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Chances are, you aren't really thinking about the next time you are going to have a bowl of pasta, since the holidays are around the corner, but once all the Christmas and Hanukkah festivities are over, chances are you might want to spend a little less time in the kitchen and a little more time on your couch.
If that is in fact the case, then here are three pasta sauces that you might want to add to your shopping list. We've just revealed the results of our pasta sauce taste test. Out of the 27 marinara sauces we tasted, we found a trio of red sauces that are almost as good as homemade!
Do you agree or disagree with our picks?
Making homemade pasta sauce doesn't take much: fresh or canned tomatoes, onion, olive oil, and salt, and NO garlic if you want to be authentically Italian. But if time is of the essence, there are dozens of brands that will deliver a decent sauce with the flip of a lid. The problem is, most are simply that—decent.
Pasta sauces claim a lot of shelf space in the supermarket, including marinara, arrabiata, four-cheese, and tomato and basil, just to name a handful. But which truly taste homemade?
To find out, we sampled 27 brands. Slowly but surely we slurped down the sauces, and found three we'd eat with meatballs, on bread, over rice, even with a spoon. Read on to find our favorite picks.
Best Pasta Sauce Overall
Rao's Marinara ($8.99 per 24-ounce jar)
Pros: The editors were big fans of this pick because it had the perfect balance between smooth and chunky, sweet and salty. "I love the garlicky and basil undertones!" exclaimed one judge. Testers also liked its subtle finish.
Cons: Slightly pricier that most.
First Runner-Up
Lidia's Marinara Sauce ($9.99 per 25-ounce jar)
Pros: "Bright-red, garlicky, slightly sweet with a hint of spice; this is exactly what I'd expect from a marinara," stated one judge.
Cons: Some felt it was a bit thin, and it was a bit more expensive than Rao's.
Second Runner-Up
Monte Bene Garlic Marinara ($6.99 per 24-ounce jar)
Pros: "I love how I can taste the garlic, the sweet basil, and the oregano," one taster commented. "The subtleness of the seeds and oregano made this one taste and look really natural," said another editor.
Cons: Not as chunky as some of the others.
Ragú was so sweet it tasted more like ketchup than sauce and was far too liquidy. Gefen was comparable to a cup of bad tomato soup: Not only were the pieces of garlic mistaken for corn kernels but the sauce was overly oregano-y. And lastly there was Lucini. This crowd displeaser was described as "sickly sweet" and far too processed.
All 27 varieties evaluated are available nationwide in supermarkets or online. Listed from highest to lowest score achieved, they are: Rao's, Lidia's, Monte Bene, Patsy's, Vincent's, Paesana, Il Mulino, San Marzano, Two Guys, 365 Organic, Scarpetta, Amy's Organic, Eden Organic, Newman's, Mario Batali, Poblano Farm, Cucina Antica, Colavita, Stonewall Kitchen, Buitoni, Pomì, Prego, Brad's Organic, Muir Glen, Ragú, Gefen, Lucini
Methodology: In a blind taste test, judges compared the flavor, consistency, and appearance of 27 types of marinara pasta sauce. Sauces were ranked according to the Epicurious four-fork rating system (four being best).
