tomatoes and creates a more balanced flavor profile. But Ive grown up to realize its an unnecessary ingredient — it just adds to your daily sugar intake — and that the subtle sweetness of carrots eliminates the need for sugar altogether.
Carrot Marinara Sauce Recipe
FAQ
Why put carrots in sauce?
Why do they put carrots in hot sauce?
Do carrots take acid out of tomato sauce?
Do Italians put carrots in sauce?
What to add to carrot sauce?
Shallot and Garlic: Roasted in the olive oil to bring in subtle flavors to the carrot sauce. Roasted Red Bell Peppers: The best addition to balance out the sweetness of the carrots and bring in a slight smoky flavor to the sauce. These are bell peppers and have no heat to them, but they do bring in great flavors.
What are the benefits of eating carrots?
Carrots are the vegetable with the most beta-carotene or provitamin A, which makes it a great ally for eyesight and for the health of the skin and mucous membranas. In addition, it is a food that contains few calories, especially in its raw version, which is why it is highly recommended in weight loss diets.
Do carrots make a good sauce?
Carrots also lend a fresh, earthy flavor to sauces, adding to the complexity of the flavor profile. As long as the carrots are finely cut or grated, they’ll soften along with the rest of the ingredients, meaning they won’t give your sauce a lumpy or uneven texture. (Peeling the carrots is optional but may make for a smoother sauce overall.)
Why do carrots make a good tomato sauce?
Carrots add a subtle sweetness to the sauce, which balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. The result is a sauce that is smoother and less acidic than a sauce made solely with tomatoes. The sweetness also helps to cut through any tartness, leaving you with a sauce that is not too tangy or sweet.