This Trendy Condiment Is Actually A Great Addition To Store-Bought Tomato Sauce

While you can't beat a classic, homemade tomato sauce from your grandma's recipe book, you can give your store-bought sauce deeper flavor by adding a little bit of hot honey. Made typically made from honey and chili peppers, hot honey — dubbed the trendy condiment du jour by no less than the New York Times —  creates a more well-rounded texture and flavor when blended with the tartness of tomato sauces. The sugars in the honey cut through the acidity from the tomatoes while also adding deep, toasted notes as they caramelize.

The kind of honey in either your homemade hot honey or store-bought version can also add subtle earthy or botanical tastes to the sauce. And the chili peppers in the hot honey sauce, which can be anything from red pepper flakes to jalapeño or habaneros, bring heat that can actually make the tomatoes' own savoriness pop a little more. It's a great combination overall, as the honey brings a slight sweetness while the chilies lend a warming kick to the aftertaste.

There's also the mouth feel to consider when adding hot honey to tomato sauce. Hot honey is thick, which can make the sauce dense and more filling. It might also make the sauce a little stickier where it gets direct heat.

There are a plethora of dishes that would benefit from your new hot honey-tomato sauce infusion. Any pasta adapts well to the new sauce, from rigatoni to gnocchi, and you can even layer it between sheets of lasagna for a deeper twist. You can also use it for pizzas: A personal favorite is a hot honey pepperoni pizza with a drizzle of extra honey for an even bigger sweet-and-spicy balance, but you can also throw on (correctly cooked) bacon, Italian sausage, or jalapeño for more pronounced spiced flavor. Sticking with the Italian theme, it can be a great addition to meatball sandwiches, as it adds a sweet-heat layer to the richness of the meatballs and any cheese you decide to use.

Your hot honey-tomato creation is also a perfect glaze when brushed on different proteins like chicken, pork tenderloin, or salmon fillet.  In these scenarios, you can see the honey caramelize, thicken up, and create a slightly crispy crust. And roasted vegetables are also enriched by its flavors, especially those that are already a bit sweet, like carrots, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash. 

There are really very few limits to your use of tomato sauce infused with hot honey. It's a top-notch dip for homemade zucchini fries, and it can also be used as sandwich spreads and put on focaccia bread. Pair it with whipped feta cheese or ricotta, meats like grilled chicken, soppressata, or steak, and arugula with a squeeze of lemon.