3 Easy Ways to Thicken Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce is an invaluable ingredient in the kitchen. I don’t know what I would do without it. It's something I love to make rather than buy. I find the freshness of homemade tomato sauce too delicious to pass up. And because tomato sauce is so useful in the kitchen, it's important to know how to fix it when something goes wrong. For example, if your sauce turns out a little too runny.

How much water is in the vegetables and what liquids are added are likely factors to blame for a thin tomato sauce. If you find your tomato sauce too runny, here's what to do.

How to Thicken Tomato Sauce

There are several ways to make a thicker tomato sauce, and they are all pretty simple:

1. Let the sauce simmer for longer: This is the best way to keep the flavor the same. While you still need to stir the sauce so it does not burn, the sauce reduces as the water cooks off. Just make sure the heat is on low. You may need to simmer tomato sauce for longer than seems normal, but this is part of the process. Tomato sauce is not going to come out the exact same every time. Your ingredients may be more watery or you might try something new and add a little red wine. Either way, the easiest way to thicken tomato sauce is to leave it on the stovetop longer.
2. Add tomato paste: While tomato sauce often includes tomato paste already, this is a great ingredient to add if your sauce lacks a thick consistency. Not only will tomato paste fill out the sauce, it will also boost the richness and flavor. Consider browning the paste with a little butter and flour in a saucepan before stirring it into your sauce.
3. Make a starch slurry: A starch slurry is a quick fix for all thin sauces. Simply combine one part cornstarch with two parts cold water. For example, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and whisk it into your sauce.

Want to make your own homemade tomato sauce? Here are 13 tomato sauce recipes that use fresh tomatoes.