While there seems to be no limit to the variety of tomato sauces out there, from marinara to puttanesca, the vast majority of them call for a few common ingredients like olive oil, onion, garlic, and fresh or dried herbs. If you're building a sauce from scratch and don't know which seasonings to use yet, try reaching for this herb.

Not all dried herbs are created equal, and fresh isn't always better. It might be tempting to reach for herbs like basil and parsley for your sauce, but these "leafy" herbs can taste dull when cooked, whether dried or fresh, while heartier, "woody" herbs like dried oregano — which should be your go-to — retain their flavors much better.

Dried oregano doesn't taste the same as the fresh version, but it can stand up to a long cooking time and will definitely add an unmistakably Italian-American flair to your sauce. Just remember to bloom the oregano in the hot oil while you're sautéing the onion and garlic, as that will help distribute the herb's flavor throughout the sauce.