Are you planning on having an Italian dinner night this week and want to make sure you’re using the best store-bought tomato sauce? Well, you have come to the right place!
These results are based on a taste test and article done by https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-best-jarred-tomato-sauce_n_972479.
#6 Francesco Rinaldi Traditional Marinara
We start with the 6th place winner on this list of top 6 rated tomato sauce brands. Francisco Rinaldi Traditional Marinara sauce is a pretty popular brand. Although, it has been described as “A good basic sauce. I could easily doctor this up.” “Subpar.” “Very smooth texture.” in the huffpost.com taste test article.
I would highly recommend this sauce for beginner home chefs that want a base sauce to experiment with. It won’t break the bank price-wise ($3.25 per jar at many grocery stores). And it will likely complement most Italian dishes. I would serve this sauce with a dish that packs a punch of flavor on its own, such as Italian sausage and pasta dishes.
#5 Gia Russa Marinara
Gia Russa Marinara is one of the more pricey tomato sauce brands as it is typically sold for about $7.39 per jar and can be found at many grocery stores. The price might be why this sauce has placed fifth on this taste test list. Although, the reviewers describe the sauce as follows: “Comforting.” “More complex than the others.” “Too oily.” “Tastes like real tomatoes, and also oddly meaty.” “Very nice.”
So, based on the reviews the sauce seems to please some by not all. I would likely use this sauce in a casserole or even a lasagna due to the comforting flavor profile that it offers.
#4 Prego Traditional
Prego Traditional tomato sauce is definitely a sauce brand that you have heard of before. Prego is a great choice for the beginner home chef because it is more neutral than some of the others on the list. Reviewers describe Prego as follows: “Good base, but this doesn’t stand out.” “Lots of herbal flavors.” “This kind of tastes like Domino’s pizza sauce.” “This sets a decent standard.”
Based on the taste tester reviews and my own personal experience with Prego brand sauce, I would use this as a last resort sauce. The flavor profile is basic and truly doesn’t offer anything special to any dish. Prego can be purchased at nearly any grocery store or convenience store in the country.
#3 Barilla Traditional Marinara
Barilla Traditional Marinara tomato sauce is probably one that you have heard of before, maybe you have even tried it. It may even be your go-to for pasta night. But, when it comes to this huffpost.com taste test it lands in the third-place position.
Reviews describe this sauce as follows: “This tastes so classic and comfortable.” “This is great because I love garlic.” “Yum. Basil-y and nicely pureed.” “Fine for dorm rooms.” Based on these reviews I would likely use this sauce on a homemade pizza. That way I could doctor it up and make it taste even better with the cheese and other pizza toppings.
#2 Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce
Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce may have been dubbed the runner up in this taste test but it is well deserved as a top spot! Reviewers for this taste test describe this tomato sauce as “Good chunkiness and thickness.” “Pretty good, I would buy this.” “I like the softness of the tomatoes.” “Full flavor!”.
Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce can be purchased at https://www.raos.com/ along with the full list of available products. Based on the reviews I would likely pair this particular tomato sauce with a pasta dish such as spaghetti and meatballs or maybe even a baked ziti. Be prepared for the cost, though. It runs about $8.99 a jar.
#1 Giada De Laurentiis for Target — Vegetable Marinara
The winner of the taste test was created by none other than Giada De Laurentiis. The reviewers describe the sauce as “The hands-down winner. Fresh, full flavor.” “Very rich and complex flavor. Love it!” “Good base, but way too much red pepper.” “Very veggie-flavored, but nicely balanced.” “Good if you like red pepper.” as said in the huffpost.com article. Giada’s sauce can be purchased at most Target stores for $2.99. It seems that the sauce is made with a noticeable amount of red pepper flakes but it also has a delicious vegetable labor profile so I would likely pair this sauce with either chicken Parmesan, stuffed zucchini, or eggplant Parmesan.
