How can I stop my tomato pasta sauce being bitter?

Question

I have this fantastic recipe from Sorrento, but I've tried it and it was a bit bitter, I ended up adding sugar, which wasn't great! Help!

Sorry, it has peeled plum toms, garlic, oregano, onion, water, salt and pepper and basil.

Answer 1

add a whole carrot it will pull the acid into the carrot, discard the carrot. Sometimes the bitterness comes from the metal cans and you cant cook it in an aluminum pot tomatoes react with the metal.

Answer 2

I reckon it's all down to the way you treat your onion!

Try using a really sharp knife to finely chop a very fresh onion (a blunt blade will bruise it and make it bitter), and then use a low, slow heat to soften it up before gradually adding your other ingredients. Again, keep the heat low and take your time.

If you're following a decent recipe, trust that the cook knew what they were doing. You shouldn't need to add things to 'mend' the flavour. Chances are that it's your technique or ingredients which aren't yet perfect. It might take a few attempts before you're happy with it.

Having said that, I'd always add a big slosh of quality olive oil right at the end; stir it in well to make your sauce nice and glossy!

Answer 3

Nothing wrong with adding sugar.

It's the usual thing to do with a tomato sauce, when the tomatoes are slightly bitter. Although you only need and I'm only talking about a pinch of sugar.

Answer 4

A pinch of sugar is the traditional cure. You can also try:
1) saute the herbs in the oil for the recipe before adding other ingredients. Sometimes raw herbs can be bitter
2) cook on a very low heat to prevent scorching. Even minor sticking can cause a slight bitter taste.
Good luck!

Answer 5

If you typically are bothered by the acid in tomato sauce try adding a tad of baking soda.

Be careful, start with just a pinch. You can always add more. It will tend to change the tase of the sauce a bit.

Answer 6

One way is to add baking soda. BUT BEWARE, too much will spoil the sauce completely, so use it in little bits stirring it in until you get the right taste. Another possibility you could try is adding sweet basil, oregano, or chives. Those all add nice flavor to the sauce.

Answer 7

Before you put your tin of tomatoes in you should have cooked your other ingredients first. Add a teaspoon of tomatoe puree first, then let it cook for 20 seconds or so and add a tablespoon of tomato ketchup because it neutralizes the acid in the tomatoes you are going to add and prevents the bitter taste you are getting.

Answer 8

I have found that a bit of brown sugar takes the bitterness out better than white sugar

Answer 9

Need to see the recipe, so we can troubleshoot the problem. Use the best/freshest tomatoes - vine ripened/heirloom, or San Marzanos. Shredded carrots add sweetness as well. Were your herbs (dried) fresh? Again, can't give advice until I see the recipe/cooking method.

Answer 10

A bit of sugar was my Gram's way, or red sauce (catsup). It could have been a bitter herb that did it. Thus, if you can figure out which it was, you can eliminate it next round.