FOOD NEWS
What's The Point Of Putting Carrots In Your Tomato Sauce?
By Lorien Crow
Flavors that you’d expect to find in a pot of homemade tomato sauce include garlic, basil, oregano, and maybe a little red wine. However, tomatoes that are canned, off-season, or underripe may not break down well when cooked, and while some use sugar to address this issue, there’s another simple ingredient that can help achieve the same thing: carrots.
To lend a subtle sweetness to tomato sauces and balance their acidity without the risk of winding up with a too-sweet sauce, try using finely grated or diced carrots. This way, they soften along with the rest of the ingredients, meaning they won't give your sauce a lumpy or uneven texture, and peeling the carrots first will make for an even smoother sauce.
Carrots are also a healthier addition than sugar and a great way to sneak in some extra, undetected nutrients without kids (or picky eaters) ever knowing. Orange carrots contain beta carotene, a source of Vitamin A, as well as other vitamins and minerals, including biotin, potassium, and vitamin B6.