Before this taste test, I had no idea how many jarred vodka sauces were on store shelves. Just about every major manufacturer has entered the market, along with legendary restaurants sharing their signature recipes—and even a famous Hollywood actor. Finding the best vodka sauce was going to be a delicious, carb-loading challenge.
Even before opening a jar, I noticed how much storytelling goes into selling pasta sauce. Imagery of restaurants with checkered tablecloths and special touches from Italian grandmas adorned the labels. Many brands tied their authenticity to a specific location. The labels were a roadmap of the New York City boroughs—sauces hailed from Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn. There was also one from New Jersey and one from Chicago. Some products came ready to serve with heavy cream already incorporated into the sauce. Others included instructions for adding fresh cream while heating the sauce.
I tested and ranked the following brands:
Balducci’s
Bertolli
Carbone
Carmine’s
Classico
Harry’s Famous Sauce
Little Italy in the Bronx
Michael’s of Brooklyn
The Original Jersey Italian Gravy
Prego
Rao’s
To keep the base consistent, I spooned each sauce over perfectly cooked penne. The rankings are based on flavor, texture and value.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
11. Prego Spicy Vodka Sauce
The spicy vodka sauce from Prego lands at the bottom of my list. It comes in a 23.75-ounce jar for $2.49. Tomato puree—rather than whole tomatoes—tops the ingredient list. This recipe also incorporates ricotta cheese and Romano cheese into the blend. Overall, it tasted more like pizza sauce with a dash of cayenne pepper. As the lowest-priced sauce on this list, though, it’s a solid budget-friendly option.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
10. Classico Vodka Sauce
Sold in a 24-ounce jar for just $2.99, Classico’s vodka sauce offers another option for price-conscious shoppers. It’s made with tomato puree as well as diced tomatoes. The cream is already incorporated, along with Parmesan cheese and spices. The ingredient list includes xanthan gum, which was not utilized in some of the other top-ranked sauces. Ultimately, it works in a pinch, but it’s not something I would seek out on pasta night.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
9. Bertolli Vodka Sauce
Bertolli states front and center on the jar that this product is made with fresh cream and no sugar added. At $2.89 for a 24-ounce jar, it was my favorite among the lower-cost vodka sauces. The sauce had a rich creaminess and a beautiful color, though the flavor felt more mass-produced than hand-crafted. The ingredient list was quite similar to Classico’s, but I liked this one better overall.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
8. Little Italy in the Bronx Alla Vodka Sauce
As a former New Yorker, I know that to get real Italian food, you skip Manhattan’s touristy Little Italy and head to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx instead. This brand leans into that reputation, naming its vodka sauce after the culinary destination.
At $7.49 for a 24-ounce jar, it makes the leap from the lower-priced brands into the premium sauce category. The label boasts a San Marzano-style tomato blend, and the flavor showed a clear improvement over brands made with tomato puree. Even though this wasn’t labeled a spicy vodka sauce, crushed red pepper appears on the ingredient list, and I could taste a little bit of heat at the end. This vodka sauce was adequate, but others outshone it in the taste test, especially given the higher price point.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
7. The Original Jersey Italian Gravy, Vodka
You know this product hails from New Jersey because it’s not even called sauce—it’s gravy. Evoking images of a long-simmered Sunday sauce with secret ingredients only nonna knows, this vodka sauce is labeled gluten-free and made without MSG or high-fructose corn syrup. It retails for $7.49 for a 24-ounce jar, a price on par with other brands. The flavor was delightful, but it didn’t have that signature creamy, velvety texture I look for in a vodka sauce. Had it been a bit heavier on the cream, this product might have ranked higher.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
6. Balducci’s Chicago Vodka Sauce
This Chicago-based brand is known for pasta and pizza sauces as well as gourmet finishing sauces. In a lineup dominated by East Coast brands, this Chicago option is actually quite unique in the jarred vodka sauce space. It still has the rich tomato-and-cream base I look for, but this one is decidedly veggie-forward. There are carrots, onions, celery and parsley incorporated throughout. The garden-fresh flavor reminded me of the pasta sauce my mom used to make from the bounty of homegrown tomatoes in our backyard. At $8.99 for a 25-ounce jar, it is on the higher end of the premium sauce price point, but the fresh flavors justify it.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
5. Rao’s Homemade Vodka Sauce
Since it is nearly impossible to get a reservation at Rao’s restaurant, we’re lucky it now sells its famous sauces on the retail market. This one comes in a 32-ounce jar for $8.49. In a previous taste test, Rao’s was named the best rustic jarred pasta sauce, and I can see why. The rich blend of vibrant Italian tomatoes was exactly what I hoped for from this brand.
There was just one thing about this sauce that confused me—it doesn’t contain any cream! I searched the jar for instructions to add heavy cream as part of the preparation, but to no avail. A lovely blend of Parmigiano Reggiano and pecorino Romano cheeses contributes to the flavor profile, but I was missing that smooth texture from cream. Should this product have been creamier, it would have been a contender for the top spot, but it landed at number five on the list for this reason.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
4. Michael’s of Brooklyn Vodka Sauce
Michael’s of Brooklyn is a family-owned Italian restaurant that has been a Brooklyn staple since 1964. The brand states that its nationally sold sauces are actually cooked and packaged inside the original restaurant kitchen. The 15-ounce jar sells for about $8.99, which is on the higher end, but it’s justifiable for a small-batch product. This vodka sauce was incredibly decadent and creamy and ended up as my kids’ top pick. I think they preferred the smooth texture, without any chunks of tomato or sprigs of herbs. Others might be looking for more texture in a sauce, but I found this silky option to be a nice alternative to others on this list.
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
3. Carmine’s Vodka Sauce
Carmine’s is another family-style Italian restaurant in New York City, and it has been selling small batches of its popular sauces from scratch since 1990. In a description of its sauce, the restaurant says, “We want every day to feel like a Sunday afternoon at Grandma’s house.” I’d say that’s a pretty good deal since the 24-ounce jars are only $7.99.
This sauce stood out from others on the list because the components were cut into bigger pieces, resulting in a chunkier texture. That rustic style lent a homemade feeling to the sauce. The fresh-cut garlic was aggressive in the best way possible, and I liked that I could see pieces of onion, sprigs of herbs and chunks of tomato. The only complaint I had was that it was a bit on the thinner side and not as creamy as other sauces.
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2. Harry’s Famous Sauce Spicy Tarragon Vodka
I have to admit, adding this sauce to the taste test came a little out of left field, and I’m so glad it did! Harry’s Famous is a brand from actor Harry Hamlin and his business partner, Chef Renee Guilbault. The philosophy behind their product line centers on transparency and high-quality ingredients. At $13.49 for a 24-ounce jar, this is the most expensive sauce on the list, but the craftsmanship justifies the price. This sauce is very different from a classic vodka sauce, yet I loved every bite. They describe the Spicy Tarragon Vodka Sauce as “a kick to tradition,” and that feels accurate.
A French twist comes through with a hint of fresh tarragon and red pepper flakes for heat. The jar says the sauce “is like nothing you have ever tasted,” and I agree. The tarragon is pronounced—which may divide some shoppers—but it adds sophistication, and a hint of cardamom adds an unexpected layer. The spicy kick was enough to wake up your taste buds, but not so spicy that you need to have a glass of milk nearby. The directions on the jar call for adding one part cream to every three parts sauce, and that ratio creates a perfectly creamy texture. As far as I can tell, this is only available in stores in the Los Angeles area, but jars can also be purchased online. I can’t wait to try the other varieties!
Kristina Vanni For Taste Of Home
1. Carbone Classic Vodka Sauce
If you can’t score a reservation at the chic and stylish Carbone restaurant in New York City, don’t fret, because its jarred sauce is my number one choice for the best vodka sauce you can buy. At $7.99 for a 24-ounce jar, it’s a good deal. The jar notes, “Inspired by our most popular dish, this classic Carbone Vodka sauce is made with the highest quality ingredients to deliver a depth of flavor only found at our restaurants. With the simple addition of cream, you can enjoy this irresistible dish from our family to yours.”
From the moment I opened the jar, I knew this sauce was special. The tomatoes had a vibrant, ruby-red color that practically sparkled. The ingredient list reads like a grocery list with no artificial additives—just imported Italian tomatoes, onions, sugar, sea salt, olive oil, garlic, vodka and black pepper. The instructions call for adding 8 ounces of heavy cream to the 24-ounce jar, creating the perfect amount for a full pound of pasta. Stirring in the cream while heating produces a silky, perfectly balanced texture. A touch of sweetness made me feel like someone walked past the pot while it was slowly simmering and added a pinch of sugar to make it just right. This is about as close as you’ll get to a homemade penne alla vodka recipe from a jar. From here on out, it’s the brand I’ll reach for in the Italian foods aisle.
Dining and Cooking