Prego sauce is one of the most popular pasta sauces and has been a favorite among lovers of Italian cuisine for decades. Its flavorful and robust taste has made it a standout choice among many chefs and home cooks alike. In this article, we will explore how to cook Prego sauce from scratch.
Brief history of the brand
Prego sauce was first introduced in the United States market in 1981 by the Campbell Soup Company. It quickly gained popularity because of its delicious taste and convenient packaging. Today, Prego is a household name that offers various flavors to suit different preferences.
Why it’s a popular choice among pasta sauces
One reason Prego sauce is so popular is its convenient availability in grocery stores worldwide. The brand also offers a wide array of flavors, making it easier for people to choose their preferred taste profile for their dishes. It’s also easy to use and instantly adds flavor to any dish.
Ingredients Needed
To make Prego sauce from scratch, you will need:
- Fresh tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Basil
- Salt and pepper
Explanation of why each ingredient is important
Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are the star ingredient when making Prego sauce from scratch. They provide natural acidity to balance out the sweetness and provide texture without thickness.
Olive oil
Olive oil plays an essential role in bringing out flavor while supporting all other ingredients in cooking evenly. It gives a rich texture that you can’t achieve with water alone.
Onion
Onions add sweetness, depth, texture but most importantly an aromatic flavor that takes this recipe over the edge!
Garlic
Garlic adds pungent and spicy notes to balance out the other sweeter flavors while adding several health benefits linked with boosting inflammation-fighting capabilities as well protecting your cell membrane health against damage caused by free radicals.
Basil
Basil provides a sweet and fragrant aroma, lovely notes when chopped fresh or dried.
Salt and Pepper
Salt can help enhance the flavors in your recipe; black pepper has a slightly spicy flavor profile that balances all other flavors.
Preparing Your Work Space
Before starting cooking, it’s essential to make your kitchen workspace clean and clear. Here’s how:
- Start by organizing your counter by getting necessary equipment and putting away everything you won’t need.
- Be sure to have all ingredients set out in an orderly fashion at the surface.
- Wipe down the stove for good results!
It’s important to prepare your workspace before you begin cooking as it allows you to work more efficiently.
Making the Sauce From Scratch
Step 1: Preparing Tomatoes
The first step in making Prego sauce from scratch is preparing the tomatoes. For this recipe, you’ll need roughly four pounds of fresh tomatoes. Select ripe tomatoes that are firm but not hard for good texture. Here’s how:
- Rinse the tomatoes under running water to remove any dirt.
- Cut off their green stems and discard them.
- Make an “X” mark on each tomato’s bottom with a sharp knife.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on high heat and add the tomatoes into it.
- Boil for about one minute until you see the skin start splitting from slits made before/submerged into hot water bath made for around 10-30 seconds depending on tomato size/ripeness.
- Once finished boiling, Remove them from pot with specialized utensils (either tongs or a grappler).
- Allow them to cool down naturally or hold under cold running water to cool faster after which add some water manually using your fingers, peel off all skins entirely without damaging flesh
- Use a potato masher or food processor if available depending on your preference.
Step 2: Adding Flavors
Now that your tomatoes are prepared, it’s time to add some flavor to them. Here are the essential flavors for Prego sauce:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Basil
You’ll need about half a medium-sized onion, four garlic cloves, and a handful of basil leaves.
- Finely chop the onion after peeling off its outer layer.
- Peel garlic cloves finely too if possible (optional). Cloves could be crushed before chopping.
- Chop the basil as well into small pieces
- In a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, add olive oil
- Cook onions until tender without making them browned.
- Add garlic just when onions become translucent with thyme and bay leaves (or any herbs you would like) then continue cooking for another minute or two,
- Add diced peeled tomatoes with their juice from Step 1 then all other required spices (fresh chopped basil)
- Bring everything to boil gently then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer it uncovered for around 45-60 minutes without stirring except occasionally until it thickens up nicely.
Step 3: Cooking Process
After adding all ingredients mentioned in Step 2, here’s how to cook your Prego sauce.
- Turn the heat down to low once you bring everything to boil as discussed above.
- Let the sauce simmer gently for around 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it doesn’t stick and burn depending on desired thickness. 3.Once this is done, turn off the burner from stove and let rest cooked tomato sauce for about five minutes.
The cooking process requires patience since all the ingredients should blend together over extended periods depending on how thick consistency you want.
Adding Personal Touches
There are several ways you can make your Prego sauce unique by adding personal touches or creative twists to it:
- Roasting your tomatoes instead of boiling them will give it a different flavor and texture.
- You can also add some red wine for additional depth of flavor and complexity.
- A little bit grated fresh parmesan cheese helps to make the sauce creamier.
- Add some diced or ground meat, sausage or seafood for a more hearty meat-based sauce.
Get creative with these ingredients to take your Prego sauce recipe up a notch!
Storage Instruction And Serving Recommendations
Once you’ve cooked your Prego sauce, you’ll need to store it correctly so that it doesn’t go bad before you use it up:
- Store any unused prego sauce in glass jars or freezer bags properly.
- Freeze those Saran wrapped container slowly in small portions using an ice cube tray; remove individually pop-up frozen ones out when needed.
When serving this delicious Prego sauce, you can serve it over various pastas like macaroni, spaghetti, lasagna and further use on pizza to maximize its versatile application potential.
Conclusion:
Prego sauce is a classic staple in many households worldwide used as dressing for lots of dishes such as casseroles or pizzas alike, taking homemade pasta dishes to a whole new amazing level! Thank you for reading this article; we hope that our guide has helped you learn how to cook Prego Sauce from scratch at home correctly. Keep checking our next materials that will be coming soon with other recipes and ideas so don’t miss-out on anything exciting!
Q&A
Q: What ingredients do I need to make prego sauce?
A: The basic ingredients for making prego sauce include tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt, sugar, and a few herbs like oregano and basil. You can also add some grated cheese or cream to give it a richer taste.
Q: How long does it take to cook prego sauce?
A: Cooking time depends on the recipe you follow; however, most prego sauce recipes take between 30 minutes to an hour to cook from scratch. The longer you let the sauce simmer, the richer and deeper the flavor will be.
Q: Can I use pre-made canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones for my prego sauce?
A: Yes, you can definitely use canned tomatoes to make your prego sauce if fresh tomatoes are not available. However, make sure to choose a good-quality brand with no added preservatives or flavors.
Q: Can I freeze leftover prego sauce?
A: Yes! Prego sauce is an excellent condiment that freezes well and stays good for up to six months in the freezer. Simply place the cooled down (or chilled) leftover sauce in an air-tight container or resealable bag and freeze until ready to use again.
