I read on the Internet to add a small amount of vanilla extract (about 1/2 teaspoon) to spaghetti sauce to make it less

[raccoon]

acidic and improve the taste.

Anyone tried this?

[woodsprite]

1. Not vanilla, but my gmom always added a bit of brown sugar

For that reason to any of her tomato sauce/dishes.

[FSogol]

2. We use a few choclate chips (works for chili too) n/t

[JustAnotherGen]

3. No but a suggestion

From making sauce in my mother in laws kitchen in Italy?

Cut the 'heart' out of the garlic. That dramatically decreases the acid. Cut the piece of garlic in half - and you'll find the heart.

Instead of sugar to 'sweeten' - plop in a carrot.

To sweet puttanesca sauce - I actually put a dash of balsamic vinegar in when I'm sauteing the anchovies.

Just tips from my Ninna!

[blm]

7. I learned to use carrots, too.

[Basso8vb]

4. Adding a tiny bit of baking soda will do the trick.

[Dave in VA]

5. I add about a half a teaspoon to mine

and it really makes a difference.

Good Luck!

[KitFox]

6. My mom caramelized some of the onions and grated a carrot

into the sauce along with a pinch of baking soda, so that’s how I make it.

[mitch96]

8. I believe it's the acid in the tomatoes so anything to cut the acid should work...

Carrot? sweet, cooked or caramelized onion? sweet. Use a tomato that is less acidic? San Marzano, Roma are said to be less acidic...baking soda cuts acid..
ymmv...
m

[Pucks mom]

9. Nutmeg!

I grate fresh nutmeg into my sauce at the end, just like my Grannie!

[Retrograde]

10. I put vinegar in my sauce

either white wine vinegar or balsamic, since I find the tomatoes by themselves way too sweet. But then tomato sauces chez Retrograde start with canned tomatoes - it's so simple to make that we don't use prepared sauces.