This is what my life has become, sadly. I’m in search of the best jar sauce for when there’s no time for the Sunday sugu! What’s your favorite?

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by Anonymous

reply 62

February 1, 2024 4:31 AM

You are better off getting take-out Pasta from a favorite Italian restaurant.

by Anonymous

reply 1

January 23, 2024 11:44 PM

R1 you’re so right. I’m in Buffalo, NY and the best of the best is cash only and I’m never prepared. Sauce and meatballs from this place are beyond compare!

by Anonymous

reply 2

January 23, 2024 11:57 PM

None. They're all loaded with sodium.

Make your own, it's not hard. Just use high quality canned tomatoes.

by Anonymous

reply 3

January 24, 2024 12:01 AM

If I buy rather than make my own, then I like the sauces over in the fresh pasta, refrigerated section, e.g. Buitoni, Rana.

by Anonymous

reply 4

January 24, 2024 12:01 AM

I was so relieved when Don Jr's gangster boo wife left him and I could buy Raos again. Although Silver Palate and Michael's of Brooklyn were great too

by Anonymous

reply 5

January 24, 2024 12:04 AM

Rao's, OP. Ignore the people who preach about making your own. They really don't get it. Rao's is very good, and you can doctor it easily - much more easily than making your own, especially if you like a rich, thick, complex sauce and not a watery mixture of tomatoes, olive oil, too much garlic and too much basil.

by Anonymous

reply 6

January 24, 2024 12:08 AM

Raos is expensive but when it goes on sale, stock up! Worth every penny. I eat it cold in a bowl sometimes.

by Anonymous

reply 7

January 24, 2024 12:12 AM

Michael's of Brooklyn sauce is even better than Rao's.

by Anonymous

reply 8

January 24, 2024 12:14 AM

Didn't really care for Rao's. Did not live up to the hype. Neither did Carbone. Out of the jar, with nothing added or changed, both were too oily. And Rao's was fairly bland.

by Anonymous

reply 9

January 24, 2024 12:30 AM

I like Hunts traditional.

by Anonymous

reply 10

January 24, 2024 12:41 AM

You're better off making your own, but if you had to rely on a jarred sauce, go with Victoria brand.

by Anonymous

reply 11

January 24, 2024 1:11 AM

I like Michael's of Brooklyn, tasty. If you're in Texas, I like Central Market's puttanesca sauce.

by Anonymous

reply 12

January 24, 2024 1:50 AM

It's Ragu or nothing in this house.

by Anonymous

reply 13

January 24, 2024 1:51 AM

I prefer homemade, but my go-to in a pinch is the Whole Foods brand arrabbiata sauce. Reasonably priced (which is unusual at Whole Foods) and spicier than most jarred arrabbiata.

by Anonymous

reply 14

January 24, 2024 1:55 AM

I’ve never tried it but the Kitchn is telling me Vincent’s Clam Bar.

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by Anonymous

reply 15

January 24, 2024 2:12 AM

You do know that Campbell's acquired Rao's last fall, right? Enjoy that $10.99 jar of condensed tomato soup.

Team Michael's of Brooklyn (when I'm too lazy for homemade).

by Anonymous

reply 16

January 24, 2024 2:24 AM

Rao's is not worth the price. It's watery and tasteless.

This chianti wine sauce is the best bottled sauce I've ever tasted.

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by Anonymous

reply 17

January 24, 2024 2:30 AM

I think homemade sauce is not worth the time or effort and it never tastes any different than the sauce from a jar.

by Anonymous

reply 18

January 24, 2024 2:33 AM

Michael's of Brooklyn looks so yummy. Has anyone eaten there?

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by Anonymous

reply 19

January 24, 2024 2:38 AM

I don’t care which is “best,” they all taste the same when the hell is cooked out of them. Don’t pretend they do. So whatever I buy has to be on sale, under $3 a jar, no HFS, low sugar. A couple of store brands fit the bill and one even comes in glass jars.

by Anonymous

reply 20

January 24, 2024 2:38 AM

Rao's is my favorite but Michaelangelo's is my second choice.

by Anonymous

reply 21

January 24, 2024 2:51 AM

[quote]I don’t care which is “best,” they all taste the same when the hell is cooked out of them.

Why would you cook the hell out of them?

Jarred sauces are ready cooked, so all you need to do is heat them.

And no they don't all taste the same.

by Anonymous

reply 22

January 24, 2024 3:54 AM

Meant "already cooked" @ R22.

by Anonymous

reply 23

January 24, 2024 3:54 AM

Another vote for Michael's of Brooklyn. The Arrabbiata sauce is delicious! Sprouts sells it but you can also order online:

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by Anonymous

reply 24

January 24, 2024 3:56 AM

Wegman's brand Grandma/Grandpa's pastas sauce for the win. Grandma's is a pomodoro and Grandpa's is "a zesty sauce featuring Italian sausage, sweet roasted red peppers, & wine."

by Anonymous

reply 25

January 31, 2024 3:47 PM

Lots of DL posters swear by Rao's. IMO, not better than other sauces, plus costs more.

My choice: Classico, the one with mushroom and olive. No, there are no nice, large chunks of mushroom & olive.

2nd choice: Prego mushroom. A bit sweet, though.

by Anonymous

reply 26

January 31, 2024 4:34 PM

I like the Aldi Priano one with the green lid: (Tomato Basil)

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by Anonymous

reply 27

January 31, 2024 4:40 PM

Why is there always someone who pipes up to say my local is better? No one is talking about you and your local restaurant.

by Anonymous

reply 28

January 31, 2024 5:25 PM

If I do not make my own, I prefer Ragu with doctored up with meat and some onions. It's not a chic alternative and probably consider low end but it's tasty while some of the more prestigious brands are a bit bland.

by Anonymous

reply 29

January 31, 2024 5:32 PM

I make my own. Don't need fancy canned tomatoes because I know how to condiment. Never a fail.

by Anonymous

reply 30

January 31, 2024 5:34 PM

Speaking of pasta sauces .... has anyone tried doing pasta in an Instant Pot? I mean in a recipe where you put everything in the pressure cooker -- pasta sauce, meat, pasta, additional seasoning, etc. -- and then pressure cook it. I've tried a few recipes and they usually come out tasting OK (pasta is cooked through and takes on the flavor of the sauce) but they're usually too watery. (You have to add water in addition to the pasta sauce or the pasta won't cook.) I guess I could cut back on the water but then I wonder if the pasta won't be soft enough to eat.

by Anonymous

reply 31

January 31, 2024 5:37 PM

R24 : that jar of sauce is $72.

Only an idiot would pay that amount for something like that. May as well just make it yourself for a fraction of the price.

by Anonymous

reply 32

January 31, 2024 6:03 PM

I usually make my own. There’s no compare! But not always.

So… when I don’t I use BOVE’S brand. I discovered it in my nearby ShopRite one time and liked it a lot. They don’t always stock it, so when they do I grab about three jars. That will usually last me about a year.

by Anonymous

reply 33

January 31, 2024 6:05 PM

r32, $72 is the price for six jars, not one.

by Anonymous

reply 34

January 31, 2024 6:14 PM

And the "my own is better" crew, OP asked about jar sauce.

by Anonymous

reply 35

January 31, 2024 6:38 PM

[quote]I like Michael's of Brooklyn, tasty

Watery. Don't ever freeze a pasta dish with Michaels.

by Anonymous

reply 36

January 31, 2024 6:48 PM

R33 Yes! Someone mentioned Bove’s! I agree.

by Anonymous

reply 37

January 31, 2024 7:09 PM

I prefer a simple tomato basil sauce...most jarred start with tomato paste so its already too heavy and usually too sweet.

I make my own with a big can of roma tomatoes and a small canned of diced

by Anonymous

reply 38

January 31, 2024 7:12 PM

[quote] $72 is the price for six jars, not one.

You’re right.

by Anonymous

reply 39

January 31, 2024 7:18 PM

I make my own and always have some in the freezer. I also live near an amazing Italian deli and restaurant supplier that sells homemade pasta, frozen entrees, and pints and quarts of fresh sauce. I'll buy theirs if I am getting fresh ravioli.

by Anonymous

reply 40

January 31, 2024 7:44 PM

The basic tomato basil marinara from Trader Joe's tastes just as good as Rao's at a fraction of the cost.

by Anonymous

reply 41

January 31, 2024 7:46 PM

I doctor whatever jar sauce is on sale.

I love when the "I only make my own" crew shows up. When I make sauce it's an all day event and I don't have that kind of time regularly.

1 jar of sauce, chopped fresh Roma tomatoes, tomato paste and red onion chopped chunky. Simple, easy and delicious.

by Anonymous

reply 42

January 31, 2024 8:55 PM

Why does it take you all day to make sauce, r42?

by Anonymous

reply 43

January 31, 2024 8:59 PM

I usually add a little red wine (or use it to rinse out the jar). Sometimes mushrooms sautéed in white wine and garlic.

by Anonymous

reply 44

January 31, 2024 9:08 PM

Why on earth would anyone not make their own sauce? I don’t mean to be a jerk, but no one in their right mind would buy these products. I suppose someone elderly or extremely sick could use them if they had to.

by Anonymous

reply 45

January 31, 2024 9:20 PM

Real sauce takes the gathering of fresh ingredients, chopping (onions & tomatoes) sauteing (garlic and Basil) and hours of simmering.

And then you get to clean it all up.

by Anonymous

reply 46

January 31, 2024 10:42 PM

Exaggerate much r46? Even if you’re using fresh tomatoes that need to be peeled, unless you have some sort of disability, it shouldn’t take you more than a half hour to put together sauce. You use one pot, one spoon, a cutting board and a knife. Simmer it for a couple hours. Wash the pot when you’re done.

Or keep buying expensive jars of salt and high fructose corn syrup and god knows what else.

by Anonymous

reply 47

January 31, 2024 11:16 PM

From a quality and healthy ingredients perspective, it's a tie between Rao's and 365 Whole Foods.

by Anonymous

reply 48

January 31, 2024 11:20 PM

Victoria if you don't want to spend the money on Rao's.

by Anonymous

reply 49

January 31, 2024 11:21 PM

We’re talking about sauce from a JAR. Start another thread for homemade sauce that even disabled people can make. In fact make 2 threads: one for peeled tomatoes and one for unpeeled tomatoes.

by Anonymous

reply 50

January 31, 2024 11:38 PM

You should use whole tomatoes not crushed or pureed. Crush/puree them yourself. They use the best tomatoes for the whole ones for visual appeal and the crappy ones for crushed/pureed because you can't see how crappy they were before they pulverized them.

by Anonymous

reply 51

January 31, 2024 11:58 PM

My cute little neighborhood place has Bello, Isola, Da Giulia, Mezzatta, Victoria, Carbone, Sunday's with Joe, Delallo, and Armanino. Any feedback on these?

by Anonymous

reply 52

February 1, 2024 12:03 AM

Home made is so simple to make. A basic Marinara is much better than anything in a jar.

by Anonymous

reply 53

February 1, 2024 12:12 AM

OMG you can make Rao's at home. Super easy and you can freeze it and make about 50 bucks worth of Rao for 8 bucks.

by Anonymous

reply 54

February 1, 2024 12:19 AM

I REFUSE to entertain this poll! Instead, I will reveal my POMPOUS FAT WHORE credentials with a silly pronouncement about pasta sauce.

by Anonymous

reply 55

February 1, 2024 12:49 AM

I make my own at home. The key ingredients are salt, corn syrup, and bruised tomatoes.

by Anonymous

reply 56

February 1, 2024 12:54 AM

Anybody aware of a decent low sodium pasta sauce?

by Anonymous

reply 57

February 1, 2024 2:40 AM

R57, Gia Russa, Victoria’s, and Silver Palate low sodium marinara (in that order). But if you have access to a cooktop it is so easy to make your own and control the sodium level. Tuttorossi makes cans of tomatoes with no salt added.

by Anonymous

reply 58

February 1, 2024 2:51 AM

Pro Chefs taste and rate supermarket marinara sauces.

Timestamp, Brand

0:21 Bertolli

2:20 Ragu

3:59 Rao's

5:34 Trader Joe's

6:58 Carbone

8:49 Prego

10:10 365 Whole Foods Market

11:49 Newman's Own

13:25 Mutti

14:49 Classico

15:51 Judges' picks for top 3

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by Anonymous

reply 59

February 1, 2024 3:29 AM

Cook’s Country did a blind taste test of spaghetti sauces a couple weeks ago and Rao’s won.

by Anonymous

reply 60

February 1, 2024 3:39 AM

It's really not that hard to make your sauce that is 10x better than any jar (at least a Mariana). For about 10 dollars in ingredients you can make about four jars worth of Rao.

by Anonymous

reply 61

February 1, 2024 3:42 AM