The Jarred Pasta Sauce Ina Garten Keeps Stocked in Her Pantry (She Swears By It!)
I live my life by four simple words: What Would Ina Do? Or, in this case, what would Ina Garten eat? In 20-something years of life, that golden phrase hasn’t let me down yet. I didn’t attend culinary or pastry school. Instead, I spent hours watching and reading everything Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa herself.
Therefore, besides my grandma, much of my culinary tastes and techniques come directly from Ina, and her recommendations are the best. Whether it’s the key to the most scrumptious chocolate cake or the best roast chicken, the Barefoot Contessa knows her way around the kitchen. That wisdom, of course, extends to the groceries she stocks in it, like her all-time favorite marinara sauce: Rao’s Homemade Marinara.
I have something embarrassing to admit. Sure, I’ve had Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce before and know it’s good (even chefs swear by it!), but I’ve never actually purchased it on my own… It’s always just sorta there. When I read that it has Ina’s seal of approval, I grabbed my keys and went straight to my local grocery store to pick up a jar.
What’s So Great About Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce?
With this newfound information in tow, I snagged a hefty 24-ounce jar because I had big plans for Ina’s favorite sauce (we’re talking about breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
When I got home, I boiled a pot of pasta to start easy with a big bowl of spaghetti with marinara sauce. And after one bite: WOW! I totally understand why the Barefoot Contessa loves this sauce so much. I could really taste the fresh, bright tomatoes and light notes of garlic and basil.
Rao's Homemade Marinara
Amazon
$8.69
I finished off the rest of the pasta for lunch and then the next morning, I used the sauce as a base for a quick and non-traditional (but totally tasty) shakshuka with a few eggs and bell pepper and it was just superb. I’m convinced that everything this sauce touches turns to gold, and I can’t wait to use it as a base for tomato soups, creamy sauces, and so much more.
After this recommendation, I’m going to be slowly converting the contents of my entire pantry and refrigerator into all of Ina’s favorites.
Buy: Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce, $6.22 (on sale!) for 24 ounces at Amazon
This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: The “Delicious” Jarred Pasta Sauce Ina Garten Always Has Stocked in Her Pantry (She Swears By It!)
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