Upgrade Spaghetti Sauce With One Underappreciated Spice In The Back Of Your Cabinet

A basic spaghetti sauce is easy to throw together. Tomatoes and aromatics create a solid foundation of flavors that are made even better with additions like ground beef and vegetables. But that's just the beginning of the upgrades that will transform your plain spaghetti sauce. Among the tricks and tips to create a truly stand-out sauce is one little spice that you shouldn't forget next time you whip up a batch of Italy's most famous pasta. Sure, you might want to add some red wine, Worcestershire sauce, or red pepper flakes for extra depth and flavor, but grab some nutmeg while you're in the spice cabinet.

Nutmeg is included in quite a few old-fashioned spaghetti sauce recipes, alongside classic herbs like oregano and sage. The spice will amp up plenty of other Italian dishes as well, like broccoli in a flavorful alfredo sauce and a hearty lasagna. It's an earthy spice that has an almost woodsy, tobacco-adjacent scent and flavor and is a handy secret weapon to balance out any extra acidity in spaghetti sauce. A dash of nutmeg delivers earthy, nutty, sweet elements that complement the bright, tangy flavor of the tomatoes and the rich umami that comes from browned beef, onions, and garlic.

All it takes is a pinch of nutmeg to transform a dull spaghetti sauce into a dish with a real "it" factor. You can add more if you desire, but too much nutmeg can make dishes taste bitter, and you can't pull nutmeg out of the sauce once it's in there, so start small.

Use fresh nutmeg to get the best flavor and grate it finely right into the pan as you're cooking. Add it into the sauce near the beginning, when you're sauteing the garlic, herbs, and other aromatics. This gives the nutmeg time to mellow out its initial bright and almost overpowering bite into a warm, nutty, and earthy tone. While it cooks, read up on how to eat spaghetti like the Italians do, and perhaps try burning your noodles for more flavorful pasta.