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We've always thought we were pretty good at making pasta sauce, but we have to admit we didn't know about some of these common mistakes. Now that we've read suggestions from the professionals, however, we're definitely going to change the way we make our sauce!

Not roasting the tomatoes

This is especially important if the tomatoes you're using aren't the best. Just brush them with olive oil, cut the bottom off, and then roast them under the broiler for 20 minutes.

Cooking the sauce for too long

Typically all you need is between 5 and 10 minutes over high heat.

Not cooking the garlic correctly

You don't want to burn it, but you don't want to undercook it either. For best results, wait until the oil is so hot it ripples. Then add the garlic and cook until it has a golden brown color.

Pouring the sauce onto the pasta

Put the cooked noodles back into the pan and then add the sauce and cook everything together for a few minutes.

Forgetting anchovies

Adding just one or two anchovies per can of sauce can really boost the flavor.

Using bacon in carbonara

Bacon can be too strong and overwhelm the flavor of the sauce. Opt for unsmoked cured meats instead.

Leaving out butter

Whisking in butter at the end of the cooking process can help thicken up jarred sauce and give it a creamy texture.

Only tasting the sauce at the end

If you wait until the end, it might be too late to adjust the flavor. Taste periodically so you can add spices or other ingredients as needed.

Leaving basil leaves in the sauce

Fresh basil can enhance your sauce's flavor, but if you leave the leaves in too long they could lose their flavor. Wait until the last minute or two of cooking and then take them out.

Using a small pan

A larger pan ensures more even cooking and makes the sauce more concentrated because the excess liquid burns off quicker.

Only adding cheese once the pasta is on the plate

Adding cheese to the end of the cooking process can dramatically enhance the sauce's flavor.

Not adding pasta water or oil to the sauce

Adding pasta water right at the end of cooking will help the sauce stick to the noodles better, something that adding oil also does.

Not straining the water off of crushed tomatoes

You can't get a nice hearty pasta sauce if you have excess liquid.

What did you think of these tips? Do you make any of these common mistakes when making pasta sauce? If so, don't worry, because now you know how to do it perfectly! If you have any tips of your own, please share them below!

Article Source: Thrillist