This Genius Secret Ingredient Will Take Your Spaghetti Sauce Up a Notch

There are certain classic dishes that defy alteration. Just try making banana pudding without vanilla wafer cookies or nachos without melty cheese, then see if you’re invited back to the table. Other dishes might seem set in stone—until a secret ingredient comes along to completely change the game. That was the case with this Amazing Crusted Chicken and the Best Potatoes You’ll Ever Taste (you’ll never guess what the secret ingredients are!). But what about a dish as simple as spaghetti and tomato sauce? Is there really anything we don’t know about this dish?

As it turns out, there is! One of our readers shared this secret ingredient for spaghetti sauce in our Facebook community, and we’ve been intrigued ever since. What is the secret ingredient that will transform your spaghetti sauce, you ask? Read on to learn more. 

Why You Should Make Spaghetti Sauce with V8 Juice

That’s right, the secret to a quick, flavorful tomato sauce is (drumroll please) V8 juice! This vegetable juice drink is named for the eight vegetables it contains: tomatoes, carrots, celery, parsley, lettuce, watercress, and spinach. It was originally created in the 1930s as an affordable source of veggies during the Great Depression, but it was so tasty that customers have continued drinking it for decades. Now you’ll find V8 in bottles and cans, in spicy and original flavors, and with fruits like mango and berries. For this purpose, we’re sticking with the original or spicy varieties. 

All the veggies in V8 juice make a sauce that’s instantly more complex than regular canned tomato sauce. It is also well-seasoned on its own, so there’s no chance that your pasta will be bland. These are the same reasons why V8 makes an excellent base for Bloody Marys, for cold soups like gazpacho, and for vegetable soups. 

How to Use V8 Juice in Spaghetti Sauce  

V8 juice has a thinner consistency than regular canned sauce, so you’ll want to thicken it slightly in order for it to cling to your noodles. Sauté aromatics like diced onion and garlic in a large skillet until softened. Add about a cup of V8 juice, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until reduced slightly. Meanwhile, boil your noodles until just al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and add it to the sauce. Cook for a few minutes more so the spaghetti can absorb and thicken the sauce. Add a splash of pasta cooking liquid, if needed, to loosen. You can also stir in a pat of butter just before serving. 

One important note about seasoning: V8 juice already contains a fair amount of salt, so keep this in mind as you’re making the spaghetti. Rather than season throughout, taste at the end of cooking and see if any more salt is needed.