Looking for bolder flavors in your meals, but are tied down to a budget? Don’t you worry, because we are a premium destination for the intel on all things to do with wallet-friendly shopping. When it comes to tasty and convenient weeknight meals that come together in a pinch, there are few dishes that are on the same league as pasta. Boil your preferred pasta shape, stir in the pasta sauce choice, and that’s more than half the battle conquered. The sauce is likely the most important source of flavor in your pasta dish, and when opting for store-bought brands, your pick can make or break the final result. Usually, popular, high-quality brands like Rao’s tend to be on the pricier side, and the taste certainly speaks for itself. But, if you’re looking to tighten the purse strings a bit, what better destination than America’s cheapest grocery store to stock up on all the culinary essentials while doing your wallet a solid favor without depriving your taste buds?
So, if you’re craving pasta marinara but aren’t up for spending more than $5 for a jar of marinara sauce, look no further than Aldi’s Specially Selected Premium Marinara. At just under $5, you’ll experience the familiar flavors, reminiscent of Rao’s marinara in every bite. The remarkable closeness in taste has tasters wondering if Aldi’s Specially Selected Premium Marinara is, in fact, Rao’s in disguise, though there has been no such confirmation on whether this is true. Both sauces use Italian tomatoes and feature a short list of good-quality ingredients, which explains why Aldi’s product made our list of best dupes at Aldi. Bear in mind that the price may vary from Aldi store to store.
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More Budget-Friendly Tricks For A Flavorful Marinara Sauce
ingredients for marinara sauce – FotosDo/Shutterstock
If you’re creative and savvy enough, a quick and easy pasta marinara does not always have to mean missing out on big flavor. There are so many ways to amp up the flavor of an otherwise basic sauce without needing to source specialty ingredients or buy more expensive brands. Here are some nifty tricks for a marinara sauce suitable for a gourmet-esque dinner. For starters, you can always make a large batch of your own basic tomato sauce with just a handful of ingredients that are more or less the same ingredients listed in Aldi’s Specially Selected Premium Marinara. However, if you don’t have time to make your own, there is no shortage of techniques that can make every spoonful of marinara burst with unabashed flavor. One chef-approved tip for imparting a homemade touch to the sauce is to reach for fresh herbs and seasonings, ideally fresh basil and freshly ground pepper, to amplify the notes of a traditional marinara.
Something as simple as allowing the pasta to finish cooking with the sauce in the pan instantly takes the dish to a whole different level of delicious, and enhances the experience of every saucy bite. Another inexpensive tip is to ensure that you’re adding the right amount of salt to the pasta cooking water. Just a little bit makes all the difference between a bland, perfect, or overly salty bite. If you find the sauce to be on the sweeter side, there are many ways to balance out the flavors with additions that you probably already have on hand, like vinegar. Also, don’t hesitate to reach for your spice rack if you need reinforcements to tailor the taste to your liking.
Read the original article on Chowhound.
Dining and Cooking