How can I thicken my spaghetti sauce, it has been cooking for 12 hours and still very runny? Thank you!

Here's a trick I discovered. In two enamel covered Pots or a Stainless Steel pots, I separate the Peeled tomatoes into two pots. In both Pots, I create my Italian “Soffritto”: Cold Press Extra Virgin Kalamata Olive Oil, Minced Fresh Garlic and a small amount of Fresh Onion or Shallots. I put the the Peeled tomatoes in one pot and put the watery tomato sauce in the other pot. I add my fresh Basil Salt and any other spices later.

The watery sauce Simmers or reduces while I'm cooking the thicker sauce in the other. When the watery pot of sauce has reduced to my desired thickness, I simply combine the two pots into one.

I have reduced the watery sauce to a much thicker sauce in the same amount of time I was cooking the thicker sauce. If I need more time for the watery sauce to reduce, I simply put the peeled tomatoes on simmer or off until I have reduced the watery sauce to my desired thickness.

Because we're making thick Italian American sauce not Roman sauce.

I cook my tomato sauce in the oven. The bigger & the flatter the pan is, the faster the sauce will evaporate. I tend to set short timers, like 15-20 minutes, and stir when the timers go off. This way I can keep an eye pn my sauce and take it to the exact thickness I want, and also I can keep the edges from getting too burnt. My stove stays cleaner and I don't have to worry about the bottom of my sauce pot burning! This is great advice for making chutney and quick berry jam too.

Pierino! I would love to have one of your sauce recipes!?? I am making the sauce as my Mother used to make it but am always looking for a better way! Thank you!

Speaking as a hard core Roman cook I can't imagine why anyone would want to cook a "spaghetti sauce" for twelve hours. Or even four hours. In Italy a sauce for pasta is usually pretty loose. Even a rich bolognese style sauce shouldn't take that long.

Chicken wing tips! I know that is kind of weird, but the gelatin released from the wing tips thicken the sauce nicely, and also add some flavor.

In addition to what big pan said, a pinch of sugar can help balance the acidity of the tomato paste.

A bit if extra fine bread crumbs can help. As you boil it down the flavors will intensify, so you might have to add some liquid ... sounds counter productive, but you want it to taste good and not like a tin of tomato paste.

Thank you all! I cooked it low and covered overnight. It added 2 cans of paste and a handful of grated parm reggiano and ii am leaving it uncovered and it seems to be doing to trick!! Thank you!

I agree with Monita. Have you been cooking covered this whole time?

I would add a 8oz brick of cream cheese it would help thicken. Also some grated parmesan cheese. only other option tomato paste might help

Has it been covered and at a low temp? Sounds like ti needed to reduce more. A higher temp and uncovered would make that happen