Favorite marinara sauce for spaghetti (in a jar, widely available) (1 Viewer)

[Carlo_M]

My best friend's mom (who is Italian and loves to cook for him and his friends) would be horrified that I'm writing this. To be fair, her pasta sauce is probably the best I've had. But she puts a lot of love and care into it, and as someone who often makes meals for two people (and sometimes just for me) I sometimes like the simplicity of a jar pasta sauce. However my friend's mother's marinara sauce has ruined Prego/Ragu/etc for me.

I've bought many different "boutique" brands that are widely-available (Lydia's, Batali's, Giada's) in addition to lesser known ones.

The one I've settled on that I have liked best? Rao's.

That said, I'm always looking for that "better" sauce. What are some marinara sauces that you all like? Please try to list those that are widely available, at least in major metro areas, so I don't have to travel cross-country to buy it!

 

[David Norman]

Just tried Rao's for the first time recently and was incredibly impressed.

Not like growing up across the street from the I-talian family whose Grandmom was was born in Italy and moved here as an adult, but it's pretty impressive compared to most of the rest I've tried. I just have to figure out a way to buy it 'on sale' so my wife doesn't see it -- I layed out the groundwork already after she saw the shelf price. I just have to find those hidden coupons at stores she doesn't shop and buy a few jars at a time

 

[Bob Cashill]

We also love Rao's.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I've gotten away from marinara sauces, preferring to saute vegetables and other ingredients. Cut up fresh Roma tomatoes or even canned diced tomatoes replace the over-blended sauce.

But for a sauce over ravioli or in making pizza with a scratch crust, I now use the Del Monte sauce in cans. It may be better than Ragu et al in jars. For $1 give it a try. Just get the baseline "traditional" cans and add your own stuff to it.

 

[TonyD]

When we want a quick and cheap option we buy Hunt's sauce.

Comes in a decent sized can and is usually only $1

 

[Carlo_M]

To be clear, while I appreciate the budget add-ins, I'm looking for a great sauce in a jar that's literally heat and serve. If I want to save money and make from scratch, I will (or rather, go to my friend's parents' house ).

I had thought with Rao's I had found my holy grail, but was just putting this thread out there to see if there was a better pre-jarred option. Apparently, early responses are in agreement with my Rao's opinion. I haven't tried every jarred sauce, but I have tried a lot and Rao's beats the pants out of all that I've sampled. I was just hoping someone might have stumbled on some marinara gold and was willing to share it here. Looks like Rao's may be as good as the pre-made options get. And I'm okay with that. It's fantastic. I just had a case of FOMO, but it looks like that fear may be unfounded.

 

[Jim517]

Where do you buy Rao's ? I never heard of it.

 

[TonyD]

I never did either.

Is it in the regular spot at the typical supermarket?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Rao's is the best jarred sauce I've ever tried as well. I kinda hold my nose a little when I buy it because I dislike the extreme snobbishness of the restaurant itself (members of the general public are not allowed to eat there without a reservation but are also not allowed to make reservations, and no walk-ins are allowed - you literally have to know someone who knows someone to get in, and I don't think that's right), but I've yet to discover a better option.

I've been told by several people whose taste I trust that Victoria's brand sauce is just as good, but haven't gotten it myself yet.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I’ve never heard of Rao’s, but I also don’t eat pasta. Occasionally, my wife makes some sort of noodle dish and she uses Classico tomato and basil.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I generally don't eat pasta either - but Rao's is great for when I want to make some quick chicken parm without doing the sauce from scratch. I use a little and then freeze the rest until next time.

 

[Jimbo64]

Rao’s is the choice at my house

 

[Wayne_j]

Barilla.

 

[Carlo_M]

Rao's at least in SoCal is pretty widely available. I can find it at the major grocery store chains here like Ralph's, Bristol Farms, etc.

The reason behind why it's near impossible to get reservations at the original Rao's is pretty interesting though. I tried the one in Vegas and liked it, but found it to be overpriced. The jar sauce though...mmm.

For those who like Classico and Barilla, if you can, try to score a Rao's jar. You can get it from Amazon. I've tried both of those brands and greatly prefer Rao's.

 

[David Norman]

Where do you buy Rao's ? I never heard of it.

Target was where I got mine, but then I noticed several of my local groceries have it, I think Walmart even carries it here.
It's on the same shelf as all the other sauces.

 

[Jim517]

Thanks. I will check it out

 

[MarkMel]

Another vote for Rao's, my Italian mother and grandmother made the best sauce but Rao's comes very close. So much so that it outweighs the effort to make from scratch.

Victoria is good too, just not as good as Rao's. When I see people in the store buying Ragu, I just assume they had some terrible accident and lost all of their taste buds. Or, Italian to them is a can of Spagetti-Os.

 

[David Norman]

Another vote for Rao's, my Italian mother and grandmother made the best sauce but Rao's comes very close. So much so that it outweighs the effort to make from scratch.

Victoria is good too, just not as good as Rao's. When I see people in the store buying Ragu, I just assume they had some terrible accident and lost all of their taste buds. Or, Italian to them is a can of Spagetti-Os.

Ragu/Prego -- $1.50-2 per vs $7.50 per bottle is far more likely the answer. I've tried for decades to convince my wife that cheap is sometimes just cheap and it isn't that big a deal sometimes, but it's the way she was raised by Depression Era Parents/GP and it's really hard to break through sometimes. As I said I may have to do some creative accounting and invent some special invisible coupons to move the target

 

[Carlo_M]

I was raised by 1st gen immigrant parents who came from poverty. But I've made a good living for myself and broke from that thinking, my parents on the other hand, who now would be considered upper-middle class through hard work over the last 40 years we've been in the USA...they have come around slowly, but occasionally do slip into the "cheap is better" mentality. Monetary concerns are legitimate reasons to purchase more affordable options, no judgment here.

 

[Malcolm R]

I can't really state any specific brand preference, as I don't use a lot of jar sauce, but usually look for those lower in sugar. I have some Muir Glen organic on the shelf right now.

With the mainstream brands like Ragu and Prego, you might as well just melt a candy bar over your pasta. It's cheap because it's mostly sugar for a cheap "sweet" flavor rather than any actual Italian flavors of oregano and garlic.