The Staple Condiment That Can Elevate A Classic Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese is beloved for its simplicity and effortlessly delicious taste. It's extra flavorful and creamy compared to other sauces and comes chock full of hearty ingredients like ground meat, often beef, and finely chopped vegetables. This simple mixture provides an extra aromatic experience, which is much more complex than simple spaghetti sauce. It's these qualities that make this Italian topping especially well-loved. 

Believe it or not, plain ketchup is one staple condiment that can elevate a classic Bolognese sauce. Add a few tablespoons of this condiment into the pot while the sauce simmers and taste the difference. The easy addition infuses a Bolognese with a sweet, tangy bite that makes for an extra complex tagliatelle, spaghetti, or lasagna dish. That added flavor mixed with other tomato-based ingredients also brings out new layers in the sauce that allow it to sing.

While the addition might sound odd, we recommend not knocking it until you try it yourself. For those on the fence, hear what fans have to say.

While a Bolognese sauce can benefit from ketchup, the same applies to other spaghetti and tomato-based sauces. Ketchup will work well in sauces that already contain a bit of sweetness, such as marinara sauce, as ketchup is also a sweet ingredient. Still, it can lend its benefits beyond that. 

On Reddit, one user summed up the benefits of a ketchup-infused tomato sauce. "Ketchup is sweet and acidic at the same time. It makes the flavors 'pop,'" they wrote. Another user agreed, claiming ketchup can also help improve texture but reminded cooks not to use too much, or it will overwhelm your food with sweetness. Alternatively, ketchup can also save a dish that has become too acidic by balancing it with sweetness, so using this condiment is all about reaching that happy medium.

The most important thing to remember when trying new ingredients in a sauce is to taste as you go. Once it's made, how you use it is up to you.

Many pasta dishes can benefit from the presence of a Bolognese. While adding ketchup into the mix can elevate this sauce, it doesn't change what pairs with a Bolognese. Classic meals featuring a Bolognese sauce are pasta dishes like tagliatelle or lasagna. If you're interested in unconventional choices, consider using a Bolognese sauce to make sloppy Joes or stuffed bell peppers. 

A ketchup-infused tomato sauce will shine in these applications, as both dishes are known for their innately sweet taste. Plus, these meals are traditionally made with ground beef. Therefore, a meat-based Bolognese sauce can help subtly switch up the flavor. Topping baked potatoes with Bolognese sauce is another strong choice for a lesser-seen preparation, as is garnishing hot dogs or cheese fries with this sauce instead of chili. 

You don't have to limit your meal repertoire to pasta dishes with homemade Bolognese. Get creative and let us know what you think about the unexpected addition of ketchup in this sauce.