7 Best Store-Bought Pasta Sauces, According to Chefs
A delicious pasta dish doesn’t necessarily mean spending hours in the kitchen making sauce from scratch. There are several store-bought pasta sauce options that are high-quality and rival homemade. Whether you’re putting together a quick weeknight dinner or trying to impress guests with minimal effort, the right store-bought pasta sauce can make all the difference. To help you pick the best, Eat This, Not That! asked chefs to share their favorite pasta sauces you can grab off the shelf. Here are seven that get their stamp of approval.
Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pesto
Pesto adds a bold flavor to pasta and a fresh garden aroma that enhances the dish. “Pesto is one of my favorite sauces, and Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pesto has everything I look for in it: a raw and deep flavor, and no tricks,” says Chef Carlos Cantatore, executive chef at UMMO. He explains, “You can really taste the fresh basil, the real garlic, and, of course, the Parmigiano. It’s not a watered-down green sauce, it’s got character, texture, and clearly respects the tradition.”
Botticelli Organic Cream Vodka Sauce
Vodka sauce has a rich creamy flavor that boosts the taste of other ingredients and enriches the overall dining experience. Chef Carlos’ go-to is Botticelli Organic Cream Vodka Sauce. “I’ve chosen this one because it’s extremely hard to find a store-bought vodka sauce that isn’t sweet or artificial,” he says. “This one strikes a great balance: good acidity and creaminess… and perhaps the most important thing, no added sugars or chemicals.”
Mezzetta Marinara Sauce
Mezzetta Marinara Sauce is delicious and healthy. It uses limited clean ingredients and doesn’t have added sugar or preservatives. It’s a must-have for Chef Julian Boudreaux. “This sauce has a great balanced flavor and slightly chunky texture,” he says. “It uses whole plum tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh herbs, delivering a fresh, and tangy.”
Rao’s Homemade Marinara
Rao’s Homemade Marinara is a classic that even chefs use. “It’s the closest jarred sauce to tasting like something that was homemade,” says Kyle Taylor, Founder / Chef at HE COOKS. “It doesn’t have added sugar and uses San Marzano tomatoes.”
Cucina Antica Tomato Basil
Cucina Antica Tomato Basil earns high praises from shoppers at every store the sauce is sold at and chefs love it. “Cucina Antica is one of the few jarred sauces I don’t feel the need to tweak, says Marissa Stevens, Recipe Developer & Founder, Pinch and Swirl. “The ingredients are clean—no added sugar—and it actually tastes like tomatoes instead of concentrate.” She adds, “It’s not overly thick or sweet, and it works just as well with spaghetti and meatballs as it does in baked pasta. I always keep a few jars in the pantry for nights when I don’t have the time or energy to cook from scratch, but still want dinner to taste semi-homemade.”
Sprouts No Salt Added Organic Marinara
Many store-bought pasta sauces are shockingly full of sugar and junk ingredients, but Sprouts No Salt Added Organic Marinara has a homemade quality. “It’s wild how much sodium is added to store bought marinara sauce,” says Rachel Kirk, recipe developer for LaughingSpatula.com. “This Sprouts version has no salt added, and tastes super fresh. I like to add my own salt so it’s not over-powering, resulting in an even more homemade flavor.”
Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce
Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce is cheap–just $1.99–and tasty. The sauce already has a cult following among fans and chefs love it too. “The sauce is smooth, thick, and sticks well to noodles,” says Chef Julian. “It’s less acidic.”
