My New Favorite Jarred Pasta Sauce Tastes Like It’s Homemade (I Promise, It’s Not Rao’s!)

I always keep a jar of marinara sauce in my pantry. Its uses are near-endless: one-pan shakshuka, quick chicken Parmesan and, of course, a simple bowl of pasta. Marinara has been the base for hundreds (yes, hundreds) of my dinners over the years.

I usually zhuzh it up with extra basil, garlic, or chili flakes, but I finally found a sauce that’s flavorful enough straight from the jar: Carmine’s Marinara Sauce. Oh, and beyond its robust, savory flavor, it’s also got a genius design for easy opening.

Someone holding a bottle of Carmine's marinara sauce.

Credit: Ali Domrongchai

What’s So Great About Carmine’s Marinara Sauce?

The sauce is from the famous Carmine’s Italian restaurant in New York City. When the restaurant temporarily slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, customers begged the owners to jar and sell its legendary sauce, and the rest, as they say, is history. If you’ve been to Carmine’s you’ll probably recognize the ingredients on the jar — they’re exactly the same as the one it serves on the menu: 100% Italian Plum Tomatoes, olive oil blend (canola oil and extra-virgin olive oil), garlic, basil, salt, and parsley.

Carmine’s Marinara Sauce

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All of the additional ingredients accentuate the natural umami richness of the tomato-forward flavor. Sure, it tastes divine, but the cherry on top of it all is its genius, accessibility-friendly lid. You just press down on the top to release the seal, which means no banging the lid, silicone grippers, or hot water required. It pops open easily, like a bag of chips, and reseals securely if you somehow don’t use the whole jar all at once.

Pasta with tomato sauce.

Credit: Ali Domrongchai

What’s the Best Way to Enjoy Carmine’s Marinara Sauce?

I use this sauce just like I would any great marinara: with pasta, as a base for homemade pizzas and dipping breadsticks. It packs a flavorful punch all on its own, so when I cook with it, I let the sauce shine without adding much else. It does all the heavy lifting.

Buy: Carmine’s Marinara Sauce, $7.29 for 24 ounces at Instacart

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: My New Favorite Jarred Pasta Sauce Tastes Like It’s Homemade (I Promise, It’s Not Rao’s!)