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Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner
Pasta is one of my favorite foods, and what really makes it is the sauce. A good sauce can often require simmering the ingredients for hours until all the flavors have melded. But sometimes we don’t have time for that.
So when we need something simple, quick, and easy to grab, jarred sauces can be a kitchen hero. I’ve tried many on the market, but was curious to learn which ones professional chefs give the stamp of approval. So I asked 8 chefs: What is the best jarred marinara sauce? One clearly swept the board but there were a few other favorites. Here are the jarred sauces you should stock your pantry shelves with.
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1. Rao’s Homemade
The majority of the chefs (6 out of 8!) chose Rao’s Homemade as their top pick, praising it for being a great base for dishes like chicken Parmesan, lasagna, pasta puttanesca, and more. (It is Ina Garten’s favorite, too.) Jamie Milne, cookbook author of Everything Delish and busy mom of two, loves how close to homemade it tastes. “Rao’s has that rich, slow-simmered tomato flavor that you would expect from a sauce that’s been cooking on the stove for hours,” Milne said. “It’s made with simple ingredients like Italian tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, and herbs, and you can really taste the difference.”
Judith Naranjo, head chef at Protein Chefs agreed: “Jarred marinara sauce can often have an artificial acidic flavor from the preservatives, which is a dealbreaker for me.” She added, Rao’s works “on its own without adding more spices on top.” Clara Park, chef and founder of eat cetera philly, also chooses Rao’s for its rich, deep, and savory tomato flavor. “I like how thick and hearty it is, and how well it coats pasta.”
Kathleen Kennedy, chef and director of culinary innovation at Marco’s Pizza, Dennis Littley, executive chef and food blogger, and Matt Harding, chef and chief innovation officer at Piada Italian Street Food all named Rao’s as their go-to jarred marinara. Another perk? It’s widely available (and often on sale and sold in bulk at Costco).
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2. Carbone
Lisa Ruland, chef and author of award-winning food blog, Unpeeled Journal, named she tried Carbone as her top pick: “I grew up in an Italian-American family, which is another way of saying that jarred sauce was basically considered a forbidden, foreign substance.” She was “actually shocked” the first time she tried Carbone because of “how fresh and homemade it tasted,” she said, adding that its high price point is totally worth it.
“Carbone’s marinara is fresh and bright, with a pleasant, lightly-crushed tomato texture. I also love that it has a simple ingredient list, as any marinara should: imported Italian tomatoes (nice touch), onion, sea salt, olive oil, basil, oregano. The salt is noticeable, but in a good way,” she added.
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3. Barilla
If Rao’s isn’t available (or a bit too pricey), Harding said Barilla Marinara is another great choice. “It is a solid, easy-to-find, more affordable option, has no added sugar and uses extra-virgin olive oil,” he said. “It leans more toward garlic and dried herbs than fresh, bright tomato,” so he especially recommends it “if you like a more seasoned sauce.” (While you’re at it, Barilla makes some pretty great pasta too — also chef approved!)
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4. Ragú
Terrence Gutierrez, pastry chef and content creator, will also buy Carbone on occasion for its restaurant-style taste, but ultimately, Ragú has his heart. “I grew up with it, and it’s just so nostalgic,” he said. It’s the brand of sauce his mom bought when he was growing up, so “putting Ragú on spaghetti just takes me right back to childhood.” (I’m in the same boat — my family’s shelves were constantly stocked with jars of Ragú, and we often poured it over frozen ravioli for easy dinners after school.)
A Few Tips for Buying Jarred Marinara Sauce
When shopping for jarred sauce, brand isn’t the only thing that matters. The chefs recommended these tips to ensure you go home with a quality jar every time.
Look for simple ingredients: All the chefs agreed that a good marinara sauce shouldn’t be overcomplicated and have a ton of ingredients. Look for ones with high-quality tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), extra virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, basil, and oregano. “Companies that are making less premium marinara will use cheaper oil like canola or soybean,” explained Park “and cheaper tomato products like tomato puree and diced tomatoes over whole tomatoes.”
Avoid added sugars and preservatives: “Tomatoes naturally have so much sweetness when they’re cooked properly,” said Milne, so you don’t need any more sugar. The sauce shouldn’t have any artificial colors, flavors, chemical additives, or preservatives either. “Nonna never cooked with calcium chloride and soybean oil,” Ruland said. “You shouldn’t have to, either.”
Don’t be afraid to doctor it up: Just because you’re starting out with a jarred sauce doesn’t mean you can’t tailor it to your liking, although it is important you’re starting out with a solid base. “Add fresh herbs, sautéed onions, garlic, and a drizzle of good olive oil,” suggested Kennedy. “A few simple additions can make a big difference.”
Did your favorite jarred pasta sauce brand make the list? Tell us in the comments.
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