The World’s Best Pasta Sauce
Not all pasta sauces are made equally, which is something you’ll want to keep in mind when checking out with a jar of Great Value or Kroger’s. However, pasta is such an easy and convenient dish to make, and you can save time by throwing on a ready-made sauce. But to get the most bang for your buck and treat your taste buds, be sure to stock up on these top-rated sauces, while avoiding those that everyone hates.
1. Target’s Good & Gather Tomato & Basil
When it comes to picking a pasta sauce, tomato and basil sound like a match made in heaven. However, Target’s iteration leaves a lot to be desired. It’s on the more expensive end when it comes to buying a jar, and the brand claims it’s imported from Italy. But despite this, the flavor feels very muted and bland. Some report the off-putting smell, and something about the sauce just feels off.
2. Aldi’s Simply Nature Organic Tomato & Basil
Aldi is known for its affordability and cost-effectiveness, but this sauce definitely comes at a price, just not a monetary one. The sauce boasts how it’s GMO-free and doesn’t use artificial flavors, but despite that, the texture already leaves consumers wanting, as there are barely any tomato cubes within. Unfortunately, the basil is pretty overbearing, and it lacks complexity in terms of sweetness and tomato.
3. Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Marinara
Trader Joe’s rarely misses, but when it does, it swings hard. Despite this sauce having a lot going for it, including the vibrant color and the pureed texture, the flavor is where it falls short. The garlic taste is barely there, which wouldn’t be as big of a deal if it weren’t advertised as a garlic sauce.
4. Target’s Roasted Garlic Alfredo
When it comes to sauces, maybe Target’s brand just isn’t the way to go. Either way, this sauce is a bit cheaper than others, but despite that, it comes across looking a bit dirty and thin. Slosh-like texture aside, in terms of flavors, the garlic overpowers everything else.
5. Kirkland Organic Marinara Sauce
You get a whole lot of quantity for one price, that is the Kirkland guarantee, after all. But that’s really all you get, as the sauce is very lackluster in terms of flavor. It gives stewed tomato, but lacks everything else, including salt, spice, and herbs. Plus, some report it tasting quite vinegary.
6. Kroger’s Basilico Tomato & Basil
Another tomato and basil combination that leaves people wanting more is Private Selection’s Basilico. While the brand comes across as high-end at first, it really lacks flavor and visual appeal. The mixture is very similar to liquid and almost feels watery. A lot of people describe it more like tomato soup than sauce.
7. Hunt’s Pasta Sauce
You’re already running a risk buying pasta sauce from a can, and Hunt’s lives up to the expectations, if those expectations are low, that is. This sauce simply tastes cheap. It has an unpleasant liquid quality to it that makes it feel watery.
8. Whole Foods Pesto Alfredo Premium
This sauce has a lot going for it. First of all, it’s branded by Whole Foods, which is known for authenticity and quality. Secondly, it claims to be imported from Italy. But despite all these pros, it just looks like green goop, and the flavor tastes oddly grass-like.
9. Prego Traditional Sauce
For a lot of people, Prego is nostalgic, as it’s a sauce they grew up eating. But as an adult, you can taste how low quality it is. The sauce is mostly made up of sugar with some tomato flavoring thrown in. It tastes like the kind of sauce you’d find on a frozen pizza.
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10. Great Value Marinara Sauce
The value in Great Value refers to price and not much else. In terms of flavor, this company leaves lots of us wanting more. With that in mind, the sauce is a bit nostalgic tasting if you grew up with it, but it comes across as little more than a jar of squashed tomatoes. If that’s not what you want, you might want to skip this pulpy offering.
Now that we talked about sauces to avoid at all costs, here are 10 that would impress your culinary-inclined friends.
1. Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce
Rao’s marinara is considered the very best by most cooks! Just from the get-go, the sauce is vibrant and shiny to look at. The taste is rich with imported Italian tomatoes, specks of basil, and a balanced undertone of spice. This one is sure to impress all your friends.
2. Rana’s Alfredo Sauce
Turning gears to the world of Alfredo, Rana’s is a brand worth trying. It uses real Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano to create a stellar sauce. Plus, you can even develop a cheese pull in the pan!
3. Carbone Marinara Sauce
Another marinara sauce worth stocking up on is Carbone. From the get-go, you can tell this one is silky and smooth, as it takes full advantage of olive oil to increase its richness. This sauce also uses Italian imported tomatoes, and you can really taste the freshness and depth of all the ingredients.
4. Rao’s Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Rao didn’t stop at marinara sauce but went on to make stellar Alfredo sauce as well. What makes this sauce a total standout is its super silky texture. As you pop open the lid, you can practically smell the tantalizing aroma. And yes, it does taste as good as it smells.
5. Whole Foods Organic Tomato Basil
Where the Whole Foods Alfredo sauce failed, the tomato basil succeeds. This sauce almost feels like salsa, with thick chunks of tomato and onion within. The flavor comes across as very fresh, too, and the hints of garlic and oregano carry it over the finish line.
6. Mezzetta Spicy Marinara
Don’t let the mention of spice throw you off, as Mezzetta isn’t too crazy. This sauce lacks added sugar and preservatives and instead relies on Italian plum tomatoes to carry the flavor. A sprinkling of crushed chili pepper and black pepper makes this sauce absolutely sing.
7. Buitoni Marinara Sauce
Another marinara sauce to throw on your list is Buitoni’s. The texture is perfect for those who prefer a thicker sauce, and it’s known to coat and cling to pasta. The flavor profile also pulls everything from hints of garlic, onion, and salt to really sell this sauce.
8. Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Marinara
A lot of brands fail when it comes to balancing a tomato basil sauce, but Trader Joe’s knows exactly what it’s doing. This sauce has a uniquely delicious onion flavor, and the texture is smooth and spoonable. This makes it ideal for a chicken parmesan or even a lasagna!
9. Kroger’s Marinara Pasta Sauce
You wouldn’t expect to see Kroger’s on this list, but the organic marinara sauce is surprisingly delicious. The texture is smooth and glossy, and the tomato even has a squeaky freshness to it. Then, when it comes to taste, the sauce is rich from olive oil, has a great spice component, and would pull together for any pasta.
10. Trader Joe’s Alfredo Sauce
If you want a simple and reliable Alfredo sauce, then Trader Joe’s offers a very silky iteration with a nice off-white color. You can really taste the cheese inside, specifically the Parmesan and Romano. Plus, it has a buttery quality that most adore.
