Has Anyone Found A Commercial Spaghetti Sauce That's Halfway Decent?

Rao's is the only I will touch, if I can't have mom's.

Correct. Rao's is hands down the best store bought sauce on the market. The Arriabiata especially.

3 for Rao’s.

Make your own. It's easy.

Another for Rao's.

I don't find any bottled sauce very good, Rao's included.

The only exception was Giada De Laurentiis's. It was unbelievably fresh tasting and half the price of Rao's.

But they stopped making it.

I'm making pasta tonight but will make my own tomato sauce. It's really very easy and much better than the stuff in bottles.

Rao's and i like Paul Newmans Sockarooni

Victoria marinara is a close second to Rao's and is more cost effective.

Paul Newman's marinara is great. I add a little sugar for my taste.

Hunt's

Rao's is excellent. A more affordable option I really like is Albertsons (Shaw's, Acme, Safeway, Lucky and many more) O Organics pasta sauce. Private label, great quality, competitive price.

Rao’s - I haven’t eaten a jarred meat sauce since I was little (the idea is kind of gross to me) but I tried theirs and it was really good! It has been sold out every time I’ve tried to rebuy it.

Victoria Marinara Sauce, I actually prefer it over Rao's to be honest. It's the closest tasting to what my Italian grandparents would make when they gardened and canned.

Rao's isn't bad at all though. They're both relatively pricey, but I noticed Target, of all places, sells Rao's a couple bucks cheaper than the grocery stores do.

R8 That Victoria label is interesting.

[quote]Italian & diced tomatoes

Does that mean the diced tomatoes are not Italian?

[quote]Imported olive oil

From WHERE? And I find this particularly troubling because American olive oil is almost always better than Italian. Italian olive oil is often mostly canola.

[quote]Natural ingredient to maintain texture

Pig shit is a natural ingredient.

you have to make your own - like soup.

Ragu. And I drain my pasta too.

[quote]Make your own. It's easy.

Then give us a damn recipe bitch!

[quote] And I drain my pasta too.

But the critical question is, do you rinse it?

Rao's is about as good as it gets for a mass-marketed jarred sauce. For a few dollars less, Classico Riserva is also decent. Like Rao's, it doesn't have any added sugar.

I still like to make my own Bolognese sauce from scratch, but for a simple marinara, Rao's is about 90% as good as mine.

Rao's. Then Marzetti as backup. Avoid any jarred sauce that has tomato puree as the first ingredient on the label.

Rao's is the gold standard. And it goes on sale sometimes. I stocked up at Sprouts when they were having a buy one-get one free sale.

Take any one and add chopped fresh parley and cook it a bit. All sauces improve. I like Fairways store brand myself.

[quote] Italian olive oil is often mostly canola.

Absurd.

Trader Joe’s has surprisingly wonderful sauces.

R23 Most of Italian olive oil is fake. Whether it's canola or another I do not know. It's a mafia thing.

R1 and everyone who said Rao's is right. It's the closest to my homemade I've ever found. It's made with all real and quality ingredients. I only like the marinara one though.

Rao's

Rao’s.

I've heard that some of Rao's other stuff, like their soups and frozen food, aren't that great.

I've tried Raos.

I found one I like called Monte Pollino. Italian made. They often have it at Marshals etc and I’ll buy them out.

I avoid bottled sauce. I have not been impressed with Roa's.

R42, try Rao’s. That Rao’s is garbage.

Seriously, though. Rao’s is one of the few that isn’t loaded with sugar.

[quote]Most of Italian olive oil is fake. Whether it's canola or another I do not know. It's a mafia thing.

Absolutely not true. There was a scandal a few years ago with a few importers. Italy cracked down severely.

Like 100% California olive oil 100% Italian is expensive.

Read the labels, most olive found in supermarkets are a mix of oils from different countries, including the less expensive line from a major California brand.

Personally I buy a 100% Californian which is very good. I just think it's dumb to buy imported stuff when perfectly good products are available in the States and that includes tomatoes too.

But there is nothing that I have found as splendid as the best Italian oils. I lived there for many years. Have friends with an oil company. Worked designing for another. I know Italian olive oil.

I'd suggest you head over to the refrigerated section, and see if your market carries Buitoni. They make marinara, alfredo, and pesto.

I made linguine & meatballs tonight. It included a very simple tomato sauce I made from scratch. It's very easy to make, doesn't require a long time cooking, but is very robust.

Here is the recipe for the sauce:

In a medium bowl, mix:

10 ounces -- pound of low-fat grass-fed ground beef. 1 ounce of panko breadcrumbs 1 large egg 2 T grated Parmesan 1/2 t finely grated garlic 3/4 t of salt a few grinds of black pepper

Form into 8 balls.

Put 2T of oil (not olive, as it burns) in cast iron skillet. Turn meatballs until all brown. About 4 minutes. Transfer to plate Then add to skillet:

One can of whole peeled tomatoes you've run a sharp knife through. Glen Muir Organic is much better than Italian. 1/2 t finely grated garlic 2 T tomato paste 1.5 t of organic Italian spice mix 1 pinch of cane sugar 1/2 C of the starchy/salty water used to cook the pasta Salt/Pepper

Add back meatballs. Bring to boil. Reduce sauce. About 4 minutes. Stir in shredded basil leaves.

Drain pasta. Put back in same saucepan. Mix with California olive oil. And several spoons of the tomato sauce.

Ladle sauce and meatballs over pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley.

Rao's relationship with trump and the MAGAs is stomach-churning. I'd pour dollar store discount-bin ketchup over my rinsed pasta and like it before giving one red dime to Rao's.

^MAGAts

Good rule of thumb: NEVER trust Italian food labels, especially olive oil.

If you want REAL extra virgin olive oil, only buy American or Australian.

Most of "Italian" olive oil is shipped in cargo ships to Italy from Spain and then repackaged to it can say "Italian."

And, yes, the Mafia cuts even that with cheaper oils.

[quote]Rao's relationship with trump and the MAGAs is stomach-churning.

What is your source for this?

Classico is my favorite among the reasonably priced.

Rao's is better than homemade, and I learned how to make it in Ravello. Lidia's is also excellent and, in fact, her dried pasta is some of the best I have tried on the market. It's a little hard to find though.

[quote]Rao's is better than homemade

What a hilariously middle-class thing to say.

Wegmans is surprisingly decent, it’s cheap and has little or no sugar in it.

Ragu.

[quote]Good rule of thumb: NEVER trust Italian food labels, especially olive oil.

You don't know what you are talking about:

R46 Keep eating that trash you buy, hun. You'll have the last laugh on me!

Cooks Illustrated: best supermarket oils:

"Our top two choices are California Olive Ranch Destination Series Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil and BERTOLLI Extra Virgin Olive Oil"

I usually make my own, using canned tomatoes (RedGold), but I always keep several jars of Classico in the pantry for the times I just want something quick and easy (and tasty). I like their Spicy Tomato and Basil. I've enjoyed Rao's as well, but it's pretty pricey. I love making my own sauce from scratch, so that I can produce distinctive tastes like Julia Child's Provencal tomato sauce. You have to have the ingredients on hand, but it's an example of how easy it can be to make your own sauce.

R46 None of those Italian olive oils are the Italian olive oils that most people buy.

The biggest selling Italian olive oils ARE trash.

Yes, you can buy some great boutique Italian olive oils, but, as a general rule, it is best to avoid Italian olive oil if you want real olive oil.

I am a big fan of marinara sauce and have probably trued them all, from mainstream brands to expensive ones like Rao’s. I recently tried Lidia’s and found it to be underwhelming to say the least, watery and bland. Most commercial sauces have way too much sodium, I think it’s more suitable to taste buds ruined by fast food palates.

If it wasn’t for the sodium content, Mezzeta Spicy marinara sauce would be my first choice. Just the right tomato-olive oil richness. But man, all you taste after that initial tomato blast is sodium. I buy it if it’s on sale but I have to mix it with Sprouts’ no-salt marinara sauce to take the salty edge off.

IMO, Silver Palate’s low sodium marinara sauce is as close to perfection as non-homemade sauce is concerned. It’s not super expensive nor is it cheap, but quality-wise and taste-wise I’d put it over the more expensive brands. I always stock up when it’s on sale.

[quote]Our top two choices are California Olive Ranch Destination Series

What was interesting with California Olive Ranch is that for all of last year their labels changed and the olives were from South America and Europe.

I don't know if there was a shortage or the price of California olives got too high. But it was deceptive marketing.

I stopped buying it until they went back to 100% California olives.

[quote]None of those Italian olive oils are the Italian olive oils that most people buy.

Not true.

Bertolli is a major and popular brand.

See also NYMag, NY chef's choose their favorites.

For lowest price in bulk it's Kitkland an Italian produced blend.

For the finest It's Italian too.

California and Italy rate highest.

R52 California Ranch has split their line into two series: 100% Californian and "global blend".

R53 Thank you!

[quote]Victoria Marinara Sauce, I actually prefer it over Rao's to be honest. It's the closest tasting to what my Italian grandparents would make when they gardened and canned.

I was going to post, Victoria is one of the worst commercial sauces. It's way too acidic. I purchased it twice, I tried to give it a second chance, it's just plain odd tasting.

I grew up with several excellent Italian cooks, most made their own homemade sauce, Victoria sure didn't compare with any of my relatives amazing sauce recipes. One aunt made manicotti from scratch, I'm used to great food.

R43 you may think you're a snob but you are clueless. The quality of ingredients and preparation in Rao's is better than many people's homemade sauces. That is a fact. It's not based on class you bourgeois cunt.

[quote]The quality of ingredients and preparation in Rao's is better than many people's homemade sauces.

That is probably true, as most people are horrendous cooks.

But to say that is it is better than homemade (by someone who knows what they are doing) makes you sound like a rube.

R57 thinks that Chef Boyardee out of a can is better than any pasta at any restaurant in Italy.

Great Value brand, add some spices, done.

My favorite is Terlato Kitchens Pomodoro and Arrabiatta.

Rao’s definitely. But I’ve read this is even better.

Michael’s Of Brooklyn is pretty good. Though also kind of expensive, a la Rao’s.

Ina's marinara was just wonderful.

Ragu (ducking for cover) I add garlic and a pinch of sugar to it.

In my experience, there has never been any commercial sauce to which I have not needed to add tomato paste as thickener, as well as other additions. To me, they're nothing but glorified bases to make into a passable sauce, and it's been years since I've bought any. An ordinary can of tomato sauce from Walmart can be improved to make a better sauce than any of the commercial sauces, stand-alone.

I use minced garlic from a jar in the fridge (I know - horrors!), a small diced white onion, diced bell pepper, sweated in a small amount of olive oil (I'm not particular as to the brand; I have a big bottle of Sam's Club Members Mark EVO that I'm working off of). ) To this gets added tomato sauce, water, a small amount of beef broth concentrate, some dried basil, oregano, and thyme; a couple dashes of black pepper (or use an Italian Spices preparation). Simmer on low heat, and thicken with a can of tomato paste. Stir in about half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese (yes, that pre-grated shit by Kraft will do just fine).

This is the basic pasta sauce which can be taken any direction - add ground beef browned with granulated garlic powder to make an easy meat sauce, or drop in meatballs baked in the oven, homemade or frozen store-bought. As I get older, more and more shortcuts of this kind are gradually becoming acceptable to me. The results seem to be just as good, and I have no complaints from friends who partake.

Best super- easy sauce (really - there are only 3 ingredients) is Marcella Hazan's classic.

IIRC, the recipe is - 28 Oz diced canned tomatoes (San Marzano ideal; I use whatever I grab in my pantry - 5 tbsp butter 1 good-sized yellow/sweet onion, cut in half

Salt to taste; will vary depending on whether you use salted butter

Stick it all in a pot. Cook it for a while (to boil then turn down, like for every sauce).. Remove onion. You're done. And it is fantastic.

Sometimes I chop/separate the onion into smaller (but still large) pieces and keep it in the sauce, because I love onions.

I've made it with onion powder (and added garlic powder, too), and it was still awesome.

If you search Marcella hazan and NY times and sauce, you should find the actual recipe quickly, if you want more detail.

Rao's Alfredo sauce is really good as well. Most jarred Alfredo sauces have odd, strong flavors other than cream and cheese, like heavy pepper or even garlic.

I do like the Trader Joe's marinara in the green can. It's a nice starting point if I'm unable to cook from scratch. I will add wine, parsley, etc. to suit whatever I plan on cooking.

Some people are super tasters. I think I am an under taster. I just don't have the visceral reactions to foods that so many people do.

I use Classico because it tastes good to me, the ingredients are few and there's no added sugar.

I find Ragu and Prego disgustingly sweet. I don't understand sugary tomato sauces. I also don't know how people can stomach Papa John's pizza, which is loaded with molasses.

Rao's.

But Michael's of Brooklyn, as someone above mentioned, is also very good. Simple ingredients. Not found in most stores, and it's a distinctively fat 32-ounce shaped jar unlike the others which are usually 24 ounces.

Rao's is on sale fairly often for $5.99, sometimes 4.99 (?) instead of $7.99 to $8.99, whether at Stop & Shop and even Whole Foods Market.

However, Michaels is so rarely on sale. They have marinara, a basil version and I think Putenesca (sp?). It sells for $8.99 and even $9.99 per jar. Recently, Whole Foods Market had it on sale for $6.99! Couldn't believe it. I bought several jars, of course.

I think Rao's is $7.99 at Wegmans?

Rao's mushroom and green pepper is my favorite if I don't make my own.

R70 Totally agree. I experiment with bottle sauces (hey, it’s quick and easy) and mainly choose them by sugar content. Adding sugar to Ragu and especially Prego? You might as well just pour syrup over your pasta. I once ordered a Papa Johns and couldn’t eat a single piece of that vile suggary, soggy bread.

[quote] Mix with California olive oil.

The horror! Never EVER put oil on cooked pasta, unless you're going to use it in a cold salad and need to keep the pieces separated. It prevents the sauce from clinging to it.