The acidity of tomatoes can overpower the other components in a tomato sauce. Luckily, chef Giada De Laurentiis has a trick to save your sauce, and all it requires is some carrots.

In a TikTok video, De Laurentiis makes basic Pomodoro sauce. Before the sauce simmers, she adds two sticks of peeled carrots to "absorb the acidity of canned tomatoes."

An alkaline-rich vegetable like carrots cuts through the tang of an acidic tomato sauce, balances the sauce's acidity, and counteracts it with a sweet flavor.

While Giada De Laurentiis uses sticks of peeled carrots, you could add peeled and grated carrots for a smoother result and blend them into a puree with the rest of the sauce.

Consider adding carrots when you cook the aromatics rather than when they simmer. Sautéeing them first will unlock their sweet flavors and balance the sauce's acidity even more.